Wasatch

Accountability

Compiled from Wasatch County CivicClerk minutes · through Sep 2, 2026

The votes are public.The mismatch is specific.

This site uses only roll calls and claim-checks already compiled from Wasatch County and Heber City minutes. It does not invent a poll of “the will of the people.” Where residents have fought a project in the record, the chart shows how the recorded vote sits next to that fight.

Score

Erik RowlandWasatch County Council, Seat C · chair since Apr 22, 2026 · 860 recorded votes, Jan 11, 2023 – Sep 2, 2026

Aye
760
Nay
7
Abstain
3
Absent
71
Not recorded
19

88%

88% of all roll calls were yes votes (99% of the votes he cast).

7

Nay votes in the whole file

6

missed meetings explain 68 of 71 absences

0

countywide opinion polls in this file

Five buckets. 760 + 7 + 3 + 71 + 19 = 860. 88% of all roll calls were yes votes (99% of the votes he cast).

88% is yes votes divided by all roll calls, absences included: 760 ÷ 860 = 88%. Counting only votes he actually cast (yes, no or abstain), it is 760 ÷ 770 = 99% yes.

The 3 abstentions are each an approval of minutes for a meeting he had missed.

  • May 17, 2023: Approval of the May 3 minutes. p. 2
  • Jan 3, 2024: Approval of the Dec 20 minutes. p. 2
  • Apr 16, 2025: Approval of the Apr 2 minutes. p. 2

01

Absences landed on tax and bond nights

Remote attendance is recorded as the minutes print it. His Zoom abstention on Jan 3, 2024 is recorded. On Mar 19, 2025 he attended by Zoom and the minutes still print him “absent for the motion.” The absences below are full meetings, not a walkout on one motion.

Six whole meetings account for 68 of the 71 absences. The other three: Mar 19, 2025, the Wildwood Reserve plat amendment converting open space for a pool house and clubhouse (he joined the evening session by Zoom, but the minutes print him “absent for the motion”); Jun 18, 2025, a minutes approval; and Jul 9, 2025, an adjournment. He was also absent on Jan 21, 2026 for the Storied Deer Valley and Crossings Lot C open-space plat changes (whole meeting).

  • May 3, 20236 roll calls

    Apr 19 minutes, Res 23-06 travel policy, a Board of Adjustment appointment, closed session in and out, adjourn.

    Neither night had a tax, bond or development vote.

    Minutes

  • Oct 18, 202311 roll callsTax or bond night

    Truth-in-Taxation intent for a proposed $750,000 property-tax revenue increase

    Passed 5–1 (1 absent). Searle voted no.

    Minutes, p. 6

  • Dec 20, 202325 roll callsTax or bond night

    Building Authority lease / bonds (Res 23-23, 23-24) and SSA #1 budget

    Passed 6–0 (1 absent)

    Minutes, pp. 11, 12, 19

  • Jul 3, 20247 roll callsTax or bond night

    Res 24-06, sales tax for public safety and transit

    Passed 5–1. Crittenden was the no.

    Minutes, p. 10

  • Apr 2, 20254 roll calls

    Two sets of minutes, Tourism Tax Advisory Board appointments, adjourn.

    Neither night had a tax, bond or development vote.

    Minutes

  • Jan 21, 202615 roll callsTax or bond night

    Up to $45 million lease-revenue / refunding bonds, plus Storied Deer Valley / Crossings plat / HB 368 land use

    Passed 6–0 (1 absent)

    Minutes, pp. 5–9

Mar 19, 2025, Wildwood Reserve plat amendment. He joined the evening session by Zoom, but the minutes print “AYE: Erik Rowland (absent for the motion),” so he is counted absent. p. 17

Jun 18, 2025, minutes approval. p. 5

Jul 9, 2025, adjournment. p. 6

Wildwood is one of the 3 absences not explained by the six missed meetings. Storied Deer Valley and Crossings Lot C fall inside the Jan 21, 2026 whole-meeting absence.

