[0:42] I think that's what it is.
[8:27] » Sorry.
[8:35] » I need five.
[8:36] >> All right. Where are we broadcasting?
[8:38] >> Uh we're doing the minutes.
[8:39] >> Are we on the agenda or
[8:41] >> Uh not for this meeting.
[8:45] » All right.
[8:47] It is 3:04 on June 24th.
[8:51] And I call this meeting of the Economic
[8:54] Opportunity Advisory Board to session.
[8:57] Um
[8:59] Yeah, Britney is away vacationing in
[9:01] Barcelona. So, poor us here doing the
[9:04] work.
[9:06] Um
[9:08] Yeah, welcome everyone. Let's go around
[9:10] and do quick introductions.
[9:13] Deborah, want to start?
[9:15] >> I'm Deborah McKee with the Governor's
[9:17] Office of Economic Development.
[9:21] >> I am Amanda Folk. Um I work at Simplot
[9:24] and I work at Simplot and I'm also on
[9:25] the Chamber Board.
[9:27] >> Pamela Gibson, Castle Valley.
[9:30] >> Ashley Cornblath, Western Spirit.
[9:32] >> Remember the people?
[9:33] >> Is that right?
[9:35] >> Yeah.
[9:35] >> Voting number, right?
[9:36] >> Yeah, yeah.
[9:38] >> Aaron Lemberg voting member.
[9:40] >> Jody McCommons, Grand County
[9:42] Commissioner Liaison.
[9:44] >> Nancy Jeffers, Grand County staff.
[9:47] >> Cora.
[9:50] Phillips,
[9:52] Director of Moab Chamber of Commerce,
[9:54] just attending non-voting member.
[9:57] >> Chris Wilson,
[9:58] voting member on the board.
[10:00] Do we have anyone else online? Corey.
[10:04] would you like to introduce
[10:05] yourself if you're available?
[10:10] Okay, well, Corey Shercliff from the
[10:12] City of Moab may is is potentially
[10:15] joining us as well.
[10:18] Okay, any conflicts of interest,
[10:21] disclosures, ex parte communications
[10:22] that needs to be disclosed?
[10:25] Seeing none, we'll move on.
[10:28] Any citizens to be heard?
[10:32] Cora,
[10:33] I'm just kidding. You're the only
[10:34] citizen, so.
[10:35] >> Yes, [snorts]
[10:38] so I passed out before the meeting
[10:40] little cards. Maggie with the Moab Sun
[10:44] is working to connect
[10:46] residents and visitors to events that
[10:49] are going on in our community. So, she
[10:52] has a little QR code.
[10:54] There's a newsletter that you can get
[10:56] weekly on the events that are happening
[10:58] for the week in Moab.
[11:01] So, I encourage you to share that. I'll
[11:03] be sharing it with
[11:05] the different lodging
[11:07] partners
[11:09] after this meeting.
[11:12] I encourage you to share it and then on
[11:15] July 9th
[11:17] the Moab Chamber of Commerce is hosting
[11:20] Dax Jacobson. He's with He's a Dean of
[11:24] the Gore School of Business and
[11:25] instructor with the David Eccles
[11:29] of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Business
[11:31] Program. So, he's going to be
[11:33] leading attendees on assessment of
[11:36] usability assessment and how to put eyes
[11:39] on the blind spots that you might have
[11:41] in your business.
[11:42] >> He also has a really awesome podcast
[11:44] called the Rural Towns Project, and I
[11:46] was recently on an episode if you want
[11:49] to listen to it.
[11:50] >> [laughter]
[11:50] >> It was really good.
[11:51] >> He's fantastic. I've seen him speak
[11:52] twice at the San Juan County Business
[11:55] Boot Camp.
[11:57] Really is committed to rural communities
[11:59] and supporting them through their
[12:01] growth. So, I encourage everyone to
[12:02] attend.
[12:03] >> Thanks. Sounds great.
[12:05] Um okay.
[12:06] >> It'll be 5:30 at the Grange Center, July
[12:08] 9th.
[12:09] >> Thank you. Important information.
[12:13] Great. So, next up is presentations, but
[12:15] I think what we have for presentations
[12:17] is nothing besides the ones that are
[12:18] specifically listed. Um so, we'll go
[12:20] through updates from folks.
[12:23] Um
[12:24] Commissioner McKendrick, do you have
[12:26] anything to share?
[12:27] >> Sure.
[12:27] As since we haven't met for a while, a
[12:28] lot has been happening at the county. Um
[12:32] I'll let Melissa update on a lot of the
[12:34] EOA stuff, but as far as
[12:36] the other boards and and that I'm on, so
[12:38] I just got done meeting with
[12:40] Babcock Design for the public safety
[12:43] building. And so, that was the first
[12:44] draft came before us today, and it was
[12:47] really exciting because I was nervous
[12:48] that it wasn't going to fit within that
[12:50] um you know, the fixed gateway taxes
[12:52] that which is a point 0 3 tax that the
[12:54] commission can implement if we have a
[12:57] plan for it and if we decide to do it.
[12:59] And we can it seems like it might fit
[13:02] within that, which was really exciting.
[13:03] We sent him back with some changes. Like
[13:05] to see the courthouse added into the
[13:07] public safety building, but the the
[13:09] spot is this this footprint, um but
[13:12] keeping everyone here in this building
[13:14] as we build the new jail on the other
[13:15] side of it. So, that was an update. So,
[13:18] we'll get it should be coming forth.
[13:21] Hoping to plan a workshop with the
[13:23] commission, the entire commission, and
[13:25] within the next month, month and a half,
[13:27] so the whole community can see what the
[13:29] plans are and the whole commission and
[13:31] then we can vote on that tax to see if
[13:33] it's something that we want to
[13:33] implement. The Canyon Lands Health Care
[13:36] Special Service District is also a board
[13:38] that I'm on and we have um an RFP out
[13:42] right now for the MAPS Master Plan,
[13:46] which is the 8 acres that's right behind
[13:48] the hospital and the Grand Center and
[13:50] that's owned by the health district and
[13:52] it's deeded to be only used for senior
[13:54] housing. talked about this before, but
[13:56] we have currently six proposals. Um it
[13:58] closes June 30th, so I have a special
[14:00] meeting in July to go over those
[14:02] proposals and to pick someone to to
[14:04] start working on that master plan and
[14:06] that master plan will
[14:08] um include public engagement, so I'm
[14:10] sure I'll be letting you all know.
[14:11] That's not due to be completed until the
[14:13] end of the year. That's kind of the
[14:15] timeline on that. So to have that master
[14:16] plan and then to go forward with what are we really going to do?
[14:20] Um the same thing is the Care Center is
[14:23] uh 32 bed facility, but it was planned
[14:26] to be a 64 bed facility, so within the
[14:29] next 2 years the Care Center plans to
[14:31] hire an architect and get moving and um
[14:34] get a loan from CIB and move forward
[14:37] with the expansion on the Care Center.
[14:39] So we'll be breaking ground with that
[14:40] within the next 2 years.
[14:42] So that's really exciting news on that.
[14:45] I'm sure that you all heard that SkyWest
[14:48] um was selected as the So thank you all
[14:51] for that study and everything that went
[14:53] into um getting SkyWest as our airline
[14:56] for um Grand County our regional airport
[15:00] and I think that they will start like in
[15:01] October is when they will start flying
[15:04] and that will be to Salt Lake and to
[15:05] Denver will be the flights out of um
[15:10] Grand County.
[15:12] And I think that's I mean that's that's
[15:14] about the big stuff that's been
[15:16] happening. Do you have a question?
[15:18] >> Um when will those flights be available?
[15:20] I get calls before you do.
[15:23] >> I don't know when those flights will be
[15:24] available.
[15:24] >> October 1st.
[15:26] >> But what about like booking
[15:26] >> That they won't When will they start the
[15:28] book them? When will they see them?
[15:29] >> I don't know. Good question.
[15:31] >> I'll text Steve.
[15:33] That's why I haven't seen I have a
[15:34] meeting with um SkyWest
[15:37] tomorrow.
[15:37] >> Tomorrow? That is tomorrow.
[15:39] >> So I yeah, so I have a meeting with
[15:40] SkyWest tomorrow. So Cody from SkyWest
[15:42] will be here tomorrow.
[15:44] And uh I'll find out more about I did I
[15:46] was looking on Yeah, you can't book
[15:48] after October 1st with our current with
[15:50] Contour. You can book all the way
[15:52] through September with them. But then
[15:54] after that Yeah, I I was messing around
[15:55] with it the other day, so
[15:57] >> And then if somebody flies in from the
[15:58] hub in September and wants to fly out in
[16:01] October, what does that look like if
[16:02] >> Yeah.
[16:03] >> It's two tickets, I guess,
[16:05] >> right? What was that?
[16:06] >> I mean, it'll have to be two tickets
[16:07] then, right?
[16:07] >> Probably.
[16:09] But I mean, this happens all the time
[16:11] that you have companies that are moving
[16:12] in and out in the in small regional so
[16:14] I'm sure there's some way around that,
[16:15] but I'll I'll Yeah, I'll ask Cody
[16:18] tomorrow when I have a meeting with him.
[16:20] >> Connecting to other carriers was one of
[16:22] the problems before, so I would
[16:24] recommend getting two tickets.
[16:26] >> Yeah, ticket in and then ticket out,
[16:28] yeah.
[16:29] But yeah, when are they going to Yeah,
[16:31] the the he's when are they going to have
[16:32] their tickets up for sale? No, I don't
[16:34] want them
[16:36] on any other airline cuz it would be um
[16:38] either Delta or Southwest or United if
[16:40] you were going to book in that way.
[16:43] Um
[16:44] It should be better.
[16:46] >> Yeah, no, together for sure.
[16:50] >> Thanks for working on it.
[16:51] >> Yeah.
[16:52] And uh right now there's also um
[16:55] paving projects going on out at the
[16:56] airport. I don't know if you've been out
[16:57] there. There's they're redoing all the
[16:59] aprons and we have the grants money for that F- FAA grant, so there's lots
[17:05] of construction going on on the runways
[17:07] and the aprons.
[17:10] So that that's that's amazing how how
[17:12] they have to like the the regular the
[17:15] isn't enough, you know, when you think
[17:16] about the lining of planes and and the
[17:20] specifications that that pavement has to
[17:22] have that pavement has to have for those
[17:24] landings.
[17:25] >> Yeah.
[17:27] >> That's all.
[17:27] >> Thank you.
[17:28] Um
[17:30] Alyssa.
[17:31] You're up next.
[17:32] >> Most of my stuff is the RCG reporting
[17:35] stuff, so I'll just hold until we get to
[17:38] the other spot.
[17:40] >> Sounds good.
[17:40] >> The other thing that I did want to want
[17:43] to address just about that office space
[17:45] and some of the things that we've been
[17:47] working on with Sarah Barstow
[17:50] is the SBDC
[17:52] role.
[17:53] So,
[17:55] uh in terms of the funding, so what
[17:57] happened with the SBDC stuff
[17:59] is that Grand County had uh
[18:03] prepaid for 4 years, I want to say,
[18:05] until 2026
[18:07] of an SBDC role that was dedicated to
[18:09] Grand County instead of the regional
[18:11] representative to represent everyone.
[18:15] And at the end of 2026, that was
[18:18] supposed to expire.
[18:20] In the meantime, during the audit of the
[18:22] TRT
[18:24] revenues that was happening with the
[18:26] state auditor,
[18:28] they basically flagged that and a couple
[18:30] of other things and had said that that
[18:32] was economic diversification funds
[18:35] that were supposed to be spent down by
[18:37] the sunset date, which was June 30th.
[18:41] >> Yeah.
[18:42] >> And we wrote the check on June 30th to
[18:44] make sure that we were able to prepay
[18:46] those here.
[18:46] >> Yeah.
[18:47] >> And so, it was specifically flagged in
[18:49] the audit and they had Grand County
[18:51] restate our financials
[18:53] to be able to incorporate that out to
[18:55] 2026.
[18:57] They still weren't able to spend down
[18:59] the funds by the end of 2026, so SBDC
[19:03] from Carbon County asked for an
[19:06] extension to that. The problem is is
[19:08] that if the county gave an extension, we
[19:10] would have to reopen all of the
[19:12] financials and restate those again and
[19:14] reopen that audit
[19:16] because then you're not only just
[19:18] prepaying for services to avoid
[19:21] the audit flags, you're then extending
[19:24] it and saying, "Yeah, we did prepay and
[19:26] now we're going to have to ask for
[19:27] additional time."
[19:29] So, we had notified SBDC
[19:33] that we wouldn't be able to extend that
[19:35] contract, that we would have to take a
[19:37] different approach.
[19:38] And I guess in the meantime,
[19:41] they made decisions about reshuffling
[19:43] with Todd.
[19:45] GOED has supported and put a lot of
[19:48] backing behind Sarah with the small
[19:51] business the Sorry, with the women's
[19:53] business center to make sure that we can
[19:55] service
[19:56] uh small businesses and give them all of
[19:58] those consulting services,
[20:00] but Sarah doesn't really have any office
[20:02] space. So, the county has arranged for
[20:04] her to have office space so that she can
[20:06] have office hours.
