SITLA Disconnect Records, Part I: January – February 2023

Eds note: In February, officials from Utah’s School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) began working with Salt Lake City-based attorney Bruce Baird on a petition to disconnect over 9,500 acres of land from Bluff Town limits.

The Canyon Echo obtained nearly 600 pages of public records from SITLA, and we are releasing the January and February emails in full here, minus duplicate documents. Timelines of subsequent months will be posted later this week, and an article describing the major findings from the records will be published prior to the August 15 hearing on the disconnect request.

Jan. 30, 2023 – Bruce Baird reaches out to SITLA’s Bryan Torgerson to set up a call on Bluff disconnect. Email chain continues through Feb. 8 with Eric Acton, the owner of private land in disconnect area on Bluff Bench who hired Baird.

Feb. 7 – Baird sends follow-up email to Torgerson after call, writing, “On behalf of the Lyman/Acton property I hereby request that SITLA consider joining us in filing a new petition to disconnect the SITLA and Lyman/Acton property from the Town. I am sure that SITLA has long experience, as do I, of
having properties subject to the tender mercies of and the screaming activists therein.”

Torgerson quickly organizes a conference call with “all of [SITLA’s] top leaders.” (Email attachments here.)

Feb. 8 – Keli Beard, SITLA’s senior legal counsel, says SITLA will join disconnect petition. “We looked at disconnection a few years ago,” she wrote, “and because of recent legislative changes to the statute, we actually need a private party to spearhead a disconnection request so this might be a very good opportunity to do this, if that is what we want to do.”

Feb. 10 – Baird replies, “Great news.” Process to draw maps begins.

Feb. 13 – GIS analyst shares map and legal description of SITLA land in Bluff Town boundaries.

Feb. 14 – Discussion of maps, including BLM land in northeast Bluff. And discussion of code pertaining to disconnect petitions, which requires signatures of 50% of private landowners.

Feb. 27 – Redacted email chain related to Bears Ears National Monument-SITLA land swap. Torgerson acknowledges two issues are related.

[PART II: SITLA Disconnect Records, March – April 2023]