02

The seven no votes are not a program

The file counts 7 nays. All seven are listed below.

  • Nay · May 15, 2024

    Instruct County Manager to bring the first-quarter transit sales tax for adoption at the…

    Passed 5–1 (1 absent)

    S1, p. 10

  • Nay · Aug 7, 2024

    Approve Resolution 24-09 creating the Wakara Ridge Public Infrastructure District…

    Passed 4–2 (1 absent)

    S2, p. 18

  • Nay · Aug 7, 2024

    Adopt Resolution 24-10 creating the Black Rock Mountain Resort Public Infrastructure…

    Passed 5–1 (1 absent)

    S2, p. 19

  • Nay · Oct 2, 2024

    Contribute $1,000 to UAC for public lands advocacy (amicus brief)

    Failed 3–4

    S3, p. 16

  • Nay · Dec 4, 2024

    Support the safety improvements proposed by UDOT on North Highway 40

    Passed 4–3

    S4, p. 6

  • Nay · Sep 3, 2025

    Approve Ordinance 25-10 as written but reduce the required setback from 1,000 ft to 500…

    Passed 4–2 (1 absent)

    S5, p. 8

  • Nay · Apr 22, 2026

    Deny the late appeal request for parcel 00-0021-6315

    Passed 5–1

    S6, p. 2

Then he voted yes

Not established: that he skips development votes. He was present and voted no on those August PID creations, then yes when both were created again on Oct 2, 2024, 7–0.

  1. Jul 19, 2023Yes

    Approve Resolution 23-12 adopting Policy 190-002. Passed 6–0 (1 absent).

    p. 5
  2. May 1, 2024Yes

    Yes on PID policy changes.

    p. 3
  3. Jun 26, 2024Yes

    Proceed with the Black Rock Mountain Resort Public Infrastructure District. Passed 6–0 (1 absent).

    p. 11
  4. Jun 26, 2024Yes

    Authorize the Wakara Ridge Public Infrastructure District. Passed 6–0 (1 absent).

    p. 12
  5. Aug 7, 2024No

    No on creating Wakara Ridge PID. Passed 4–2 (1 absent).

    p. 18
  6. Aug 7, 2024No

    No on creating Black Rock PID. Passed 5–1 (1 absent).

    p. 19
  7. Oct 2, 2024Yes

    Yes when both were created again. Passed 7–0.

    p. 20

03

Conflicts inside the record

These are mismatches the minutes can carry. A campaign slogan is not treated as a vote unless the file recorded it.

PID: no, then yes

Yes to county PID policy (Res 23-12, Policy 190-002, Jul 19, 2023, passed 6–0 (1 absent)) (Minutes, Jul 19 2023, p. 5)) and on moving Black Rock and Wakara Ridge forward (Jun 26, 2024, each passed 6–0 (1 absent)) (Minutes, Jun 26 2024, p. 11); Minutes, Jun 26 2024, p. 12)). No on creating both, Aug 7, 2024 (Minutes, Aug 7 2024, p. 18); Minutes, Aug 7 2024, p. 19)). Yes when both were created again, Oct 2, 2024, 7–0 (Minutes, Oct 2 2024, p. 20)).

Small CRA yes, large MIDA affirmed

Nov 20, 2024 he seconded and voted aye to put the county into Heber’s downtown CRA. It failed 3–3 (Minutes, Nov 20 2024, p. 20)). The 75% / 40-year MIDA share predates his term (Draft minutes in Dec 19 2018 agenda packet (county Res 2018-17, Nov 28 2018), p. 30); Res 2018-17 interlocal agreements, Nov 28 2018, pp. 12, 27); MIDA Board minutes, Res 2020-01, Mar 17 2020, page not given in file; (source: county Res 20-04 minutes, Apr 8 2020, CivicClerk fileId 278 pp. 6–9, URL not in file)). In March 2023 he voted aye twice on amended MIDA agreements that restated those terms and added land: Mar 1 amended agreements and Mar 8 Res 23-02, both 7–0 (Draft minutes in Mar 15 2023 agenda packet, Mar 1 2023, p. 6); Draft minutes in Mar 15 2023 agenda packet, Mar 8 2023, p. 16)). Both come from draft minutes printed in the Mar 15, 2023 packet. That is affirmation, not creation.