[20:08] So, we've worked that out with her and
[20:10] then I think that GOED is working with
[20:13] SBDC to try to find No, with USU
[20:17] to try to find regional services, I
[20:20] think maybe to serve Grand County.
[20:22] So, I just wanted to make sure that
[20:24] everyone knew that in the interim
[20:26] business services, Sarah will try to
[20:29] accommodate those with her schedule and
[20:31] we're going to try to get that messaging
[20:32] out and she's got office space available
[20:36] at the Grand Center so that she can
[20:38] serve those clients.
[20:40] >> And the idea is that she'll be servicing
[20:42] all of the
[20:44] small businesses in the
[20:46] >> Not just women.
[20:47] >> Right.
[20:48] >> The The challenge right now is that and
[20:50] I didn't realize this about Sarah
[20:51] either, but she is serving all of Utah
[20:55] or is it only Salt Lake and this region?
[20:59] >> I
[21:00] >> to say that Grand County are not her
[21:02] only clients.
[21:03] >> No, it's like all Eastern Utah is what I
[21:05] was thinking.
[21:07] A large region of the state.
[21:10] >> Yeah.
[21:11] >> So
[21:11] >> Okay.
[21:12] >> to be able to meet with clients here in
[21:14] person. She just felt like it would be
[21:16] really helpful to have office space. So
[21:19] >> So does that mean that
[21:22] like what happens to that money? We just
[21:25] like it goes gets pushed over to TRT or
[21:29] >> Yeah. So it was
[21:30] >> It's a revolving loan fund as well, I
[21:31] got told it going to. No?
[21:34] >> It's with the auditor. Oh, so Com Natman
[21:37] is working that out with them. But
[21:38] basically what they said was they were
[21:41] TRT funds.
[21:43] >> Under right. Yeah. Yeah. They were TRT
[21:46] funds spent under the diversification
[21:47] program that existed at the time.
[21:50] But maybe not spent, I guess. Yeah. So
[21:53] they're Okay. So it sits with the
[21:54] auditor is the answer, I guess,
[21:55] basically.
[21:57] >> And as soon as
[21:59] they let us know, whatever is not going
[22:01] to open an audit is probably the best
[22:04] route.
[22:05] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[22:06] >> But
[22:08] >> Okay.
[22:11] » And it's my understanding from SBDC, and
[22:13] I don't know that this is the case, it's
[22:14] still like really murky,
[22:16] but it's my understanding from SBDC that
[22:18] they have funding to serve the region.
[22:21] So it shouldn't just be Sarah
[22:23] >> That's always been the case.
[22:24] >> trying to do it on their own.
[22:27] >> Yeah. So Todd does is not with SBDC
[22:29] anymore. Is that
[22:32] » I honestly, I have heard nothing from
[22:35] SBDC.
[22:36] So the only thing that we heard from
[22:38] SBDC is that
[22:41] they wanted the contract extension.
[22:45] As far as Todd goes, I don't know. Have
[22:48] you heard anything?
[22:49] >> Yeah. Um I saw him
[22:53] soon after he was notified and
[22:55] I believe his last day will be the 30th
[22:57] of this month.
[22:58] >> So they are not keeping him as the
[23:00] regional.
[23:02] Do you how they're planning to serve the
[23:04] region? He has been. I didn't realize
[23:06] that.
[23:06] >> Oh, really?
[23:07] >> I thought he was Grand County dedicated,
[23:09] but he's been doing San Juan County,
[23:12] he's been doing Grand County,
[23:15] and then I'm not sure if he's been doing
[23:17] any other county. It may just be San
[23:19] Juan again.
[23:21] Do you know?
[23:22] >> Uh he was
[23:23] primarily Grand County and then I think
[23:25] he was also
[23:27] um covers San Juan County.
[23:31] >> Did he say what their plan was for
[23:32] covering the region if they weren't
[23:34] going to have him?
[23:36] >> Um
[23:37] No, I just know um Colette Cox, the
[23:40] director of the Center for World
[23:41] Development, has been in on a lot of
[23:43] conversations with USU and the SBDC
[23:46] about how to properly
[23:48] make sure everybody's covered because
[23:50] the Vernal, the Basin SBDC director just
[23:53] retired as well, so that position is
[23:55] open.
[23:57] Um and so and
[23:59] um they stated that they weren't filling
[24:01] refilling that position either in the
[24:03] Basin. So obviously it's a much wider
[24:05] conversation than just Moab and um
[24:09] Colette, my boss, has been taking a
[24:11] really active role in those. I think
[24:13] right now everybody has spoken their
[24:16] good word and has they've collected all
[24:18] the information and what the outcome is
[24:20] going to be is I'm unaware right now, so
[24:23] I'll definitely report back, but
[24:25] >> Yeah, I just think it's important for us
[24:26] to try to have a sense of how we're
[24:28] covered basically. So
[24:29] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[24:30] >> it was always the that was like the
[24:31] challenge that we were trying to address
[24:32] back then.
[24:33] >> Absolutely.
[24:33] >> Which was probably not the right way to
[24:35] address it in some ways was putting our
[24:36] own money on the table to deal with the
[24:38] problem, but
[24:40] >> we've just like historically
[24:42] not been served by the SBDC and that's
[24:45] like a real bummer for our local
[24:47] businesses that need that type of
[24:48] support, so we want to try to
[24:50] >> I agree. Yeah.
[24:51] >> we can to be the squeaky wheel and get
[24:53] some services here.
[24:54] >> Yeah.
[24:55] >> Um but so the SBDC still is getting
[24:58] state funding for that type of work. I
[25:00] know that there was the audit and all
[25:01] that stuff. Yeah.
[25:02] >> Yeah, I mean, yeah, the funding has all
[25:04] stayed the same. Yeah.
[25:05] >> Okay.
[25:06] >> Yeah. Just the money from Grant County
[25:07] that was given
[25:08] >> the additional, the supplemental.
[25:10] >> Yeah.
[25:11] So, we don't know what they're do what
[25:12] they're doing. We just know that we
[25:14] couldn't continue to
[25:15] >> Yeah. No, I get that.
[25:16] >> We couldn't extend the contract even
[25:18] more. So, this is always outside of the
[25:19] funding
[25:20] >> Yeah.
[25:21] No, I think it's just on us then to
[25:22] really make sure that we get the regular
[25:25] services that we're still doing.
[25:26] >> And Sarah does do all of those. She's
[25:28] not just, um, for women only, even
[25:31] though it's called women, but anytime
[25:32] she presents, she says, you know, I'm
[25:33] here for everybody, but I know it's also
[25:35] the stigma there could be like, I don't
[25:36] want to go to a women's business, but it
[25:39] they there's no preferential treatment
[25:41] between The only thing that you get as a
[25:43] woman business owner versus a man's is
[25:45] you get to be on that that website.
[25:46] Like, if you search for women
[25:48] businesses, it'll pop up. Other than
[25:49] that, the services are the same that she
[25:51] gives to all all small businesses.
[25:54] >> That's great.
[25:54] >> So, but it just it is hard because it does say women's
[25:58] business center.
[26:00] >> No, but that's awesome. I mean, I think
[26:01] that's awesome that we have someone I
[26:03] mean, we're lucky that we have someone
[26:04] locally that can help offer those
[26:06] services. I just hope that that doesn't
[26:07] mean that we then receive nothing from
[26:09] the SBDC who are also doing that.
[26:11] >> Yeah, that won't be the case. Yeah. That
[26:13] won't be the case.
[26:14] >> Cool.
[26:16] >> And that's one thing in talking to
[26:17] Sarah, too,
[26:19] is
[26:21] she's going to look at her schedule and
[26:22] set kind of office hours when she's
[26:24] available to businesses, but we really
[26:26] want to push out the communication of
[26:28] what services that she offers and when
[26:30] she's available.
[26:31] And she has been great. And then, one of
[26:33] the things that we're doing with the
[26:35] office space is we're setting it up in
[26:37] such a way that she can use that as
[26:39] anchor and matching funds to get
[26:41] additional resources.
[26:43] So, that hopefully, you know, we can
[26:45] double down and give her the help and
[26:46] the support that she needs to be able to
[26:47] expand her capacity in the meantime.
[26:50] But,
[26:52] fingers crossed.
[26:53] >> Yeah, that's great.
[26:54] >> Awesome.
[26:55] Okay,
[26:57] should we then put everything else to
[26:58] the next conversation with RCG?
[27:01] Which would then have you up Deborah?
[27:03] And one thing we'd love to hear any
[27:05] updates you have and we all received
[27:07] [clears throat] an email from James
[27:08] Dixon and we want to
[27:10] >> [cough]
[27:11] >> hear from you as to what that means for
[27:13] us in Grand County.
[27:14] >> Okay, wonderful.
[27:15] >> [laughter]
[27:15] >> I have it on my list.
[27:16] >> Thank you.
[27:17] >> Um how much time do I have Chris?
[27:19] >> Uh as little as possible to do as great
[27:21] of a job as possible.
[27:22] >> [laughter]
[27:24] >> Okay, so
[27:25] I have about five websites I'm going to
[27:28] share with you and we can send the links
[27:31] out later.
[27:32] Just kind of some updates. We're no
[27:34] longer Go Utah
[27:36] we're back to Go Ed, Governor's Office
[27:38] of Economic Development. Um but I still
[27:42] have been saying Go Utah. So if you
[27:45] just forgive me. When I was hired it was
[27:47] Go Utah.
[27:48] >> [laughter]
[27:49] >> So we have new branding coming out.
[27:53] You'll see all the new logos throughout
[27:54] state all the state agencies are getting
[27:56] rebranded so you'll see kind of the new
[27:58] logo and stuff. It's pretty cool.
[28:01] So with that said
[28:04] Melissa attended an event a few weeks
[28:06] ago to represent Grand County at the
[28:09] unveiling of the Governor's
[28:12] Economic Development Utah Elevated Plan.
[28:16] >> [clears throat]
[28:17] >> So I'm going to show you on our it's
[28:18] located on our website.
[28:22] One second.
[28:25] I'm disabled to share.
[28:26] >> Oh yeah, we need to
[28:27] >> Hang tight.
[28:29] >> Share settings.
[28:32] >> I can't even see.
[28:36] I can't read that far.
[28:42] Window share from an application share
[28:44] all no.
[28:46] >> I think it's the red box at the bottom.
[29:01] » Okay, so I'll I'll keep talking. So,
[29:03] that's located on our website. If you
[29:05] want to take a look at it and read over
[29:07] it, might give you give you some ideas
[29:08] or get your mind thinking economic
[29:10] development in the state of Utah.
[29:13] Um it obviously shares the government
[29:15] priorities, things like that. It is 50
[29:17] pages, so
[29:19] >> [laughter]
[29:20] >> you know, light read for everybody. Um
[29:22] but you can peruse the website and it
[29:24] explains a little bit more about the
[29:26] focus for economic development for at
[29:28] the state level.
[29:30] Okay. So, that's the first link we'll be
[29:33] sending out.
[29:35] Um something else I want to share is
[29:38] housing has moved to Go-ED. And so,
[29:42] originally housing used to live in the in the Department of Workforce
[29:49] Services, but under housing and
[29:53] community services, something like that.
[29:55] So, anyways, it's moved to Go-ED. It's
[29:57] obviously fresh, so um we're still
[30:00] working on everything, but I've included
[30:02] the new
[30:04] um website for all things housing in
[30:08] there.
[30:10] So,
[30:15] » Where do you sit?
[30:17] >> What's the arrow next to share? If you
[30:19] hit that one, does it give you that?
[30:20] >> That's where we had that screen up just
[30:22] a second ago. It wasn't
[30:24] >> So, included in that housing, there's a
[30:26] new um housing dashboard throughout the
[30:29] state that ex- that shows all different
[30:33] types of data. I'm going to include that
[30:34] for you all as well to look
[30:37] at.
[30:38] Um opportunity zones. Melissa, would you
[30:42] like to talk about opportunity zones?
[30:45] >> No, I'll start and then you go.
[30:46] >> Go ahead and if you need me to fill
[30:48] anything in,
[30:49] >> [laughter]
[30:49] >> I'm all about it.
[30:50] >> So, if you're unfamiliar with
[30:52] opportunity zones, um they're redrawing
[30:55] them this year, opportunity zones 2.0.
[30:59] Um they are a sort of a federal tool for
[31:03] investors investing in specific areas to
[31:06] get um incentives and perks. It's kind
[31:10] of the best way to put it, I think. Um
[31:13] it is to help development in a very
[31:15] specific area. So, this year Moab
[31:21] the Moab area was designated as a
[31:23] potential opportunity zone based off of
[31:28] data criteria, a very specific formula
[31:30] created by HUD. And so, 147
[31:34] different census tracts throughout the
[31:36] state were identified as potential
[31:40] opportunity zones and the governor will
[31:42] be picking 37 of them. So, you can see
[31:46] that kind of, you know, gives you a
[31:48] little bit of a difficult shot. However,
[31:52] the governor's office of economic
[31:53] development is compiling all the data to
[31:55] kind of present to the governor to help
[31:58] him make the best informed decision
[32:00] possible and different communities were
[32:03] able to submit surveys as to why they
[32:05] felt that their communities
[32:09] as to why they felt that their
[32:10] communities should be selected
[32:13] and
[32:15] I believe Moab and Grand County area
[32:18] submitted some information, not that
[32:21] we're competitive.
