Salt Lake County Council and Mayor Jenny Wilson’s Statement About the Status of the Government Center

Salt Lake County, UT–Through a bipartisan vote of 7-1, Salt Lake County Council approved the authorization of a contract to pursue the purchase of a commercial property in Midvale.

Salt Lake County Council and Mayor Jenny Wilson issued the following statement about the status of the Government Center:

"Salt Lake County recently conducted a Service Opportunity Assessment Review (SOAR)—a collaborative initiative to assess and optimize public service delivery while effectively and efficiently allocating resources in an accessible manner. One of the main SOAR findings was the Government Center, in its current form, no longer adequately and affordably meets public and employee needs.

Salt Lake County Government Center is approaching 40 years old. Over the past two years, we have reviewed costs for much needed maintenance and renovations, as well as conducted an assessment specific to the size and current use of the Government Center. At this time, the estimated cost for maintenance and renovations is at least $225 million.

Not long ago, we became aware of the opportunity to purchase an available commercial property in Midvale—a nine-year-old building available for $55 million. This week, Salt Lake County will enter into a contract to explore purchasing the property, using a combination of funds that would have been allocated for Government Center maintenance and renovations. This opportunity will save taxpayers a substantial amount and improve customer service. An added benefit is the building location, which is in the center of the county, just minutes from I-15 and next to a TRAX station.

Options to offset the purchase are still being considered and could potentially include selling the existing Salt Lake County Government Center or leasing the property.

We will participate in a 60-day due diligence process and intend to provide a Council presentation on October 29 at 6 pm for the public and employees to learn more and provide comments."

More information: saltlakecounty.gov/soar.

###