Recommended himself to MIDA

Apr 22, 2026 the council voted to recommend Erik Rowland for the MIDA board. He voted aye. Passed 6–0 (Minutes, Apr 22 2026, p. 5)). The board oversees the project area whose tax-increment terms he had already voted to restate.

Downtown CRA roll call

Nov 20, 2024. Put the county into Heber’s downtown tax-increment deal. A yes meant the county would join the deal.

  • Mark Nelsonaye
  • Erik Rowlandaye · Seconded
  • Luke Searleaye
  • Steve Farrellnay
  • Kendall Crittendennay
  • Karl McMillannay
  • Spencer Parkabstain · Owns a commercial building in the area

Nov 20, 2024 · downtown CRA Failed 3–3 (1 abstain)

Up to 20 years and capped at $4.2 million. Both limits apply: “75% … for up to twenty (20) consecutive years … shall not exceed $4,200,000.”

All candidates

04

Where the record meets the valley’s fights

There is no vote tally in this file of “the will of the people.” What the file does have is the fights residents actually showed up for, and the recorded action next to each one. Open-space opposition by Rowland is not established.

  • Open space / North Fields

    Aligned on this vote

    What residents pressed

    Keep fields from becoming the bypass sacrifice zone

    Recorded action

    May 15, 2024 Res 24-03 supporting North Fields conservation and the Heber Valley (bypass) EIS process. It is not an endorsement of the bypass itself. Rowland aye, 7–0.

    p. 7

  • SITLA density east of Heber

    Aligned, not a vote

    What residents pressed

    Opposition to a legislative deal for a 144-lot SITLA project

    Recorded action

    The Aug 12, 2026 work meeting reached informal consensus with no motion or roll call; news reports describe it as unanimous.

  • SB 258 preliminary towns

    Aligned

    What residents pressed

    Local control versus a state pilot that can mint a town

    Recorded action

    Sep 2, 2026 Res 26-11 calling for repeal. Rowland aye, signed as chair, 7–0. The signed resolution reads “ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 2 day of Sept., 2026,” signed “Erik Rowland, Chair.” The draft minutes record a motion by Crittenden, second by Park.

    p. 4

  • Property-tax increase

    Missed, not a no

    What residents pressed

    Truth-in-Taxation on a proposed $750,000 revenue increase

    Recorded action

    Oct 18, 2023. He was absent. Passed 5–1 (1 absent). Searle was the only no.

    p. 6

  • Tax increment, resort scale

    Affirmed, did not create

    What residents pressed

    75% of new property-tax growth to MIDA for 40 years, hard to unwind

    Recorded action

    Terms set in 2018 and 2020, before his term. March 2023: aye twice on amendments that restated them and added land. Both come from draft minutes printed in the Mar 15, 2023 packet. Mar 1 amended agreements and Mar 8 Res 23-02, both 7–0.

    pp. 6, 16

  • Tax increment, downtown

    Yes on diversion

    What residents pressed

    A smaller, capped Main Street deal versus the MIDA comparison

    Recorded action

    Nov 20, 2024 aye, and he seconded. Failed 3–3 (1 abstain).

    p. 20

  • Dark skies / temple lighting

    Yes with the council

    What residents pressed

    One of the decade’s most contentious hearings: height, traffic, lighting, recusal

    Recorded action

    On Apr 5, 2023 the 7–0 vote was to table the lighting amendment to Apr 19. On Apr 19, 2023 the amendment was approved 7–0. Nov 8, 2023 temple approvals: three 7–0 votes, Ord 23-16 with its development agreement, the final plat and the site plan. Uplighting details are not proven from the roll-call rows alone.

    p. 29p. 27pp. 27–28

  • North Village annexation

    Not his vote

    What residents pressed

    Crossings and Harvest Village, at Highway 40 and Highway 32

    Recorded action

    Heber, not the county. Dec 17, 2024 Ord 2024-24 passed 3–2. Johnston, Ostergaard, Phillips yes. Cheatwood and Barney no. The minutes motion says at Highway 40 and Highway 32.

