No audit of MAG's grant use

A legislative committee has decided against having an audit made of the Mountainland Association of Governments over its use of more than $1 million in federal grant funds to construct its headquarters.

"We're pleased with the outcome," MAG Executive Director Darrell Cook said after Thursday's committee action. "We got the results we expected."

Two of the three Utah County commissioners asked the committee earlier this year to direct the Office of the Legislative Auditor General to investigate whether the association properly used Community Development Block Grant funds to construct its administration building in Orem in 1998. There was also a question about whether the grant use was approved by a majority of MAG members.

House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, said if Utah County still has concerns about MAG that it should investigate them using Utah County funds.

"I just hope that that will bring an end to it, and we can move on with things," said Utah County Commissioner Larry Ellertson, the lone commissioner to vote against severing Utah County's ties with MAG in February.

In April, the same committee directed a legislative auditor, Darin Underwood, to do a pre-audit investigation to decide if an audit was necessary. His report said auditing MAG wouldn't be useful because if the audit found the building didn't qualify for the grant, it's unlikely federal officials would require the association to repay the money.

Underwood also reported a majority of members voted for the project at later meetings.