[32:22] >> [laughter]
[32:23] >> And so, just know that, you know, you
[32:26] obviously have a great team that's
[32:27] fighting for the designation of the
[32:30] opportunity zone.
[32:32] And I will share that website real
[32:35] quick.
[32:37] Or that's how and scroll through it real
[32:39] quick so you can kind of see.
[32:43] In working with the economist, too, it's
[32:46] interesting because things like of the
[32:49] four categories to compete, one of them
[32:52] was how closely you align with the
[32:53] Olympics.
[32:54] >> Mhm.
[32:55] >> And how much you're part of the Olympic
[32:56] strategy.
[32:57] >> Interesting.
[32:59] >> So you can see the um designation right
[33:02] there.
[33:04] And then there's more information about
[33:05] opportunity zones if you want to learn
[33:07] about that, the timeline, um everything
[33:10] how they were selected as an opportunity
[33:13] zone,
[33:14] everything like that. So, more
[33:16] interesting things to learn about.
[33:20] Um
[33:23] also we updated our grants page on our
[33:27] website. You can see here, since you all
[33:30] work so closely with our grants, this
[33:33] might be something you're interested in.
[33:36] Um we have a new grants calendar on here
[33:38] that shows all of the deadlines for
[33:40] reporting, which you're obviously very
[33:41] involved in, um application periods,
[33:44] things like that. And then all of the
[33:47] information about our grants. So, for
[33:50] instance, um
[33:52] the rural county grant,
[33:57] there's all these additional
[33:59] downloads here. I also brought some of
[34:01] them
[34:02] because I had them in my office and
[34:04] thought, "Why not?"
[34:07] Um but then there's additional grants
[34:10] that we've added on our website, so all
[34:12] of the housing grants,
[34:14] um
[34:15] and then the tourism grants, and then
[34:17] some other funding opportunities.
[34:21] And then all of our partner agencies as
[34:23] well. So, a lot of this information
[34:24] wasn't on here previously. Just want to
[34:26] let you know that's updated.
[34:30] And other than that, I will
[34:36] answer your questions about the memo.
[34:38] Is that the best approach?
[34:40] >> Sure. I can start.
[34:41] >> Yeah.
[34:42] >> Uh
[34:42] was [clears throat] uh
[34:44] was the
[34:46] To what extent
[34:48] is Grant County
[34:50] the audience of that memo? The singular
[34:52] audience or was it only written to us?
[34:54] >> No. No. It was sent to every elected
[34:57] official, CEO board, and economic
[35:00] development director in the rural
[35:02] counties.
[35:03] >> And
[35:04] >> It was not directed at you.
[35:05] >> Okay.
[35:06] And so, to what extent, as far as
[35:09] you know, some of our activities, and
[35:11] especially with respect to our 2026
[35:15] grant cycle for our CG,
[35:18] which is [clears throat] funding
[35:19] which has funded a contractor related to
[35:22] the airport project,
[35:24] funding staff
[35:26] >> Right.
[35:27] >> At least that's To what extent are we
[35:28] impacted by it? What's your sense of
[35:30] that? I mean, is it just as much I mean,
[35:34] I As I think about those things, those
[35:36] are all related to projects. Um but I
[35:39] don't know to what extent it's Yeah.
[35:41] >> Absolutely. So, I think kind of some
[35:44] backstory of where this memo came from
[35:46] is there have been um specific
[35:49] incidences with our counties where
[35:52] um contractors were being paid for
[35:54] specific projects, and we weren't seeing
[35:57] the details or the ROI or the result of
[36:01] that contractor being hired. And so, you
[36:04] know, it really comes back to us like,
[36:07] "Oh, well, where is that funding going?"
[36:08] And if we're not able to really say, um
[36:12] so, we saw a need for strict reporting,
[36:15] essentially. And that's really all it
[36:17] is, right? Like, you're absolutely still
[36:19] able to pay for staffing, pay for
[36:22] contractors. We just want to know
[36:24] exactly what they're doing, what the
[36:26] outcome is, what the ROI is, what the
[36:28] actual funds are going towards.
[36:31] Um, you know, because some contractors
[36:33] will get three or four counties, you
[36:36] know, to give them a certain percentage
[36:37] of their grant funds. And obviously
[36:40] that's a lot of money and we weren't
[36:41] really seeing the outcome from those
[36:43] funds. So, that's really where it came
[36:46] from.
[36:47] Um,
[36:48] I don't think that it really affects
[36:49] anything that we have going on. All, you
[36:51] know, for instance, the airport
[36:53] contractor.
[36:54] >> Yeah.
[36:55] >> Melissa has all the information that's
[36:56] very detailed as to their scope of work,
[36:59] what they're doing, what the funding
[37:00] went. So, it's very easy for her to just
[37:03] be like, here. This is what Yeah,
[37:05] exactly. Um, we just want to make sure
[37:08] that it's not sketchy [clears throat]
[37:10] business going on. And so, it's really
[37:12] kind of to cover everybody's
[37:15] um,
[37:15] >> And is there like a form?
[37:18] I mean, it feels like that you
[37:20] there's a lot of interpretation when you go to write one of those grant
[37:24] reports and they ask these questions.
[37:26] >> Yeah. They're a little up in the air.
[37:28] Yeah. Yeah, and um,
[37:31] when the reporting that Melissa has,
[37:34] that's definitely
[37:36] >> Right.
[37:36] >> a guideline. But, within the memo it
[37:39] shows ex-
[37:40] specifically what you need as scope of
[37:42] work, you know? And that obviously looks
[37:45] different for everybody. And if
[37:47] compliance feels that Melissa or you
[37:49] guys didn't provide enough information,
[37:51] we would ask for that in addition. But,
[37:53] I think it is left open for
[37:55] interpretation a little bit so that
[37:58] you know, everybody's different in how
[38:00] they provide that information and how
[38:01] you obtain it. Um,
[38:04] >> Yeah, but it's just
[38:05] >> not to pigeonhole, I feel like.
[38:07] >> I I get the tension between us you think
[38:09] there's kind of like if you say,
[38:11] well, applicable scope of work, you
[38:13] know,
[38:13] >> Yeah.
[38:14] >> is there. But, anyway, so we should keep
[38:16] a hold of that memo for the next years
[38:18] because we're going to be needing to
[38:21] >> Yeah, and there's actual like
[38:23] administrative ruling
[38:25] documents like this. You know, like our
[38:27] state statute. We have administrative
[38:30] ruling that I'm happy to share that kind
[38:32] of shows on our end what we're required
[38:35] to provide in our help.
[38:37] >> Yeah, I don't know.
[38:38] >> But you know, we really try to be
[38:41] It's because some counties and you know,
[38:43] their recorders doing it or like for the
[38:45] RCOG for cities that apply for that,
[38:47] it's like a treasurer. Like we try to
[38:50] really be accommodating to rural
[38:53] who might not have the resources or
[38:55] bandwidth or know-how.
[38:57] >> Sure, but I mean I don't know. Just
[38:59] having a form that says these are the
[39:01] things you should be addressing would
[39:02] save some time cuz you're kind of like
[39:04] you write some stuff and you're like, am
[39:05] I good? I'm not sure, you know? And then
[39:07] you wait for the message like, no, you
[39:09] need more information. And then it's a
[39:11] takes management time on your
[39:12] >> Well, that's great feedback that I will
[39:14] send to James Dick. You know, this is a
[39:16] new obviously a brand new thing
[39:19] um that we're
[39:19] >> have to be required. It could say
[39:21] suggested, you know? And then you would
[39:23] at least be in the ballpark.
[39:24] >> Yeah. Cuz I know So you think that would
[39:26] be helpful in the application or in the
[39:28] report?
[39:29] >> Both because because if you're going to
[39:31] do the application, you should be aware
[39:33] of the reporting requirements from the
[39:35] beginning.
[39:36] Because then you know
[39:38] exactly what you need to be tracking and
[39:40] you aren't going backwards.
[39:42] Okay.
[39:43] >> And maybe James is already planning on
[39:44] that.
[39:45] >> Maybe so. I mean I get it that you want
[39:46] to be flexible, but but I think that
[39:48] you're actually supporting the grantee
[39:51] by making it a little straightforward
[39:53] and just saying, here's the kind of
[39:55] stuff you should be tracking while
[39:56] you're doing this project. And that way
[39:58] if you're like, oh, we're not going to
[39:59] have any of that data, you kind of are
[40:00] like, maybe this grant isn't right for
[40:02] us, you know?
[40:03] >> Yeah, I agree with that. Yeah.
[40:05] Good idea, Ashley.
[40:07] >> I
[40:08] I'm just trying to make it faster for
[40:09] everyone. Um what when is the governor
[40:12] make the decisions about the
[40:13] opportunities?
[40:13] >> September.
[40:15] >> And does it retroactively apply or it's
[40:17] only for new investments? Like if you
[40:19] >> New.
[40:19] >> Okay, interesting. All right, September.
[40:22] Okay, thanks.
[40:22] >> September.
[40:23] >> But usually those things are by tax
[40:24] year, right?
[40:25] >> Right.
[40:25] >> The incentives are how it works.
[40:27] >> Yeah, but there was a 1.0 I don't know
[40:29] the exact dates between the 1.0
[40:31] >> So
[40:31] >> and the 2.0.
[40:32] >> So that's going to be for the following
[40:33] year.
[40:34] >> Yes.
[40:35] >> Cuz that's what they I was just looking
[40:36] at the maps like cuz we were in
[40:38] opportunity zones or our opportunity
[40:40] zones. But that's the last round and
[40:42] this is a 2.0 new program exactly. So it
[40:45] looks but it's they're calling it the
[40:46] 2027 program.
[40:47] >> So that would mean that any investments
[40:49] done in 2026 would not
[40:51] >> Probably don't fall under that.
[40:52] But most likely. I mean, I don't know.
[40:55] >> It's super super competitive under the
[40:58] new IRS ruling
[41:01] because they've cut back the fraction of
[41:05] the opportunity zones in every state. So
[41:07] the state of Utah I think only retains
[41:09] 20% of its capability to provide
[41:12] opportunity zones, which is what made it
[41:14] a competitive process now instead of the
[41:17] tract grant. So just the whole way that
[41:20] they are doing it is completely
[41:22] different.
[41:22] >> The governor should have appointed an
[41:24] anonymous committee, just saying.
[41:28] >> To decide on his behalf?
[41:32] » Okay.
[41:33] Um
[41:33] anything else from your side, Deborah?
[41:36] >> Nothing else from my side. I'm sending
[41:38] out all those links for all that extra
[41:40] reading material. And I do have the
[41:43] state statute if you want to look at it,
[41:45] rural county grant, and then the actual
[41:47] state statute for this board.
[41:51] Great for your taking.
[41:53] >> Thank you.
[41:54] >> Yep.
[41:54] >> Super helpful.
[41:55] Um
[41:57] Okay, so now let's move on to this So
[42:01] 2026 RCG reporting,
[42:04] um which is officially due at the end of
[42:08] July, I think. But the sooner we get it
[42:10] in, the sooner we can be moving on.
[42:13] Current year funding. Um
[42:16] So, Melissa gave us a bunch of documents
[42:19] and I'll pass it over to Melissa to talk
[42:21] a little bit about where we're at and
[42:23] what you need from us. I mean, this is
[42:24] one of our sort of like statutory
[42:28] uh responsibilities as a board is to be
[42:30] participate in the reporting.
[42:34] >> Okay. So, reporting.
[42:36] Could you share the link that I sent you
[42:39] to the
[42:41] documents file?
[42:44] Basically, so when you talk about the
[42:46] reporting requirements, making sure that
[42:47] we're following the reporting
[42:48] requirements, whatever, there's just not
[42:50] a lot of guidance.
[42:52] So, we completely created a whole new
[42:55] system
[42:56] >> You want this separate as a spreadsheet?
[42:58] >> Yeah. Yeah, if that's okay.
[43:01] >> It is.
[43:02] >> So, we just created our own process and
[43:05] our own set of documentation. This was
[43:07] the first year using it. I would be
[43:09] really curious and would love to follow
[43:11] up with grantees to see what their
[43:13] experience was, if they felt like it was
[43:15] too time-consuming, if they felt like it
[43:17] was too difficult because this was the
[43:20] first year that we've really used it.
[43:22] But essentially, I wanted to create
[43:24] something that it doesn't matter who's
[43:25] responsible for doing that reporting.
[43:27] They've got a system now that they can
[43:28] follow, make their own edit change, but
[43:31] at least there's a place to start.
[43:33] And it started with making sure that we
[43:35] have everyone's scope documents,
[43:38] original budget requirements,
[43:40] any terms that they had in their
[43:42] contracts, links to their contracts so
[43:44] that we can reference those at any time.
[43:46] And then a status. And if you go,
[43:49] Deborah, to the submission documents,
[43:54] we also created This was the very first
[43:57] year that we did this as a reimbursement
[43:58] program and not as just a grant program,
[44:02] which was really uh hit or miss success
[44:05] lesson, get that to you really
[44:07] >> Well, they're on.
[44:08] You sent them to us individually, too.
[44:10] So,
[44:11] >> And they're also on the agenda as
[44:14] individual items.
[44:14] >> Perfect. Okay. Yeah, reimbursement request form and the
[44:18] advanced funds request form, right?
