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The state is keeping better track of liquor sales at its small satellite stores, known as package agencies, a legislative audit due out Thursday will report.

The audit was requested on the heels of major inventory control and accounting problems uncovered at a package agency in Eden where the store went bankrupt, leaving taxpayers with $300,000 in unpaid bills.

Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, said the audit identified some problems at other package agencies, including a shortage of several thousand dollars at one store.

Earlier this month, regulators closed the package agency in Duchesne for unpaid bills. At the time, the amount the operator owed the state was unclear.

But overall, Waddoups said, the audit found that oversight of the package agencies has improved.

The entire Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is in the midst of restructuring, after the department director was forced out over allegations that he had steered tens of thousands of dollars worth of state contracts to his son's business and split invoices to avoid competitive contracts.

Gov. Gary Herbert has said he would prefer to see the DABC administration moved into the Department of Commerce, but Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, is pushing for a strengthened version of the current system with an independent commission overseeing the agency.

The complete findings of the audit will be presented to legislators Thursday morning.

Interim DABC director Francine Giani declined to comment on the findings until the audit is released publicly.