Salt Lake County's oversight of the Discovery Gateway Agreement lacks sufficient formal processes to match how the long-standing agreement operates, according to a performance audit published September 2, 2026.
The audit, which examined the period from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024, identified six findings and 17 recommendations. While no instances of fraud, waste, or abuse were found, the report classified preventive maintenance scheduling and facility condition reporting as high-risk areas.
The audit revealed that preventive maintenance was not consistently completed or documented according to the agreement. Of the 116 required preventive maintenance activities, only 42 were completed as required. Other issues included activities that were unscheduled, canceled without work being performed, or marked complete despite no associated work or charges. Some required activities involving life-safety systems, such as fire alarm panels and smoke detectors, were not performed at the required frequency.
Reporting and monitoring of facility conditions also showed weaknesses. The audit found that several required reports were submitted late, with some arriving up to 387 days after the deadline. Additionally, required employee compensation disclosures for 2023 and 2024 were not submitted, and the most recent facility condition assessment had been conducted in 2017.
The report noted that the agreement lacks performance measures, deadlines for resolving problems, and processes for raising concerns. Because the agreement renews automatically, there is no formal requirement for parties to review the effectiveness of the relationship.
Further opportunities for improvement were identified in work order oversight, billing practices, and conflict-of-interest documentation. While the audit did not identify existing conflicts of interest, it noted that the county does not maintain a documented review process specific to this agreement.
Facilities Management and Community Services agreed with all 17 audit recommendations. Facilities Management plans to review the agreement, establish accountability for maintenance, and complete a new facility condition assessment in 2026. The Auditor's Office intends to conduct a follow-up review no earlier than six months after the report's issuance.