[44:20] >> So, basically, we had everyone do
[44:23] requests. They did all of the
[44:25] documentation, and then they received
[44:27] payments. The first one was like maybe 3
[44:30] weeks into the process that we paid out
[44:32] and processed.
[44:34] The last one, which is the only grant
[44:37] that hasn't been completely paid out and
[44:39] won't be,
[44:41] is going to be listed in the reporting
[44:42] spreadsheet as encumbered funds, and
[44:44] that will be the golf course.
[44:46] So, if you want to go to the final
[44:47] reporting document for the final
[44:49] reporting document,
[44:52] the
[44:52] >> Yes.
[44:53] >> That will give the status of all of
[44:56] them.
[45:03] This one?
[45:07] Am I right? This one?
[45:08] >> Yes.
[45:08] >> Okay.
[45:09] And I'll look at my own.
[45:12] Cuz I'm not going to be able to see it
[45:13] up there.
[45:17] So, on the final reporting, you can see
[45:21] what has been paid out, what has been
[45:23] encumbered,
[45:25] and then
[45:27] what we're proposing that we would use
[45:29] for the rest of the funds
[45:32] that haven't been encumbered.
[45:35] And there's nothing remaining that
[45:37] hasn't been left unused. So, Artesian,
[45:41] multi-no, wait. Multi- Artesian Moab
[45:44] Brewery, Moab Area Chamber of Commerce,
[45:47] Rock Tots, and Jaspers will all be paid
[45:50] out during the reporting period.
[45:53] We will go over on the Moab Golf Club
[45:56] because we want to retain that final
[45:57] payment until their study has been
[46:00] received. So, we've already paid out the
[46:03] retainer for that and then another
[46:05] payment for travel and other services.
[46:07] So, now we're just waiting to get their
[46:09] final
[46:11] invoice when the work is completed.
[46:14] And then
[46:16] we received for multi-mini mount $12,600
[46:20] as a payment request. So, that has gone
[46:23] out.
[46:25] And then that leaves $17,386
[46:28] remaining.
[46:29] And then we've just detailed what we're
[46:31] proposing that we would use those funds
[46:34] for.
[46:37] So, I don't know like if we just want to
[46:39] go through questions or talk about it or
[46:41] you want specific the the specific
[46:44] reporting is in the packet.
[46:47] To the extent that we have it. The one
[46:50] thing that I can speak to with
[46:51] confidence is we haven't yet received
[46:53] every last narrative for final report.
[46:56] We've received four-ish, I think.
[46:59] But the one thing that we are confident
[47:00] about is that we've received all of the
[47:02] receipts, all of the invoices, all of
[47:04] the financial documentation
[47:07] that aligns with original budgets and
[47:10] aligns with the contracts.
[47:14] » I mean, first of all, thank you for
[47:16] this. Like, this is the first like true
[47:19] full accounting that I've seen for the
[47:22] money that we've spent in this way. I
[47:24] mean, not that other previous years
[47:26] haven't been accounted for in some way,
[47:27] but like in detail what's happened to
[47:30] with the dollar. That's awesome and
[47:32] really important for us. So, thank you
[47:34] for that.
[47:37] Um
[47:38] >> And it makes it a lot easier. I mean,
[47:39] currently, you know, we're still chasing
[47:41] down some of the reporting from the
[47:43] sub-grants, you know, and it's I mean,
[47:44] it was on our and it's not fun. It's so
[47:47] This is really nice and it's nice for
[47:49] all of us to
[47:51] know where the money's going and that
[47:52] it's effective. Even though I mean,
[47:55] we may or may not do sub-grants again. I
[47:57] mean, I last year it let's do this and it might be this year we're not,
[48:01] next year
[48:03] something else. I mean, we've got some
[48:04] big plans in the county that we can roll
[48:05] a bunch of stuff into, but I think it's
[48:07] a it's awesome to have it. And I I have
[48:09] it saved and Kam out of it has it and
[48:11] it's not going to go away with like us
[48:13] going away, so it's it's a process
[48:15] that's been completed and it's
[48:19] um
[48:19] we can we can tweak it, change it, keep
[48:22] it the same or whatever in the future.
[48:25] You know what I mean?
[48:26] A lot of work that we won't have to.
[48:30] » I mean, the other thing that comes up
[48:32] for me is the
[48:34] I mean, I and I guess this is is maybe
[48:36] what will happen if you when you have a
[48:39] reimbursement style program is that
[48:41] you're likely to come up with a slightly
[48:43] different number at the end than what
[48:45] was you know, projected at the
[48:47] beginning. And that's what that 17,000
[48:49] 386 is related to, right? Um
[48:54] So
[48:55] Yeah, so obviously that wasn't a part of
[48:58] an original request or an action by the
[49:01] commission
[49:02] or an application to the the state. So,
[49:05] what do we need to do
[49:08] at at I guess multiple levels in order
[49:11] to have that be
[49:14] kosher, to have that be squared away.
[49:16] Like, I mean, it it makes sense that if
[49:18] you have remaining funds, I mean, to me
[49:20] it seems reasonable to use those
[49:23] internally if there's a need. Um
[49:25] but like, what's the process? What needs
[49:27] to happen there?
[49:29] >> I don't know.
[49:30] >> I think as long as it's still associated
[49:32] with the grant
[49:34] proc- or the or the sub grant program,
[49:36] sub grant project, there's no need for
[49:40] it to go back to the commission. It's
[49:41] still basically the same project.
[49:45] >> But just the overall
[49:46] >> the sub grant Yeah, yeah.
[49:48] >> Okay.
[49:48] >> So, I think if it was something like
[49:50] super drastically different, then that
[49:52] could be a conversation, but I don't see
[49:54] it being an issue. I wouldn't advise
[49:56] that it go back to the commission.
[49:58] >> Okay.
[49:58] >> Why would it? I don't think unless it's
[50:00] a new
[50:01] >> If it was like if you we did what we
[50:03] said we were going to do.
[50:03] >> Right. But if you know
[50:05] >> And now we're going to do something
[50:06] else, too.
[50:07] >> Yeah.
[50:08] >> Oh, yeah, what are we doing now?
[50:10] >> Well, that's what Yeah.
[50:12] >> I can't really see it.
[50:13] >> Uh it says
[50:14] >> Let me zoom in.
[50:14] >> Software conference and tools for
[50:16] economic development capacity building
[50:17] of new I mean, it's basically the
[50:19] proposal is to use it within the
[50:21] economic development office.
[50:23] Cuz it it's remaining funds being used
[50:26] by the office for economic development
[50:28] activities.
[50:29] >> asked us to do that, so it's sort of
[50:31] circular.
[50:32] >> I think so, too. I think if it was like
[50:34] something completely different, like you
[50:36] were going to give it
[50:38] I don't
[50:40] You were going to do something at the
[50:41] Spanish Trail Arena, maybe. Then you
[50:43] >> Well, check Well, last year we wanted to
[50:45] keep some of that money, but right as we
[50:46] had to have advertised it and had so
[50:48] many applicants. Remember, I was like
[50:50] >> Yeah.
[50:50] >> we should just subgrant it all out. So,
[50:52] I think it's it's cuz it's you know
[50:54] >> It's still the same project, yeah.
[50:58] » Yeah.
[51:00] Um
[51:02] And so
[51:05] what do you I mean
[51:10] Are we ready
[51:12] to I think I think we're supposed to
[51:14] take a vote. Like we're supposed to take
[51:16] some action as the EOB
[51:19] to approve the reporting?
[51:22] Do we feel ready to take that
[51:24] action?
[51:25] >> That's That's up to this board, whatever
[51:28] you felt comfortable with.
[51:30] >> Yeah.
[51:30] >> I wanted to make sure that you were
[51:32] equipped with all of the detailed
[51:33] information, so that you felt like you
[51:35] could when you were ready make a
[51:36] decision.
[51:38] >> Well, so just to clarify, all of the
[51:40] grantees have gotten their money.
[51:42] It's and and all have done their
[51:45] reporting except
[51:47] the golf course.
[51:49] >> All have done the financial reporting.
[51:51] Most have done the narrative, which I'm
[51:53] less edgy about because they submitted
[51:56] all of their receipts and they've been
[51:57] paid out. The golf course, we put in the
[52:01] report that probably they'll be paid out
[52:03] in August when they receive their final
[52:06] report. But we already know how much it
[52:09] is and we know how much we're paying. I
[52:11] just feel edgy about paying them before
[52:13] it's done.
[52:14] >> plan.
[52:15] >> Okay. Okay. If you guys are comfortable
[52:17] with holding those funds,
[52:19] that's my recommended option. If you're
[52:21] not, we can just pay it out.
[52:24] Like I don't expect at the last minute
[52:26] they're not going to finish the report
[52:28] and just bail.
[52:30] But it kind of feels nice to say we're
[52:32] going to keep them encumbered and we'll
[52:33] keep it in the bank account until August
[52:35] when they deliver that report. But
[52:37] they've flown out. We had great meetings
[52:40] with them. They met with the city.
[52:43] They've produced some decent work
[52:45] products so far. The only thing that the
[52:48] golf course hasn't received are like the
[52:49] final architectural plans and the final
[52:52] business plan. So I thought it would be
[52:54] nice for us to be able to hold those
[52:56] funds for just a minute until we get
[52:57] that in.
[52:58] >> That totally makes sense. Yeah. But so
[53:00] do you want a motion like I think for
[53:02] the purposes of this board, we're done
[53:04] with this and we need to move on. So if
[53:07] we do a motion now that says
[53:09] we approve uh
[53:11] what do you want what is the motion you
[53:13] want
[53:13] >> the reporting completed by Melissa.
[53:17] >> You've participated in the last two
[53:19] years.
[53:20] >> document and
[53:21] >> and any changes necessary to it to to
[53:26] um to include future narrative
[53:28] reporting. You know, we should just give her
[53:31] in advance our blessing on additional
[53:34] narrative reporting that would go in.
[53:37] Right? And then it'll be complete.
[53:38] >> Well, like we can be explicit in the
[53:39] motion. We approve it as is with the
[53:42] addition of the outstanding narratives
[53:45] from um
[53:47] >> You want to
[53:47] >> remaining grantees
[53:49] >> Make a motion. You've got it.
[53:50] >> Um
[53:51] we uh approve the
[53:56] distribution of funds and documentation
[54:03] report
[54:04] >> reporting
[54:04] >> and reporting
[54:06] um
[54:09] uh
[54:13] Let's see.
[54:15] How do you say that? Like um
[54:19] acknowledging that
[54:21] uh
[54:22] several narratives are still due and a
[54:25] final payment will be made to the golf
[54:27] course.
[54:30] How does that sound?
[54:34] So, then we're not just saying do
[54:36] whatever you want.
[54:38] We're saying
[54:39] finish this like you started it. Great
[54:41] job. The end. Move on.
[54:44] Put that.
[54:44] >> And when uh they come and present to the
[54:46] city, I'll make sure you all know. So,
[54:48] that if you'd like to
[54:49] come to the city and watch or
[54:52] >> Yeah. Yeah, they're going to come and
[54:53] present to the city council.
[54:55] So, the master plan that they have come
[54:57] up with. So, I I met with them. Didn't
[54:59] have done my reporting, but I met with
[55:01] them like three times and the mayor.
[55:03] And so, kind of got an idea of
[55:06] they had a good idea of like what would
[55:07] the city allow.
[55:08] >> they going to need to do the plan?
[55:10] >> Oh, man. That's going to be a lot of
[55:12] money. So, just the sprinkler system
[55:14] itself, you know, he's like on the low
[55:16] end $3 million. And that's the number
[55:18] one thing that needs to be done out
[55:19] there is the sprinkler systems. And so,
[55:21] but they have so much land. I mean,
[55:23] there's so much land that's the owned by
[55:25] the city that they could do a lot with
[55:26] it. And but it then it's like is the
[55:27] city even willing to do that? And that
[55:29] was my thing. I'm like that's the city
[55:31] has to ask that. But it seemed like they
[55:32] were willing. You know, housing out
[55:33] there. So, they could lease lease the
[55:35] land and put some housing out there. and
[55:37] that land lease would pay for for all of
[55:40] the things that it could happen out
[55:41] there. And then public-private
[55:43] partnerships where because the
[55:44] clubhouse, you know, is a big
[55:46] draw for people to get married. I mean,
[55:48] it's beautiful out there. So, if they
[55:49] could do a convention center out there
[55:51] and the clubhouse where you you still
[55:53] have golf happening, but then you have a
[55:55] convention center. But that would be So, it's basically a plan, but there
[55:59] wouldn't be it wouldn't be the city
[56:00] doing it all. It wouldn't be the golf
[56:01] club doing it all. It would be multiple
[56:03] different entities doing it, but they're
[56:05] going to come back with a plan. But I
[56:06] was kind of like, why do why are we even
[56:08] are we going to even do this plan if the
[56:10] city's not willing to be like, "Yeah,
[56:11] we're willing to put some land for lease so that we could
[56:15] help pay for this?" And it sounded like
[56:17] they would I mean, but I I you know,
[56:18] until they see the whole plan and they
[56:19] start making that. But But without a
[56:21] plan, you can't go anywhere. So, but it
[56:23] sounded really exciting. I mean, and of
[56:24] course, we need a way better. I just got
[56:26] through golfing the other day and
[56:27] there's so much wasted water. And
[56:28] they're they're going out in there and
[56:30] they're hitting the ground. I mean,
[56:31] they're just the the new sprinkler
[56:33] systems, I mean, they seem ridiculous,
[56:35] but they will only water exactly what
[56:37] they're supposed to, exactly the amount
[56:39] of water. Um they had some ideas of
[56:41] reconfiguring the golf course so that
[56:44] you squish those back the like whole um
[56:49] uh 10, 11, and 12 or 10
[56:52] >> I know what you mean.
