The Salt Lake County Council has implemented 75% of recommendations from a previous audit concerning travel expenses, according to a preliminary follow-up report published September 25, 2026. The report, issued by County Auditor Chris Harding, found that six of the eight original recommendations have been addressed, while one remains in progress and one could not be tested.
The follow-up review covered actions taken between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. To address previous findings, Council staff adopted an Internal Travel Guide effective June 25, 2025. This guide is supported by a Documentation Checklist for the Travel Coordinator and an Annual Travel Tracking Spreadsheet used to log travel occurrences, forms, and outstanding documentation.
One recommendation remains in progress regarding the requirement that travel documentation be submitted to the Travel Coordinator within 30 days of return. During transaction testing, three of four packets met this timeframe, but one hotel folio had not been submitted by the time the audit team began its review on June 10, 2026. A separate recommendation concerning hotel-room upgrades could not be tested because none of the packets reviewed during this period involved an upgrade.
The original May 2025 audit identified five findings and eight recommendations for improvement. The primary theme of those findings was that travel packets lacked the documentation necessary to prove reimbursements were correct. The findings included opportunities to enhance countywide travel policies, strengthen receipt documentation for hotel reimbursements, and improve the submission of travel allowance forms and documentation retention practices.
The auditor's office noted that the Council provided prompt access to travel packets, the Internal Travel Guide, and tracking records. The report concluded by commending the Council staff for their cooperation and commitment to strengthening travel controls.
