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Utah.gov

Public Notice Website

Division of Archives and Records Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I look up a public notice?
There are two options when looking up a public notice. You can either browse for a notice or use the advanced search function.

What is the difference between the browse and advanced search features?
The advanced search provides five ways to search for notices: entity, keyword, date, deadline date, and posted-on date. Each field may be used individually or in combination. The browse feature utilizes specific information from a hierarchy of categories to help narrow the search. This tool is effective if you are not exactly sure what notice or Body you are searching for.

What do government type, entity, and Body mean?
Government type is the arrangement of government entities into categories such as state, county, city, special districts, and schools. The designation of special district includes all local districts and special service districts. There are many different designations, and the term special district is only used as a common term.
Governmental entity broadly means all state agencies and political subdivisions (cities, counties, special districts), the legislature, public education and state-funded higher education institutions, and the judiciary.
A Body is a board, commission, or committee that posts notices or holds meetings.
According to the Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code 52-4-103(7), a Body is "any administrative, advisory, executive, or legislative body of the state or its political subdivisions that: is created by the Utah Constitution, statute, rule, ordinance, or resolution; consists of two or more persons; expends, disburses, or is supported in whole or in part by tax revenue; and is vested with the authority to make decisions regarding the public's business. Body "does not include a: political party, political group, or political caucus; or conference committee, rules committee, or sifting committee of the Legislature."

Is the address for the Body the meeting or hearing location address?
Not necessarily. The address for the Body is the location of the main office building. The meeting or hearing location may be at a different location. See the notice for further details. The location of the meeting or hearing will be listed.

What bodies are required to post their notices on the Utah Public Notice Website?
With a few exceptions, all state agencies and political subdivisions are required to post to the website. For example, for public meeting notices, municipalities and special districts that have a current annual budget of less than $1 million are encouraged but not required to post notices on the website. For these exceptions, please see Utah Code 52-4-202(3)(b). For other public notices, all governmental entities are required to post notices.

What public information is required to be posted on the Utah Public Notice Website?
A state Body (defined as "an administrative, advisory, executive, or legislative body of the state") is required to post "minutes that have been approved by the Body that held the open meeting" within three business days after approving the written minutes. In addition, a copy of any public materials distributed at the open meeting must also be posted to the website. Audio recordings made during an open meeting must be made available via the website within three business days either by posting them as an attachment or by linking to a website where they are posted.
The provisions for posting approved minutes and handouts on the UPNW also apply to a specified local Body (defined as "a legislative body of a county, city, or town"). Audio recordings must be available in the office but are not required to be posted on the website.
A city of the fifth class (population between 1,000 and 10,000) or a town (population under 1,000) is encouraged to comply with the posting of minutes and public materials but is not required to comply until January 1, 2015.

Who can post public notices to the Utah Public Notice Website?
Only an authorized poster of a Body can post public notices to the website.

Who do I contact about problems regarding the Utah Public Notice Website?

Utah.gov Support

support@utahinteractive.org
801-983-0275 or 877-988-3468


Who can I contact for more information regarding public notices?
For information regarding public use of the Utah Public Notice Website, please contact:
Dylan Mace
Division of State Archives
upnw@utah.gov
(801) 531-3853

After finding the entity name that I am looking for, I click on the name but nothing happens. Where are the search results?
The browse search will produce results after the government type, entity name, and Body fields are completed. However, when using the advanced search the "submit" button must be clicked to show results.

How can I download Adobe PDF Reader?
Visit Adobe's website and download the ree Acrobat Reader.

How do I subscribe to a Body?
Subscription options for bodies and individual notices available are RSS feed and Email.
RSS ("Rich Site Summary" or "Really Simple Syndication") is a format for delivering regularly changing web content to subscribers. Typically a user will subscribe to an RSS "feed" with a feed reader or RSS reader, though many email software programs also will use RSS feeds. Visit whatisrss.com for more information on RSS and various readers that you can use.
To use the Utah Public Notice Website's RSS feeds, simply click on the RSS icon and your computer will attempt to fetch the RSS feed using the default RSS reader software already installed on your computer. If you install a new RSS reader after subscribing to one of our feeds, you will either have to export your subscriptions from the old software and import them into the new OR re-subscribe using our site.
The email option will allow subscribers to receive notifications and updates directly to their email. This is a good option for those without access to RSS readers. To receive updates regarding a public notice, click on the icon and follow the instructions on how to receive updates. Instructions on how to stop receiving notices are sent at the bottom of each email.
Subscription must be made individually to each Body. The Body must have published at least one notice before you are able to subscribe.
  • After searching for a notice of the Body, click on any posting for that Body.
  • This page gives the notice details. On the right side of the public notice details are the subscription options.
  • To subscribe to a Body, select the type of subscription you want (RSS Feed or email).
By subscribing to a Body, you will be notified of any new notices as well as any updates to current notices published on the website for that Body.
iCalendar is a standard calendar data exchange. It allows users to send notifications and tasks to other users through email. This option will add notices and updates to the calendar upon receipt.

How do I provide feedback?
You can fill out the form found on this page. We appreciate any feedback so that we can improve this site!