[56:53] >> Yeah, the the side that's the closest to
[56:55] the four-way stop where the and and
[56:57] bring them in closer and that leaves a
[56:59] bigger area of land to lease out for to
[57:01] build on.
[57:02] >> And if they build out there, that all
[57:04] that money would go right back into
[57:05] could go back into the city or the golf
[57:07] course, you
[57:08] >> Yeah. The um I feel like San Juan County
[57:11] has a golf uh been to meetings that
[57:13] their golf club and it's very nice and
[57:15] they use it for events and it is a model
[57:17] that we could look at, but we'll see
[57:19] what this report says. But it's not
[57:20] really our problem. It's the port we pay
[57:22] for that. Okay, but we should get this
[57:23] motion on the
[57:24] >> So, Ashley, this is what I've got for
[57:25] you.
[57:26] Uh I move to approve the reporting and
[57:27] disbursement of RCG funds acknowledging
[57:29] that that narratives will be added to
[57:31] the reporting before being submitted and
[57:33] final and a final payment will be made
[57:35] to the golf course when the master plan
[57:37] is complete. Does that sound
[57:38] >> that sounds
[57:39] >> Does that work for you?
[57:40] Does anyone have a second?
[57:42] I'll second that motion.
[57:43] >> Second.
[57:44] >> Thank you.
[57:45] All right, so we have a motion and it's
[57:47] been seconded. Any discussion of the
[57:49] motion? This is just discussion of the
[57:51] motion to approve the reporting.
[57:53] >> Do we have to include this $17,000 in
[57:55] there?
[57:56] I'm just talking about the $17,000.
[57:58] >> Say that one more time.
[58:00] >> Like the leftover $17,000 that's just
[58:02] hanging out. Do we need to include that?
[58:05] >> Well, we spent it. We we gave it to the
[58:07] economic development office, so it's
[58:09] kind of taken care of. But you it was
[58:11] hanging out, but now it's committed.
[58:14] >> I think it's up to us as a board,
[58:17] um, whether we'd want to take action on
[58:19] that, make a recommendation on that,
[58:21] make a recommendation that it's used
[58:22] differently,
[58:24] whatever.
[58:25] Um, or it sounds like
[58:27] from the perspective of the state and
[58:30] the commission or at least our
[58:31] commission liaison, we could also choose
[58:33] to just do nothing on it and let it just
[58:35] happen the way it's happening right now.
[58:38] >> Well, in the motion, my intention was to
[58:41] accept the report as it is now, which
[58:43] has the $17,000 in there giving to the
[58:45] economic development authority. So, we'd
[58:47] have to start over on the motion if
[58:49] we're going to treat that $17,000
[58:51] differently, but I mean, we
[58:54] I don't know why we would
[58:56] um,
[58:57] I mean, the commission
[59:00] I I got the feeling they wanted us to
[59:02] use it for that and we didn't have
[59:04] something better to use it for, so it
[59:05] makes sense to just
[59:07] do it. Unless people want to
[59:10] I mean, it's not that much money.
[59:12] >> Yeah, what do you what do you think?
[59:13] >> Yeah. Oh, I was just asking.
[59:15] >> Yeah.
[59:16] >> Cuz I don't know, but it just I mean, it
[59:18] just kind of seems like
[59:20] when we were having the conversation
[59:23] earlier about
[59:25] you know, even thinking of the small
[59:26] business department and there was this
[59:29] leftover money that wasn't spent and
[59:31] things like that. So, just kind of
[59:33] months in the future coming back and
[59:35] saying, "Well, hey, there was this 17.
[59:38] What happened to it? Do we need to say
[59:41] explicitly this is what happened to it?"
[59:44] Cuz right now we're not doing that.
[59:46] >> I think we are.
[59:47] >> happened to it.
[59:48] >> we are.
[59:48] >> Unless we say something else, I think.
[59:50] >> Yeah.
[59:50] >> I think I mean
[59:51] You don't have to make a note of that. I
[59:53] don't know.
[59:53] >> I I mean, I can't really read it but I
[59:55] can't from here but I'm pretty sure that
[59:56] that's what that's what it says is we
[59:59] are giving it to the transfer
[1:00:01] transitioning post audit from the
[1:00:03] Dismantling Economic Development
[1:00:04] Department of Function. So, all of that
[1:00:06] is building That's what the commission
[1:00:09] wants to do with this money in to they
[1:00:12] want to use it to fund the economic
[1:00:13] development department. Which is
[1:00:15] staffing this committee. So, we might as
[1:00:18] well support that cuz we less work for
[1:00:20] us.
[1:00:21] >> Yeah, or else I mean, basically all the
[1:00:23] reporting that you just did on that of
[1:00:24] the hours report what that money's going
[1:00:26] into. Or else we would have been doing
[1:00:28] that Well, you guys would all been doing
[1:00:29] that as a board.
[1:00:30] >> Yeah, and we did a lot of that before
[1:00:33] and I think we're done with it. Like we
[1:00:34] when we were doing these grants, we had
[1:00:36] to read all the grants and track them
[1:00:38] and it was crazy and
[1:00:39] um Melissa was a volunteer at that point
[1:00:42] and she was running that system. So,
[1:00:45] it uh I feel like this is a good use of
[1:00:48] that funds for the for the moment. I
[1:00:50] mean,
[1:00:51] um
[1:00:53] and we should and I just really want to
[1:00:54] put this whole grant cycle behind us so
[1:00:56] that we can talk about the future.
[1:00:58] >> Amy, you are not the only one.
[1:01:00] >> Right, So, all right. So, I'm going to say
[1:01:03] there's a motion on the floor. We have a
[1:01:05] second, right?
[1:01:06] >> Yeah.
[1:01:06] >> Are you Okay, let's go for a vote then.
[1:01:08] On the motion, everyone in favor say
[1:01:10] aye. Approved by the board of directors.
[1:01:12] And that's unanimous among those who are
[1:01:15] here.
[1:01:16] All voting members. Great.
[1:01:18] Approved.
[1:01:19] Thank you.
[1:01:19] >> thing I would love to ask just because
[1:01:22] Corey, you're here and I'm really sorry
[1:01:24] I'm not picking on you.
[1:01:26] I want to send out a survey and share
[1:01:29] the results with this group about how if
[1:01:31] the process was too cumbersome.
[1:01:34] Having gone through it, did you feel
[1:01:36] like it was
[1:01:38] too much, too little? Is there something
[1:01:40] that you would change? Is there
[1:01:41] something that you felt like, "Listen,
[1:01:43] that was not cool."?
[1:01:46] >> Uh the reporting the reporting process
[1:01:49] uh for me was great. Um I have also gone
[1:01:52] through many federal grant reporting
[1:01:55] processes and
[1:01:57] um
[1:01:58] private grant
[1:02:01] as well. Um
[1:02:03] so
[1:02:04] I I don't know how great it was.
[1:02:07] I had a good experience comparatively.
[1:02:10] Um
[1:02:11] I would be interested to hear the
[1:02:13] feedback from people that aren't as
[1:02:15] familiar with the grant writing process,
[1:02:17] but for me I thought it was
[1:02:19] great. It was like I knew the amount.
[1:02:22] Um
[1:02:23] I
[1:02:25] was able to I had receipts to submit.
[1:02:28] You made a
[1:02:29] I thought it was great and I loved the
[1:02:30] way that you displayed that.
[1:02:33] Um
[1:02:34] as far as the amount that we requested
[1:02:36] versus the amount that we received.
[1:02:39] Uh that's a pretty cool
[1:02:41] >> [laughter]
[1:02:42] >> Sure. Okay, [clears throat] we'll send
[1:02:43] out a survey and I'll send you guys the
[1:02:45] >> mean that's super Yeah, but also like
[1:02:47] even just like the the results So I was
[1:02:50] concerned when you talked about
[1:02:51] switching it to a reimbursement program
[1:02:53] that that was a lot to ask of people. I
[1:02:55] think the numbers speak for themselves.
[1:02:57] You just burst the money. Like they did
[1:03:00] it. All these grantees, we have of
[1:03:02] various types of organizations, they
[1:03:04] figured it out. They got receipts. They
[1:03:06] did a project. Like we spent the money.
[1:03:08] Like it it worked. So that's awesome. I
[1:03:10] mean I think it proved it a feasible way
[1:03:13] to do it and we now, as a result of the
[1:03:16] way you structured it as a reimbursement
[1:03:17] program, have a full accounting for
[1:03:19] every dollar spent. So, that's Those are huge huge accomplishments.
[1:03:24] >> Yeah, we had people use the advance and
[1:03:25] we tested that also because the golf
[1:03:28] course, instead of going the
[1:03:29] reimbursement, they
[1:03:31] filled out to have the invoices paid.
[1:03:35] And that worked out well, too. And we're
[1:03:37] still
[1:03:38] >> That's a great way to do it.
[1:03:39] >> Yeah.
[1:03:39] >> Okay, are we moving on to the next grant
[1:03:41] cycle officially?
[1:03:43] >> I think
[1:03:44] >> Um yeah, we're ready to. So, but that
[1:03:47] So, this next grant cycle though is the
[1:03:49] one for this year, which is the one that
[1:03:52] has supported already
[1:03:55] the contractor for the airport to
[1:03:58] negotiate there
[1:04:00] um some salary for Melissa and having an
[1:04:04] economic development department.
[1:04:06] And there is you know, so that adds up
[1:04:10] to around 100,000 of the 200,000. And it
[1:04:14] was budgeted by the county commission
[1:04:17] for the other for the remainder of it to
[1:04:18] also go to economic development internal
[1:04:22] county use of economic development
[1:04:24] funds. There's
[1:04:26] >> And that's their prerogative and we
[1:04:27] don't have to do anything because they
[1:04:29] didn't ask us to.
[1:04:30] >> Well, it's sort of an interesting point
[1:04:31] here where that we're at. I mean, I
[1:04:33] think that
[1:04:35] they're still within statute the sort of
[1:04:37] like job that we're supposed to do of
[1:04:39] making a recommendation. Um so, I
[1:04:43] obviously what we recommend or don't
[1:04:46] recommend won't have an impact on the
[1:04:49] budget because that was approved by the
[1:04:50] commission, right? But we still have the
[1:04:52] opportunity and maybe responsibility to
[1:04:55] make some sort of a recommendation
[1:04:57] there.
[1:04:57] I think there's like two things to
[1:04:59] consider here. One is
[1:05:01] there's another $100,000. Maybe Melissa
[1:05:03] can give us an update on what the plan
[1:05:05] is with that.
[1:05:07] And then separate from that, we can talk
[1:05:10] about if there's anything else that we
[1:05:11] want to include in any recommendation or
[1:05:14] whether we don't want to make a
[1:05:15] recommendation or
[1:05:16] >> Well, my understanding of
[1:05:18] the state's
[1:05:21] description of how this works is they
[1:05:23] give the money to the county, the county
[1:05:24] decides whether what they want to do
[1:05:26] with it.
[1:05:27] And so, prior to this, the county said
[1:05:29] we want to do grants and they gave it to
[1:05:31] this committee and said, "Figure it
[1:05:33] out."
[1:05:34] When if they haven't said that,
[1:05:37] if they I don't think that we
[1:05:41] We're We're completely
[1:05:43] um
[1:05:44] I mean, the commission
[1:05:46] has to task us with stuff is my
[1:05:48] understanding.
[1:05:49] >> I don't think so, actually.
[1:05:51] My understanding of state statute is
[1:05:52] that it's the other way around. Like
[1:05:54] that we are responsible with making a
[1:05:57] recommendation and then the commission
[1:05:58] acts on that however they want to. With
[1:06:01] you know, they can take or leave
[1:06:02] anything from it. And that's what did
[1:06:05] not really happen
[1:06:06] >> No.
[1:06:06] >> that exactly that way this past year,
[1:06:09] you know? So, that's That's where I
[1:06:11] think there is
[1:06:11] >> Well, you guys did advise on these
[1:06:13] before the money was spent.
[1:06:15] >> We so far
[1:06:16] >> Right. Yeah.
[1:06:17] >> So far Well,
[1:06:18] >> So, technically you're still in
[1:06:20] compliance.
[1:06:20] >> Well, I mean, I don't want to I don't
[1:06:22] want to put us in non-compliance, but we advised on the contract for the
[1:06:28] airport before that money was spent.
[1:06:29] That's the extent.
[1:06:31] >> the only one that has been done so far.
[1:06:33] That's what she means by it's in
[1:06:34] compliance. Like this is for FY 2027.
[1:06:37] You haven't received this money yet.
[1:06:40] We haven't even applied for it.
[1:06:41] >> to reimburse the $50,000 that the county
[1:06:43] already spent.
[1:06:44] >> Correct.
[1:06:45] >> Yeah. Uh for It's for
[1:06:47] >> Fiscal year 2027.
