Senate panel OKs bill that puts UTA board under stricter conflict-of-interest policy

SALT LAKE CITY —  A Senate panel approved a bill Thursday that repeals a conflict-of-interest provision for transit districts.

The bill comes after a state audit found a Utah Transit Authority member, developer Terry Diehl, had a conflict of interest and made an "undisclosed amount" of money involving a land deal on a controversial rail stop.

SB222, which was approved by the Senate Revenue and Taxation Standing Committee, repeals the conflicts provision just for transit districts. The sponsor said a more strict standard will apply.

 "This puts UTA under the same provisions as any other public officer or employee under the Utah Public Officers and Employees Ethics Act.," said Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-West Jordan.      

UTA said it supports the bill.

"We're pleased to comply with whatever the Legislature requires of us," said the agency's General Counsel Bruce Jones.  "We would like clarity, transparency, so that we know what to inform our trustees."

But one watchdog said a key question remained unresolved.

"The fundamental question that we're trying to answer is how much money was made by UTA board members," said Zach Frankel, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council.  "With all of the discussion of disclosure, we still don't have an answer to how much money was made by selecting the station."

— John Daley