UEP Trust Fiduciary Wants Utah To Pay Administrative Costs That Are Owed

In the latest twist in the convoluted litigation attempting to reform the polygamous FLDS Church's United Effort Plan Trust, Bruce Wisan, the special fiduciary for the trust appointed by a Utah judge, is now asking that the court order the state to pay the $4.6 million in administration costs that have accumulated for the trust.  The Deseret News reported Monday that fees owed to lawyers and to Wisan's own accounting firm remain unpaid, as do amounts owed to an engineering firm, a surveying firm and a public relations firm.  Also some $2 million in property taxes is owed.  These costs were supposed to have been paid from proceeds of the sale of property and from court-imposed monthly occupancy fees that were assessed on those living on trust property.  However most FLDS members have refused to pay the occupancy fees, and litigation challenging the trust reformation has prevented property sales from being completed. The Utah Attorney General's office, however, argues that Wisan's request violates court orders freezing everything but the most necessary administrative work pending the outcome of challenges to jurisdiction of the Utah state courts over the trust. (See prior posting.)