[1:06:48] >> What is fiscal year 2027 run in the
[1:06:50] state of Utah?
[1:06:51] >> September October. No.
[1:06:53] July Is it July?
[1:06:56] Yeah.
[1:06:56] >> July should be
[1:06:56] >> Yeah.
[1:06:57] >> Okay. You're making
[1:06:59] this up.
[1:06:59] >> Their fiscal year is going to start and
[1:07:01] that's the money we have.
[1:07:02] >> We're ending We're just ending June
[1:07:03] 30th. We just ended this is cycle.
[1:07:05] >> So, June 30th is the end of all the
[1:07:07] stuff you just talked about.
[1:07:08] >> So, July is when the next one is.
[1:07:10] >> It's our assistant director. So, so they
[1:07:12] will be reimbursing the golf course one.
[1:07:16] And then some other items.
[1:07:19] >> Oh, got you.
[1:07:22] » But yeah, so technically you are still
[1:07:24] in in compliance.
[1:07:26] >> Okay, I'm glad to hear that. The state
[1:07:28] feels that way. I would let you know.
[1:07:29] >> [laughter]
[1:07:30] >> Um I think there's still some space for
[1:07:32] discussion on on that, but
[1:07:35] >> So, yeah, here's her
[1:07:36] >> I'll put this Yeah, perfect.
[1:07:38] >> So, the way that I feel is it is the
[1:07:42] board's
[1:07:44] duty, obligation, whatever, to advise.
[1:07:47] And so, I wanted to make sure that I'm
[1:07:49] doing my homework and sharing with the
[1:07:51] board, here's what I would recommend.
[1:07:55] And then
[1:07:56] you guys do as a board whatever you feel
[1:07:58] like you need to do as a board.
[1:08:02] But before we do that, just because we
[1:08:04] have our commission liaison here, so I'm
[1:08:06] going to take advantage of that
[1:08:07] opportunity
[1:08:09] to have their ear so that they can take
[1:08:11] this back to the commission because I
[1:08:14] don't really understand where it is that
[1:08:17] we're sitting and what the intent is and
[1:08:19] what we want to do moving forward. So,
[1:08:21] my understanding of this without having
[1:08:22] any specific conversations with the
[1:08:24] commission
[1:08:26] is that we basically had an economic
[1:08:28] development department that was paid for
[1:08:30] out of economic development
[1:08:31] diversification funds.
[1:08:33] And after the audit, the one thing that
[1:08:36] I do know is that was completely gutted.
[1:08:39] And when I say gutted, I mean that there
[1:08:41] wasn't even $10 worth of budget. I have
[1:08:44] been buying my own software or licensing
[1:08:47] my own things or like I wanted to go to
[1:08:49] Utah One Summit, so I paid for that
[1:08:51] myself and then we got some grant money
[1:08:53] from CERTO or whatever.
[1:08:55] There's just no budget for an economic
[1:08:57] development department. So, it's my
[1:08:59] understanding that we want to be able to
[1:09:01] build that, we want to build that
[1:09:03] capacity, and that this is sort of like
[1:09:05] a recovery year. So, we use the budget,
[1:09:09] we pay for
[1:09:11] some staff
[1:09:12] from the RCG funds this year, and this
[1:09:15] is what we have absolutely no clarity
[1:09:17] on.
[1:09:18] My assumption would be is that once we
[1:09:20] build that capacity, or we begin to
[1:09:22] build that capacity in that department,
[1:09:24] that at some point
[1:09:25] we wouldn't use RCG funds for that. We
[1:09:28] may just say, "Hey, this is how we
[1:09:31] fund economic development." But, I don't
[1:09:34] know, and I think that that's something
[1:09:35] for the commission to be able to talk
[1:09:37] about and say, "What is our plan long
[1:09:39] term for economic development? Is it
[1:09:41] important to us? Do we feel like this is
[1:09:43] a function that we want to invest in? Or
[1:09:46] do we kind of feel like it works just
[1:09:48] fine to have it run with the RCG funds,
[1:09:50] and other counties do that, and that's
[1:09:52] how we want to do it moving forward?"
[1:09:54] So, as I was looking at putting together
[1:09:56] the plan or the proposal
[1:09:58] without having that context, I'll just
[1:10:01] say that that's kind of my assumption is
[1:10:03] we're not really sure yet, so we're
[1:10:04] going to do it this year.
[1:10:06] And the intention is we want to decide
[1:10:08] as a commission what our long-term
[1:10:09] strategy is, how important do we think
[1:10:11] it is, and how we feel like we need to
[1:10:13] invest in that, or if we do think that
[1:10:14] it's a long-term RCG
[1:10:17] funding solution.
[1:10:19] So, not knowing that, I've crafted it
[1:10:22] all as capacity building.
[1:10:24] So, I wanted to use the same form
[1:10:27] that we have to use for reporting, cuz I
[1:10:29] don't want to keep duplicating efforts.
[1:10:31] Man, there's a lot of people work. So,
[1:10:32] I'm trying to streamline it down and
[1:10:34] make it as easy as possible for this to
[1:10:36] be passed along to someone else.
[1:10:39] So, using that same format, the way that
[1:10:41] I've outlined it is we've already got
[1:10:43] the vote on the Canyonlands Field
[1:10:44] Airport of the $50,000.
[1:10:47] I did verify with them, Chris, that they
[1:10:51] have used all of the 50, and they will
[1:10:53] also use more than that. My assumption
[1:10:56] is out of the airport budget. Because
[1:10:59] now what the contractor is doing is
[1:11:01] they're helping define terms. So,
[1:11:03] they've pulled every contract that
[1:11:06] SkyWest currently has with small
[1:11:07] airports. They're reading all of the
[1:11:10] fine print, everything that they have
[1:11:12] given to other airports, and they want
[1:11:14] to make sure that we are getting the
[1:11:15] best deal possible including, "Here's
[1:11:18] how many local people that we want you
[1:11:19] to hire. Here's what we consider to be a
[1:11:21] living wage. Here's what we need to
[1:11:23] understand about affordable housing in
[1:11:25] Grand County."
[1:11:27] And they're doing that on their own, but
[1:11:29] it's my understanding that that's above
[1:11:31] and beyond and will be coming from a
[1:11:32] different budget. We haven't been asked
[1:11:36] for any budget or funding, so I didn't
[1:11:38] accommodate for that.
[1:11:39] And then if you go down to the county
[1:11:42] use,
[1:11:44] the commission had said during the
[1:11:45] budgeting process last year that they
[1:11:47] wanted to use $60,000 for development
[1:11:50] staff, so I captured that.
[1:11:52] Conference, workshops, and training,
[1:11:55] which I've kind of gotten a list from Go
[1:11:56] Ed about what they recommend, what they
[1:11:59] think that would be helpful, and I've
[1:12:01] accommodated for that in the budget.
[1:12:03] And then memberships and partnerships, I
[1:12:06] have it $30,000.
[1:12:08] The reason why I have it at $30,000 is
[1:12:09] we still don't have an exact
[1:12:11] number from EDC Utah, but for what we
[1:12:15] need, they had said, "Oh, between 20 and
[1:12:18] $30,000."
[1:12:19] So, I'm like, "Okay." We don't know what
[1:12:21] that is exactly. Can you go into what
[1:12:23] EDC Utah does? Yes. So, EDC Utah has
[1:12:27] been contracted by uh Go Ed
[1:12:30] to offer a certain specific suite of
[1:12:32] services. Most of them are around and
[1:12:34] Devereaux would know a lot more about
[1:12:35] this than I would, but around the idea
[1:12:38] of attraction, retention, expansion
[1:12:42] of workforce. So, us being able to say,
[1:12:44] "Here's our strategy. Here's what we
[1:12:46] need you to do for us." And then they
[1:12:48] would go out and their job is to bring
[1:12:51] those folks in. So, we have neglected
[1:12:54] our membership. We're supposed to be
[1:12:55] paying a baseline membership and we
[1:12:57] neglected that. So, our county profile
[1:13:00] at the state level is about 5 years out
[1:13:02] of date right now and hasn't been
[1:13:04] updated. So, they've got some cleanup
[1:13:07] work to do for us and then we've got
[1:13:09] some things that we really need for them
[1:13:10] to do for us moving forward.
[1:13:13] So, I've captured that membership in
[1:13:15] there
[1:13:16] and then
[1:13:18] county profile development positioning
[1:13:20] and marketing and budgeted at $10,000.
[1:13:24] So,
[1:13:25] those are things like the pieces that
[1:13:28] we'll use for attraction, recruitment,
[1:13:31] website stuff. One of the big things
[1:13:34] that would go under this category for me
[1:13:36] is I believe that as a county we're in
[1:13:37] desperate need of a dashboard
[1:13:40] to be able to help us track some really
[1:13:41] key statistics that we're not really
[1:13:43] actively paying attention to right now
[1:13:45] to our detriment, I believe. So, things
[1:13:48] like for example,
[1:13:50] uh we have a divergence of tourism jobs.
[1:13:54] So, we're getting more and more tourism
[1:13:56] jobs and we're building in that category
[1:13:58] and unfortunately, those jobs are paying
[1:14:00] less and less. So, over the last 5
[1:14:02] years, if you look at those statistics,
[1:14:04] what you'll see is you'll see an
[1:14:05] increase in jobs, which is nice, except
[1:14:08] that they are consistently becoming more
[1:14:10] low paying. It's not really a great
[1:14:12] thing. There are other things from an
[1:14:14] economic mobility standpoint that are
[1:14:16] not good news for us as a county in
[1:14:19] terms of what are your outcomes look for
[1:14:22] jobs if you are born within the county
[1:14:26] and those statistics right now for us
[1:14:28] are getting fairly abysmal. So, being
[1:14:30] able to look at those things and say
[1:14:32] where we really trying to focus and
[1:14:34] where are we moving the needle, those
[1:14:36] are some of the things that we need.
[1:14:38] And then I've got reporting, studies,
[1:14:41] and profiles and I have that at $10,000.
[1:14:45] So, for example, we know that we've got
[1:14:47] a huge sales tax leakage challenge in a
[1:14:50] bunch of different areas.
[1:14:52] We don't have any budget available to be
[1:14:54] able to get those standard reports. So,
[1:14:57] I've got that in there.
[1:14:59] And then, matching funds for non-go-ed
[1:15:02] economic development projects grants,
[1:15:04] I've got that at 30,000. And what I
[1:15:06] talked to Deborah about is I'm calling
[1:15:08] this seed capital. So, there are several
[1:15:11] grants that I want to go after for some
[1:15:13] economic development projects, but we
[1:15:15] just don't have matching budget
[1:15:16] available at the county level.
[1:15:18] So, if for example, we're applying for
[1:15:20] $400,000 economic mobility grant that
[1:15:24] requires the county to have a match, the
[1:15:26] county doesn't have budget in the 2027
[1:15:28] budget to be able to do that matching.
[1:15:33] So, that's kind of like the high-level.
[1:15:36] Dive in.
[1:15:37] >> [snorts]
[1:15:38] >> So, just to be clear, you're proposing
[1:15:41] this budget, and what year is this for?
[1:15:44] >> It's the fiscal 2027.
[1:15:46] >> Which starts
[1:15:47] >> Starting next month.
[1:15:48] >> As soon as she submits her reporting,
[1:15:50] the new application [clears throat] will
[1:15:51] generate.
[1:15:54] » The new application for the grant.
[1:15:56] >> For this one, yeah.
[1:15:57] >> And so, this we would be using all the
[1:16:01] 150 that we would have got that
[1:16:05] Which grant is it? Sorry.
[1:16:07] >> It's the RCG.
[1:16:08] >> RCG. So, we would use our full RCG grant
[1:16:12] again next year.
[1:16:13] >> Not again. This is the time that the
[1:16:16] county budgeted for.
[1:16:17] This is that year that the commission
[1:16:18] budgeted for last year.
[1:16:20] >> Got it. So, this is the time we knew we
[1:16:22] were going to do this, and now this is
[1:16:24] the budget that we're going to that we
[1:16:26] would do.
[1:16:28] Um
[1:16:29] and
[1:16:30] you need us to recommend this?
[1:16:35] I mean, do we officially have a say, or
[1:16:37] do we have a responsibility here?
[1:16:39] >> I mean, we have a responsibility to
[1:16:43] advise the county legislative body on
[1:16:45] what projects should be funded by grant
[1:16:47] money provided to a rural county.
[1:16:49] So, yes, at a general level, yes, we
[1:16:53] have an advisory duty.
[1:16:57] >> Okay. Do we have anything else?
[1:16:59] >> don't think how we exercise that. Like
[1:17:01] there's some, you know, I mean there's
[1:17:03] not It doesn't say specifically in here
[1:17:05] that has to look a certain way, but it exists as a general consultant.
[1:17:10] >> Okay. And so you do this this if if we
[1:17:14] do nothing, this would get submitted
[1:17:16] because it would come from the county.
[1:17:18] >> No.
[1:17:19] >> So, you would In order to get this
[1:17:20] money, we have to do this.
[1:17:22] >> You have to advise. You have to say,
[1:17:24] "Melissa, I don't agree with this." or
[1:17:26] "Melissa, I love this. This is why I
[1:17:28] don't agree with it. This is what I
[1:17:30] would propose instead."