    Dec 17, 2024 · Heber City CouncilPassed 3–2

    • aye

      Mike Johnston

    • aye

      Sid Ostergaard

    • aye

      Phillips

    • nay

      Cheatwood

    • nay

      Barney

  • Bypass / U.S. 40

    Split

    What residents pressed

    Eastern bypass cost, farmland, and whether comment changes the outcome

    Recorded action

    Yes on the May 2024 resolution supporting North Fields conservation and the Heber Valley (bypass) EIS process. No on the Dec 4, 2024 North Highway 40 safety package, which still passed 4–3. The other no votes were Farrell and McMillan.

    p. 7p. 6

Limits

Safe to say, and left off the charts

Rowland is usually a yes vote with the majority. The record that matters is concentrated: whole nights he missed, a PID flip, a yes on Heber’s downtown tax-increment deal, and later ayes that restated the MIDA terms and put him on the MIDA board.

Safe

Left off

  • That he voted against open space. He has no recorded no vote on an open-space item; he was absent for three votes that converted or moved designated open space.
  • That a formal vote rejected the 144-lot SITLA deal. The Aug 12, 2026 work meeting reached informal consensus with no motion or roll call; news reports describe it as unanimous.
  • That he alone got the state's funding threat lifted. That account comes from the county's own statement; the county manager also attended, and no state document confirms it.
  • That he created the MIDA tax-increment terms, or that any MIDA board vote since 2026 changed them.
  • Why a vote was cast. Minutes rarely record reasons.
  • That an absence or a “not recorded” vote means opposition.
  • That a yes on a consent agenda endorses every item bundled into it.
  • Any campaign promise or public statement. None is part of this record, so no vote is called a broken promise.
  • Any percentage for “the will of the people”. This record has no poll or survey.
  • He missed the $750,000 tax night and the $45 million bond night because he missed the meetings, not because the minutes show a targeted duck.
  • He voted yes on the failed downtown CRA and yes on March 2023 MIDA amendments that restated the 75% / 40-year terms and added land. Those March ayes are from draft minutes.
  • He voted to recommend himself to the MIDA board on Apr 22, 2026.
  • On SITLA, the Aug 12, 2026 work meeting reached informal consensus with no motion or roll call; news reports describe it as unanimous.

Ask

Ask the record

Answers come only from the votes and claim-checks embedded in this page. Every reply includes a chart. This is not a live model call.

Every reply includes a chart. If the file does not have the vote, the reply says so.

Record

Full voting record

Wasatch County Council, Seat C. In office since January 2023; council chair since Apr 22, 2026.

Data through Sep 2, 2026 (Wasatch County Council). Wasatch County Council minutes for Sep 16 and Oct 7, 2026 were not posted when checked on Oct 7, 2026.

56 of these roll calls come from minutes that were still drafts when compiled (Mar 1, 2023, Mar 8, 2023, Feb 7, 2024, Mar 25, 2025, Jan 7, 2026, Jan 14, 2026, Feb 4, 2026, Mar 18, 2026, Aug 19, 2026, Sep 2, 2026). Draft minutes can change when they are approved.

The county council has seven members, and the chair votes on every item like any other member.

Aye
760
Nay
7
Abstain
3
Absent
71
Not recorded
19

Every recorded roll call

860 roll calls while in office, Jan 11, 2023 to Sep 2, 2026. Categories are this site's research labels, not official ones.

