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By Myrna Trauntvein Juab County Commissioners abated the property tax for property where the Juab/Millard County Children’s Justice Center (CJC) building is being constructed. Heather Williams-Young, director of the CJC that serves Juab and Millard counties, said that Friends of the CJC received a property tax notice from the county but she said that it should not be a tax that the CJC should pay. “Scott McKay and Ann Peterson, representing the Friends of the CJC, thought that the property tax should be waived,” said Clinton Painter, commissioner. Perry Davis, county attorney, said that, on April 1, 2025, the property was quit claim deeded by the county, as the original recipients of the property, to the Friends of the CJC. “The property will be deeded back to the county when the building is complete,” said Davis. “April 1 was the same day the property was deeded to the county and that the quit claim deed was then made to the Friends.” The taxes should not be charged to the previous owner of the property, Riley Park and the group who donated the property, he said. The county owns Juab County property that is tax exempt, said Melanie Cowan, county treasurer. “I took this to Zack Buck, county assessor,” said Cowan. “I didn’t know how it should be handled.” Technically, the property doesn’t currently belong to the county though it will in the future. She said that the information she had received was that the property was taxed as it stood on January 1. Since the property changed hands, she didn’t know if it should be prorated or what the commission thought should be done. “It certainly shouldn’t be charged back to the donors,” said Painter. She said that her system will not allow her to go back and change the tax as the treasurer. The commission must make that decision. “You have the authority to abate the taxes similar to the way you abate taxes as you act as the County Board of Equalization (BOE),” she said. “You are the entity responsible for handling county property tax adjustments as you do in a BOE.” Painter made the motion to abate the property taxes for the CJC. Marty Palmer, commissioner, made the second and Marvin Kenison, commission chairman, called for the vote. All voted in favor. The CJC is a state-funded service that provides a safe space for child victims of abuse and neglect to tell their story and receive support, with a focus on forensic interviews and victim advocacy. Friends of the Children’s Justice Center is an associated non-profit organization that is 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and responsible for fundraising and community outreach to support the center’s work. The non-profit Friends group provides a way for the public to donate tax-deductible contributions, volunteer, or hold fundraising events to help cover costs not met by government funding, such as therapy, furnishings, or specialized equipment. | ||