[1:17:32] >> Got it.
[1:17:33] >> advise.
[1:17:33] >> Okay. Uh
[1:17:35] I have concerns over studying
[1:17:37] socio-economic data
[1:17:40] from this uh
[1:17:42] at
[1:17:43] with this budget and at this level. I
[1:17:46] think that there are a lot of other
[1:17:48] things that we could be doing that would
[1:17:51] make a difference in our county's
[1:17:53] economy.
[1:17:55] Uh
[1:17:55] I think
[1:17:57] you know, there's a lot of that data out
[1:17:59] there.
[1:18:00] Uh
[1:18:01] Headwaters has access to all kinds of
[1:18:04] data that you can look at. I haven't
[1:18:05] looked specifically at the points that
[1:18:07] you just made, Melissa, if that's
[1:18:08] available, but I kind of think it is.
[1:18:10] So, I don't know
[1:18:12] um
[1:18:13] I mean
[1:18:15] our county's
[1:18:17] economy depends on visitation to the
[1:18:20] public lands.
[1:18:22] And if we want to improve things in our
[1:18:25] county, we have to acknowledge that, in
[1:18:28] my opinion. And if we aren't willing to
[1:18:30] acknowledge that, it's sort of
[1:18:33] rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic,
[1:18:35] in my opinion. [clears throat] Because
[1:18:37] if you're not looking at the main driver
[1:18:39] of where the money's coming from, it's
[1:18:42] hard to influence it to do a better job.
[1:18:45] Like if you're looking at how do we
[1:18:47] encourage higher salaries for the types
[1:18:49] of jobs we have, you have to really
[1:18:51] understand what those jobs are. And we
[1:18:55] are not anywhere USA, our data is going
[1:18:58] to look different from the rest of the
[1:19:00] state. And yes, we want to improve it,
[1:19:03] but we can't just keep saying these jobs
[1:19:06] are no good. Let's keep pointing out how
[1:19:07] bad these jobs are without
[1:19:11] suggesting a way to make those jobs
[1:19:12] better. But if you do all that in a
[1:19:14] vacuum where you're not discussing why
[1:19:18] people are bringing their credit cards
[1:19:20] to Greene County,
[1:19:22] I think you're kind of I just think
[1:19:24] you're it's going to be hard to be
[1:19:25] effective without acknowledging what
[1:19:29] drives our economy. So I have some
[1:19:31] concerns about that. Um
[1:19:34] I mean, yeah, I think we should do some
[1:19:35] studies and we should do some
[1:19:37] conferences and
[1:19:40] we should look at reports, but I don't
[1:19:42] think I don't know um
[1:19:45] it's hard to say
[1:19:46] without seeing the specific study
[1:19:48] proposal if this is
[1:19:52] a great way to spend the money. I just I
[1:19:55] don't think it's enough information.
[1:19:57] >> Well, you in your position, you know,
[1:19:58] you have because you're on the board and
[1:20:00] because you have voice up the board,
[1:20:02] right? You have the opportunity to bring
[1:20:05] studies forward to this group and to
[1:20:07] Melissa. You know, like if you have
[1:20:09] specific studies on topics that you
[1:20:11] think are important. You know, that's
[1:20:13] why I'm here is to like cheerlead you
[1:20:14] all. So like you guys are the ones who
[1:20:16] were chosen to be on this board, you
[1:20:18] know, like let's hear it. You know, what
[1:20:21] studies do you want? You know?
[1:20:23] >> Well
[1:20:24] um
[1:20:25] You know, I I think you have to have a
[1:20:27] plan,
[1:20:28] right? And I I think you're trying Are
[1:20:30] you trying to say like I need a staff
[1:20:33] and a budget
[1:20:34] to build this department.
[1:20:36] And then
[1:20:37] but like we've had like we kind of had
[1:20:40] that
[1:20:41] trail to tomorrow, right? Did that ever
[1:20:43] get adopted? No.
[1:20:45] We've spent a lot money on that plan.
[1:20:47] And it's like, okay, there's a plan.
[1:20:52] Do like do you like work on that plan or
[1:20:55] you suggesting we come up with
[1:20:58] another plan?
[1:21:00] Is
[1:21:01] like I'm trying to see how you're like
[1:21:03] 60,000 bucks. Are you going to have
[1:21:04] somebody
[1:21:05] like that's for an assistant?
[1:21:07] >> That's your pay.
[1:21:09] Okay. Okay. So we need somebody in that
[1:21:12] chair and you're going to be
[1:21:15] doing
[1:21:17] what?
[1:21:18] >> So we've got a plan and we've been
[1:21:21] working the plan.
[1:21:22] >> She doesn't work at all. No, no, no.
[1:21:23] >> [laughter]
[1:21:23] >> I I
[1:21:24] No, you're always doing this. So what
[1:21:26] plan is it? Like do we have a thing
[1:21:29] adopted into the general plan or
[1:21:31] >> We're working on the general plan
[1:21:32] adoption.
[1:21:34] We're working on about six key
[1:21:36] initiatives
[1:21:38] that are really really beefy with some
[1:21:40] giant heavy lifting.
[1:21:42] And so basically this budget is in
[1:21:45] support of that plan.
[1:21:47] >> So So you guys are making an amendment
[1:21:50] to the like going to be making an
[1:21:52] amendment to the general plan. Okay. And
[1:21:54] then like is that all internal or you
[1:21:56] guys but like where you'd be like Okay, we need
[1:22:00] an economic study to know median pay or
[1:22:03] something for example. We could be proud
[1:22:06] of those. So I need that study.
[1:22:09] 5,000 bucks. Is that kind of the idea?
[1:22:12] Okay.
[1:22:13] >> Yep.
[1:22:13] >> So
[1:22:14] is it common that
[1:22:17] you know, is it common to pay your
[1:22:20] economic director out of
[1:22:22] >> A lot of counties do.
[1:22:23] >> Do they? Okay.
[1:22:24] >> Yeah, and that's why we needed to be
[1:22:25] more direct in what we require, hence
[1:22:29] >> the memo.
[1:22:29] >> Yeah. Okay. I'm starting to get
[1:22:32] >> Yeah.
[1:22:32] >> all the dots.
[1:22:33] >> Yeah. Cuz some counties outsource their
[1:22:35] economic development directors to
[1:22:37] private organizations or a consultant.
[1:22:40] So then that consultant has like five
[1:22:42] counties. And they're getting paid from
[1:22:44] RCG funds from all of that counties.
[1:22:47] Many ways to do this.
[1:22:48] >> Right.
[1:22:50] So by So by generating
[1:22:53] a plan internally
[1:22:57] Okay. I'm
[1:22:58] just trying to fit fit those out. Are we
[1:23:01] going to be like
[1:23:05] Well, I guess we're not privy to that
[1:23:07] process then.
[1:23:08] >> Well, that's the problem.
[1:23:09] >> Right. Well, I'm just saying like
[1:23:11] >> You You are
[1:23:12] >> We covered it. Like we've
[1:23:14] >> I think they're referring to the
[1:23:15] PowerPoint that we
[1:23:18] got had presented to us at the beginning
[1:23:20] of the year.
[1:23:21] All right.
[1:23:22] That's what she's referring to as the
[1:23:23] plan.
[1:23:23] >> Okay. So it's just county generated
[1:23:26] in-house.
[1:23:27] County going up with that. Okay.
[1:23:30] The
[1:23:32] I just think on certain things like
[1:23:33] we've we've you know, the county spent
[1:23:35] money on plans.
[1:23:37] And
[1:23:39] you know
[1:23:40] That That's kind of my thing is like
[1:23:42] okay, like is that a redundancy or
[1:23:46] uh
[1:23:48] That'd be my only concern. I'm not sure.
[1:23:50] Okay. We need to build this department
[1:23:52] up from the ground level. But I just
[1:23:54] understand that the general plan is
[1:23:55] moving forward. I see. I understand.
[1:23:58] >> Sorry.
[1:23:59] >> I mean
[1:24:00] well, sorry. Go ahead. I have a question
[1:24:02] cuz I feel a little off. So the last
[1:24:04] time we met a few months back and we
[1:24:07] were talking about, you know, do we
[1:24:09] bring in Spanish Trail, you know, do we
[1:24:10] bring out these outside sources? Are we
[1:24:12] just asking Louisa to bring us projects
[1:24:15] to vote on?
[1:24:16] Is that this pool of money or
[1:24:18] >> No, that's RCOG. That's the
[1:24:20] >> So that's completely separate.
[1:24:21] >> That's the next conversation.
[1:24:22] >> Yeah, it's that's due at a later time.
[1:24:24] This is the first recommendation is RCG
[1:24:27] money and then the second second one
[1:24:29] that opens up is the RCOG.
[1:24:31] >> Which is the up to 600,000?
[1:24:31] >> Which is the and it's a competitive
[1:24:33] grant that goes to the state and gets
[1:24:35] decided on and yes, up to 600,000.
[1:24:37] >> This is guaranteed 200,000.
[1:24:40] >> 200,000 just goes basically they open up
[1:24:42] an application and the county gets it as
[1:24:45] long as they do the reporting every year
[1:24:46] and and gets it. So, last year that is
[1:24:48] just ended on June
[1:24:50] this year that is just ending on June
[1:24:52] 30th, 2026 with all these subgrants. And
[1:24:54] so, now we completed we went through
[1:24:56] that process last year, completed them
[1:24:58] all um you know, funded them all and
[1:25:01] have all the paperwork on them and so,
[1:25:03] now that new grant applications going to
[1:25:05] go into the state and to come back to
[1:25:07] the county the 200,000 dollars. And this
[1:25:10] is the plan for the 200,000 dollars. At
[1:25:13] budget season, which our our our Grant
[1:25:16] County budget goes from January 1 to
[1:25:19] December 31, so it's a little little
[1:25:20] different. Um when we hired Melissa in
[1:25:23] 2025,
[1:25:25] we didn't have any money for economic
[1:25:27] development, so we actually hired her
[1:25:29] outside of budget cuz there was no
[1:25:31] economic development no economic plan,
[1:25:33] hired her out of budget.
[1:25:35] 2026
[1:25:37] county budget was very
[1:25:40] rough budgeting season. We were like
[1:25:42] negative 2 million dollars pulling out
[1:25:44] of our
[1:25:45] general plan and so, we had to cut cut cut. So, a piece of that was to
[1:25:49] say, you know, let's go ahead and pay
[1:25:50] economic development out of
[1:25:53] um
[1:25:55] the department out of the RCG funds. So,
[1:25:58] they made that decision. A collective
[1:26:00] body all seven voted yes for that
[1:26:03] without
[1:26:04] >> budget?
[1:26:05] >> For the entire budget, yeah.
[1:26:06] >> there wasn't anything specific.
[1:26:07] >> Yeah, it wasn't anything specific.
[1:26:08] >> that money.
[1:26:09] >> yeah, we we definitely everyone knew
[1:26:11] that that was going to be there. Like
[1:26:12] the commission knew that that's what the
[1:26:13] money was going to be spent for. This
[1:26:16] board still has
[1:26:19] recommendations. They still get to They
[1:26:21] still have to recommend or or not. It
[1:26:23] still goes even if you guys want made a
[1:26:25] whole new plan and said, "You know what?
[1:26:27] We actually want to make a whole new
[1:26:28] plan. We have all these plans. We're
[1:26:29] going to do this." And then we're going
[1:26:31] to take it The commission The commission
[1:26:32] can vote and say, "No, we're going to do
[1:26:34] this plan."
[1:26:35] Or they can say, "We love your plan and
[1:26:36] we're going to do this plan." Or we can
[1:26:38] take pieces of it. So, it's not like
[1:26:40] it's just just not happening.
[1:26:42] The one piece I do want to state about public lands is that every single
[1:26:48] commission meeting and I have my out of
[1:26:50] meetings every single
[1:26:52] week is the people want diversity in
[1:26:55] this community. They do not want every
[1:26:56] single person that's coming here with
[1:26:57] their credit card to be here for public
[1:26:59] lands. They want diversity. I mean,
[1:27:01] that's all what I hear. Just like we had
[1:27:03] I mean, we need housing, we need
[1:27:04] diversity. We need housing, we need
[1:27:06] diversity. So, when we have plans and
[1:27:08] studies to try to figure out, you know,
[1:27:10] diversity of How do we expand our health
[1:27:13] care system? So, people want to come to
[1:27:14] Grand County. How do we expand our care
[1:27:17] center? How do we expand Those are the
[1:27:18] kind of things that this money's going
[1:27:20] to go for for economic development in
[1:27:22] Grand County that's not acknowledging
[1:27:24] public lands. Everybody knows that we
[1:27:26] have public lands. They come here. Do we
[1:27:27] want to protect our public lands? Yes,
[1:27:29] but this money shouldn't go to anything
[1:27:31] about public lands, in my opinion,
[1:27:34] because that's not what we're trying to
[1:27:36] do here. We're trying to expand economic
[1:27:38] development, not just keep on down this
[1:27:40] narrow path that we're on.
[1:27:43] >> So,
[1:27:44] um
[1:27:44] I have I have no problem with using the
[1:27:47] money to set up this economic
[1:27:48] development department and to pay a
[1:27:50] salary. I have no problem with that. And
[1:27:52] I'm not suggesting that we um
[1:27:57] I don't think the public lands path is
[1:27:59] narrow. I think it's huge.