CategoryAyeNayAbstainAbsentNot recordedTotal
Tax10620100118
Development10110151118
PID19203024
Other534234318600
All760737119860

“Absent” means the minutes list the member as absent or excused. “Not recorded” means the member was in office but the minutes do not show a vote.

Roll calls by category. From the totals table.

By topic

Topics are matched from motion titles, so one roll call can count in more than one topic, and items with generic titles can be missed. Other = abstain, recused or not recorded.

TopicRoll callsAyeNayAbsentOther
Tax & fee increases1613120
Public infrastructure districts (PIDs)75200
MIDA / Mayflower66000
CRA / tax increment11000
Bonds & debt106040
Open space & farmland3226060
SITLA land / SB 25833000
Development agreements & annexation2119020
Housing1110010
Water & sewer1312010
Roads, traffic & bypass2623210
Roll calls by topic. One roll call can count in more than one topic.

Every no vote (7)

DateMotionResultSource
May 15, 2024Instruct County Manager to bring the first-quarter transit sales tax for adoption at the…Passed 5–1 (1 absent)S1, p. 10
Aug 7, 2024Approve Resolution 24-09 creating the Wakara Ridge Public Infrastructure District…Passed 4–2 (1 absent)S2, p. 18
Aug 7, 2024Adopt Resolution 24-10 creating the Black Rock Mountain Resort Public Infrastructure…Passed 5–1 (1 absent)S2, p. 19
Oct 2, 2024Contribute $1,000 to UAC for public lands advocacy (amicus brief)Failed 3–4S3, p. 16
Dec 4, 2024Support the safety improvements proposed by UDOT on North Highway 40Passed 4–3S4, p. 6
Sep 3, 2025Approve Ordinance 25-10 as written but reduce the required setback from 1,000 ft to 500…Passed 4–2 (1 absent)S5, p. 8
Apr 22, 2026Deny the late appeal request for parcel 00-0021-6315Passed 5–1S6, p. 2

Key votes

No votes are listed above and not repeated here.

DateTopicMotionVoteResultSource
Mar 1, 2023MIDA / MayflowerApprove the amended MIDA West Side/East Side interlocal agreements…AyePassed 7–0S7, p. 6
Mar 8, 2023MIDA / MayflowerAdopt Resolution 23-02 approving Amended and Restated West Side and…AyePassed 7–0S7, p. 16
Apr 22, 2026MIDA / MayflowerRecommend Erik Rowland for appointment to the MIDA BoardAyePassed 6–0S6, p. 5
Jul 19, 2023PIDsApprove Resolution 23-12 adopting Policy 190-002 Public Infrastructure…AyePassed 6–0 (1 absent)S8, p. 5
Jun 26, 2024PIDsProceed with the Black Rock Mountain Resort Public Infrastructure…AyePassed 6–0 (1 absent)S9, p. 11
Jun 26, 2024PIDsAuthorize the Wakara Ridge Public Infrastructure District subject to…AyePassed 6–0 (1 absent)S9, p. 12
Oct 2, 2024PIDsAdopt Resolution 24-13 (creating Wakara Ridge PID: governing document…AyePassed 7–0S3, p. 20
Oct 18, 2023Tax / fee increaseItem 5: Truth-in-Taxation intent for 2024 (proposed $750,000 property…AbsentPassed 5–1 (1 absent)S10, p. 6
Dec 6, 2023Tax / fee increaseApprove Resolution 23-19 increasing property taxes through…AyePassed 7–0S11, p. 20
Oct 1, 2025Tax / fee increaseGo ahead with Truth in Taxation for 9.5%AyePassed 5–0 (2 absent)S12, p. 7
Nov 20, 2024CRA / tax incrementApprove County participation in Heber City's downtown Community…AyeFailed 3–3 (1 abstain)S13, p. 20
Dec 20, 2023BondsMBA board: adopt Resolution 23-24 authorizing issuance of MBA lease…AbsentPassed 6–0 (1 absent)S14, p. 12
Jan 21, 2026BondsMBA: approve Resolution 26-01 authorizing issuance of up to $45,000,000…AbsentPassed 6–0 (1 absent)S15, p. 5
Mar 6, 2024Open spaceApprove open space bond funds of $2.25 million for conservation…AyePassed 6–1S16, p. 36
May 15, 2024Open spaceAdopt Resolution 24-03, statement supporting North Fields conservation…AyePassed 7–0S1, p. 7
Jul 1, 2026Open spaceApprove the purchase and sale agreement for a $2 million conservation…AyePassed 6–0S17, p. 4
Aug 6, 2025SITLA / SB 258Direct staff to review the SITLA / east-of-Heber negotiations and…AyePassed 7–0S18, p. 4
Aug 19, 2026SITLA / SB 258Direct the Attorney's Office and Manager's Office to revise Resolution…AyePassed 6–0 (1 absent)S19, p. 5
Sep 2, 2026SITLA / SB 258Approve Resolution 26-11 calling for the repeal of the state…AyePassed 7–0S20, p. 4

