SALT LAKE CITY — A new performance audit released Tuesday by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General (OLAG) reveals consistent problems across the state when it comes to construction standards for public school projects.

The OLAG says that the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is not sufficiently overseeing school constructions and that the legislature should seek alternatives.

One cornerstone of public safety in schools is how those facilities are built. In recent years, there is plenty of building being done.

“Since 2019, [USBE] have overseen over $3.6 billion worth of constructions,” said Jesse Martinson with OLAG, who helped manage this audit.

But does all that work meet state standards?

“We looked at 30 projects and found that 87 percent (26 of the projects) did not receive a permit from USBE,” Martinson said.

The legislative auditor general found that it often hasn’t. In another example, out of 41 local districts statewide, only five of their building officials had proper code certifications.

“These codes represent the minimum standards to protect the life and safety of occupants,” said Jake Davis, who’s credited as the lead performance auditor on this report with OLAG.

Davis says there were also problems with inspection reporting compliance, from projects missing plan reviews to multiple schools not building firewalls.

“We are at a decisive point in the future of oversight of school construction,” said Deputy Superintendent Scott Jones with USBE.

Jones says the state board requested this audit because while they have a process for handling non-compliant buildings, resources are limited.

“It doesn’t go unresolved or unnoticed – it just takes time,” Jones said. “Myself and one other position are dedicated to school construction oversight.”

Another issue the audit uncovered was that one school district’s bid practices were concerning.

The unnamed district gave 18 construction projects exclusively to one contractor since 2014, with the costs totaling up to over $250 million.

The auditors say this bundling tactic may not be inappropriate, but it “exhibits the appearance of impropriety.”

House Speaker Mike Schultz (R-Hooper) said any changes implemented should also aim to better benefit the taxpayer.

“Because you look at these Taj Mahals that are being built — all across the state,” said Speaker Schultz. “In many cases, it’s 25, 30, 40 percent more than what needs to be spent.”

So lawmakers now have to lay the groundwork for that future.

“There are a lot of independent inspectors out there that can be hired,” Speaker Schultz said. “I think that can be happening and, quite frankly, should be.”

Whether the answer is designating a new state agency to absorb USBE’s responsibilities, giving more power to local agencies or improving the current system, Senate President Stuart Adams said this project is a tough one they intend to tackle together.

“We all want the same things,” said Jones. “We want our kids to be educated in very safe environments and very safe buildings.”

Could the Utah Jazz look into a Lauri Markkanen trade once again this summer?

When asking around the league, a few teams seem to think that possibility is yet again on the table for the Jazz front office.

According to ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony, some teams across the NBA expect the Philadelphia 76ers to investigate a trade involving their third-overall pick, and Markkanen, along with Kevin Durant, could be potential targets.

“Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant (Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah) as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick,” Givony said. “Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made a career of being active and aggressive on the trade front, but historically, it’s rare to see a top-three pick being traded.”

The Jazz silenced any and all trade chatter on Markkanen at the end of last summer heading into the 2024-25 campaign by inking him to a five-year, $280 million extension, effectively placing a trade restriction on his services throughout the entirety of the regular season.

But now, the offseason is getting underway. That trade restriction is no longer in play, and with it could come a change of tune from the Jazz brass concerning a Markkanen trade, if they see an opportunity come their way that they like. Perhaps a trade into the top three to acquire a young franchise cornerstone could be the move to push the needle.

Markkanen comes off an injury-ravaged and up-and-down season, one where he played in 47 contests to average 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 42.3% shooting from the field. While not up to the standards he’s posted for the past two years in Utah, the league knows what Markkanen can do at his best, and maybe for Philadelphia, he could be the win-now piece they covet more than a young prospect.

However, it still remains up in the air if this Jazz front office truly wants to part ways with their star talent in Markkanen. Just last offseason, we saw how highly Utah valued their All-Star forward in trade rumors with those like the Golden State Warriors, where the saga ended in their asking price being too high, and inevitably putting pen to paper on a new extension.

Could the Jazz have changed their mindset after one year into Markkanen’s contract? It’s hard to say, but to pick up a long-aspired high-ceiling young player into the top three of the draft, maybe Utah finally ends up pulling that trigger.

Though with an executive like Danny Ainge at the helm, it’s hard to map out how any offseason could eventually transpire. This time around is no different.

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