Abstentions and recusals (3)

All three are approvals of minutes for meetings he had missed (May 3, 2023; Dec 20, 2023; Apr 2, 2025).

  • May 17, 2023, abstain: Approve the minutes of May 3, 2023 as written S21, p. 2
  • Jan 3, 2024, abstain: Approve minutes of December 20, 2023 with one correction S22, p. 2
  • Apr 16, 2025, abstain: Approve the minutes for the April 2, 2025 council meeting S23, p. 2

Absences (71 roll calls)

Absent on (roll calls missed that day in brackets): May 3, 2023 (whole meeting, 6); Oct 18, 2023 (whole meeting, 11); Dec 20, 2023 (whole meeting, 25); Jul 3, 2024 (whole meeting, 7); Mar 19, 2025 (1 of 8); Apr 2, 2025 (whole meeting, 4); Jun 18, 2025 (1 of 7); Jul 9, 2025 (1 of 2); Jan 21, 2026 (whole meeting, 15).

Six whole meetings account for 68 of the 71 absences. The other three: Mar 19, 2025, the Wildwood Reserve plat amendment converting open space for a pool house and clubhouse (he joined the evening session by Zoom, but the minutes print him “absent for the motion”); Jun 18, 2025, a minutes approval; and Jul 9, 2025, an adjournment. He was also absent on Jan 21, 2026 for the Storied Deer Valley and Crossings Lot C open-space plat changes (whole meeting).

Not recorded (19 roll calls)

Mar 19, 2025 (1 of 8); Jun 11, 2025 (whole meeting, 1); Jun 12, 2025 (whole meeting, 1); Sep 3, 2025 (1 of 10); Oct 15, 2025 (1 of 15); Jan 7, 2026 (3 of 6); Jan 14, 2026 (whole meeting, 2); Feb 24, 2026 (whole meeting, 1); Mar 11, 2026 (whole meeting, 1); Jun 3, 2026 (3 of 6); Jul 1, 2026 (1 of 10); Jul 8, 2026 (whole meeting, 3).

What is safe to say

Not established

  • That he voted against open space. He has no recorded no vote on an open-space item; he was absent for three votes that converted or moved designated open space.
  • That a formal vote rejected the 144-lot SITLA deal. The Aug 12, 2026 work meeting reached informal consensus with no motion or roll call; news reports describe it as unanimous.
  • That he alone got the state's funding threat lifted. That account comes from the county's own statement; the county manager also attended, and no state document confirms it.
  • That he created the MIDA tax-increment terms, or that any MIDA board vote since 2026 changed them.
  • Why a vote was cast. Minutes rarely record reasons.
  • That an absence or a “not recorded” vote means opposition.
  • That a yes on a consent agenda endorses every item bundled into it.
  • Any campaign promise or public statement. None is part of this record, so no vote is called a broken promise.
  • Any percentage for “the will of the people”. This record has no poll or survey.

Sources

Compiled from public Wasatch County and Heber City minutes and signed documents. Not an official county or city publication.