[1:28:01] And I don't know uh
[1:28:04] you know, what you're going to do to
[1:28:06] diversify. Like, I don't I don't know
[1:28:09] how studying the discrepancy in income
[1:28:13] um or the changes in income are going to
[1:28:15] help us figure out how to diversify.
[1:28:17] It's just going to study and say, "Yeah,
[1:28:19] we have a problem. The salary's going
[1:28:21] down."
[1:28:22] So, it's not so much like
[1:28:25] the dichotomy that you present of it's
[1:28:27] either public lands and and it's
[1:28:29] visitors or it's diversified. I don't I
[1:28:32] think that's a false dichotomy,
[1:28:34] actually.
[1:28:34] >> Well, no, it's not a dichotomy. They are
[1:28:36] totally intertwined.
[1:28:37] >> Right. I just heard you say it's only
[1:28:39] public lands.
[1:28:39] >> No, I'm sorry. I want to say that
[1:28:40] there's a diverse, you know, with the
[1:28:42] economy.
[1:28:42] >> Absolutely. Absolutely. But, the problem
[1:28:44] is because
[1:28:46] if if this committee
[1:28:49] when we started working on
[1:28:51] thinking about how to optimize our
[1:28:53] visitation economy and improve our
[1:28:56] visitation economy
[1:28:58] we were kind of told, "You don't get to
[1:29:01] like
[1:29:02] that that's not going to be in the
[1:29:03] general plan." Like, when we were
[1:29:04] looking at the general plan and trying
[1:29:06] to figure out, "Well, how can we get the
[1:29:08] general plan to reflect more of the
[1:29:10] reality instead of be a general plan for
[1:29:13] anywhere, USA?"
[1:29:14] >> Moab, Utah has unique
[1:29:16] >> opportunities and challenges. And we we
[1:29:20] should definitely be addressing those
[1:29:22] and our economic development department
[1:29:24] should be getting in the weeds on these
[1:29:25] issues. So,
[1:29:27] >> So, we need an economic development
[1:29:29] department. We need to pay them. I'm I'm
[1:29:32] concerned about spending money on
[1:29:34] studies that I'm not really clear how
[1:29:37] they're going to help us move the
[1:29:38] needle.
[1:29:39] >> I mean, for me the
[1:29:40] >> I want to be really careful, though,
[1:29:42] just because I want to address the study
[1:29:44] thing just to keep those things
[1:29:45] separate.
[1:29:47] There are things that we want to be able
[1:29:50] to track because we need to measure
[1:29:52] those.
[1:29:53] >> Right? Sure.
[1:29:53] >> So, the things like you just said, those
[1:29:56] are available to us at no cost. I'm
[1:29:58] speaking the Harvard
[1:29:59] >> In-Plan, whatever.
[1:30:01] >> We've got those things. Right. So, what
[1:30:03] I'm talking about when I talk about
[1:30:04] that, just so that everyone's clear, is
[1:30:06] making sure that we're visibly tracking
[1:30:09] those. So, in our general plan
[1:30:10] currently, you guys may or may not be
[1:30:12] aware, I don't know, there are 120
[1:30:14] different metrics that we're required to
[1:30:16] track by that general plan, and we have
[1:30:19] tracked none of them.
[1:30:21] So, and the reason why we're not seeing
[1:30:23] anything move, and we're seeing every
[1:30:25] time that uh
[1:30:28] Robert Spinello comes and does his
[1:30:30] amazing things, or every time we pay
[1:30:32] $150,000
[1:30:34] for a plan,
[1:30:36] we're seeing the same thing. The
[1:30:38] demographic is getting older.
[1:30:40] The jobs are paying less. They're more
[1:30:43] wrapped up in this one area. We're not
[1:30:45] seeing enough of them here. So, it's not
[1:30:48] surprising to all of us. So, what I'm
[1:30:49] talking about doing, when I'm saying we
[1:30:51] need to measure these things, is that I
[1:30:53] want to make sure that we're looking at
[1:30:54] all of them. So, everything that we're
[1:30:56] trying, everything that we're testing,
[1:30:58] everything that we're doubling down on,
[1:30:59] we're making sure that we can track that
[1:31:01] and seeing over time, can we impact
[1:31:04] those trends? So, I want to be really
[1:31:05] clear about that. When I say purchasing
[1:31:07] studies, I'm not talking about something
[1:31:10] that we can get from Headwater or
[1:31:11] whatever. There's some basic things like
[1:31:12] sales tax leakage reports that we need
[1:31:15] to use for public private partnerships,
[1:31:17] and we need that investment data,
[1:31:19] especially when it comes to bonding,
[1:31:21] that are not free. We can't get those
[1:31:22] free.
[1:31:23] >> How do we pay to get them, then?
[1:31:25] >> Science Public Finance, or Cruzen
[1:31:27] Associates, or
[1:31:29] they, you know, we've got
[1:31:33] Sorry. What was that?
[1:31:34] >> Oh, no, no.
[1:31:35] >> Oh, sorry. Excuse me.
[1:31:36] >> I want to jump in with something, and
[1:31:37] then Aaron Scott has something to add,
[1:31:38] too. So, I think, I mean, for me, on
[1:31:40] that in response to the high-level
[1:31:41] stuff, I do I understand that we hear
[1:31:44] from residents a lot that
[1:31:45] diversification is what we need. I will
[1:31:48] just make like my own statement. To me,
[1:31:50] it's not about
[1:31:52] The ultimate goal is not
[1:31:54] diversification. The ultimate goal is
[1:31:56] the economic well-being of our
[1:31:58] residents, right? And I think we really
[1:31:59] need to as as a group like us, right? I
[1:32:02] mean, I understand that as a as a office
[1:32:04] holder response you know, to
[1:32:06] constituents like your job is a little
[1:32:07] different than ours maybe or than some
[1:32:09] of ours. But to me, that's our our goal.
[1:32:13] And we have to be really thoughtful and
[1:32:16] helpful in coming up with the best ways
[1:32:19] to get to that goal, which may include
[1:32:20] some diversification, right? And may
[1:32:22] include some tweaking of our visitation
[1:32:26] economy so that we can improve wages
[1:32:28] within it or something like that.
[1:32:31] And then we have this
[1:32:32] next layer of challenge, which is that
[1:32:34] we may only control like a small budget
[1:32:36] compared to the TRT budget, which might
[1:32:38] be more appropriate place to do some of
[1:32:39] that tweaking, right? So I I
[1:32:40] understanding that it's very like
[1:32:42] complex and everything like that. That to me I just want to say is like
[1:32:45] should be our ultimate goal. I also am
[1:32:48] totally on board with the idea that
[1:32:51] this year
[1:32:53] is about capacity building of a new
[1:32:54] department. I mean, I think it's
[1:32:56] something that's commission's already
[1:32:57] stated through the budget. Sounds like
[1:32:59] there's like some willingness around the
[1:33:01] table to to support that again.
[1:33:03] Um
[1:33:05] I guess a question that to
[1:33:08] sits next to that with me is is there
[1:33:10] then
[1:33:12] a desire
[1:33:14] among in the commission
[1:33:18] to give long-term stability to an
[1:33:21] economic development department. And I
[1:33:22] think Melissa was kind of asking that
[1:33:24] question she was talking to me because
[1:33:25] to me it's like
[1:33:27] how how we do this, how we spend the
[1:33:29] money now depends on whether there's
[1:33:31] money coming down the road to sustain
[1:33:33] something that we help build with this
[1:33:35] RCG funding here.
[1:33:36] >> Well, sales tax revenue is what what
[1:33:38] basically funds our community, you know,
[1:33:40] and so if our sales tax revenue goes up,
[1:33:43] then we have
[1:33:45] um the I mean, I would love to see three
[1:33:47] people in the department.
[1:33:49] >> Yeah.
[1:33:49] >> I would love to. I think that
[1:33:51] >> But can we just make sure there's one
[1:33:52] next year? I mean, that that's all I I
[1:33:54] mean, I I was serious like that's just
[1:33:56] >> her talking she's like this
[1:33:57] for somebody." And you know, it makes me
[1:34:00] feel really uncomfortable because, you
[1:34:01] know, it's like but which is great. We
[1:34:02] need to be duplicatable for people to
[1:34:04] replace us or whatever. But, yeah, I
[1:34:07] would like to see our economic
[1:34:08] development grow. And I do want it to
[1:34:10] include public lands and everything.
[1:34:12] But, you know, I want to it needs to be
[1:34:14] robust. We we haven't had There's been
[1:34:17] lots of changes in economic development
[1:34:18] in this community and it has been mainly
[1:34:21] down the road of tourism. And I think
[1:34:23] that there is there's a there's a way to
[1:34:26] continue the tourism. But, like you
[1:34:27] said, that's that big fat budget. They
[1:34:29] have a big budget. So,
[1:34:30] let them budget that and and, you know,
[1:34:33] and if you're interested in that, get on
[1:34:34] that board. And then this board has an
[1:34:37] effect an effect in a different way. And
[1:34:38] I think as Melissa walk moves through
[1:34:41] these this next year, she's going to
[1:34:42] come back with all those to you. It's
[1:34:44] not like she's going to be acting
[1:34:45] independently. She's going to come back
[1:34:47] and report or say, "Hey, I'm looking at
[1:34:49] these." Or it'd be really great if
[1:34:50] people came into meeting and said, "I
[1:34:52] would be really interested in this." Or
[1:34:54] just email her or Brittany or I.
[1:34:56] >> Yeah.
[1:34:57] >> And and say this would be super valuable
[1:34:59] information. You know, Melissa and I
[1:35:00] looked at the child to and I'm sorry I'm
[1:35:01] talking a lot today.
[1:35:03] I'm learning a lot. I'm learning a lot
[1:35:04] in the last year and a half. But, you
[1:35:06] know, I you know, we went through the
[1:35:07] child to tomorrow plan and I went over
[1:35:09] that a lot. Did you know, I I watched
[1:35:11] the meetings. I went to the meetings
[1:35:12] while it was being put together. I was
[1:35:15] one of the community input people and I
[1:35:16] was really excited to be about it. And
[1:35:18] now I'm a commissioner sitting where I'm
[1:35:20] at right now. It doesn't have a lot of
[1:35:21] value. Like when as I read it, I'm like,
[1:35:23] "This is exactly what we already know."
[1:35:25] all of these things. It
[1:35:27] doesn't give us a path forward. There's
[1:35:28] no path forward to it. It's like, "This
[1:35:30] is all the information that we all
[1:35:32] know." But, there's not like a it's not
[1:35:34] a plan.
[1:35:35] >> agree with
[1:35:36] that. I mean, we were trying to create a
[1:35:37] plan
[1:35:38] >> So, we knew that we knew it wasn't a
[1:35:40] plan and that's what we this board was
[1:35:41] trying to do is take that input into an
[1:35:44] action plan. Let me just say it one
[1:35:46] other way just for a second.
[1:35:48] I work in this field and I am looking at
[1:35:51] an RFP from Coconino County, which is
[1:35:53] Flagstaff, right? I see these other
[1:35:56] counties leaning in to their
[1:35:59] recreation economies, not just for
[1:36:01] tourism revenue, but for quality of life
[1:36:03] to attract business investment, okay?
[1:36:06] So, it's a it's a huge
[1:36:09] piece, and every county across the West
[1:36:12] is doing this right now. So, what
[1:36:14] worries me is when is when our
[1:36:17] leadership is like, "We don't need to do
[1:36:19] anything for tourism. It's fine. We
[1:36:22] don't need to fix it. We've got that. We
[1:36:24] really want to do something else, something else." And
[1:36:26] then I look at these other communities
[1:36:28] who are like really investing in this in
[1:36:31] their recreation assets and quality of
[1:36:34] life and these other pieces, and I worry
[1:36:36] that they're going to eat our lunch
[1:36:37] because we're so busy trying to
[1:36:39] diversify when I can tell you that the
[1:36:42] opportunities for like a
[1:36:45] uh
[1:36:47] what do they call it? Um
[1:36:49] light manufacturing or whatever you're
[1:36:51] thinking of as everyday anywhere USA
[1:36:54] jobs are not going to come to Moab. So,
[1:36:57] you can throw out that word, "We need to
[1:36:58] diversify." And any any citizen can say,
[1:37:01] "I don't like the visitor economy. I
[1:37:03] don't want to be part of that. I don't
[1:37:05] It's not It doesn't touch me. Whatever."
[1:37:07] It's like, "Great. How can we fix it so
[1:37:09] that it does help everyone?" And try to
[1:37:11] instead of trying to reinvent the wheel
[1:37:13] or attract something that's really going
[1:37:15] to be difficult to attract. So, that's
[1:37:17] what makes me nervous about it. Like, we
[1:37:19] have to And And yeah, Trails to Tomorrow
[1:37:22] just said a lot of things we knew, but
[1:37:25] the the point is other communities are
[1:37:27] taking that type of report, the Trails
[1:37:29] to Tomorrow report, and they are
[1:37:31] building a plan.
[1:37:32] And that plan involves all kinds of um
[1:37:36] investments in quality of life for for
[1:37:39] locals and tourism
[1:37:41] >> That's what we want.
[1:37:41] >> Well, those those things are happening
[1:37:43] all over the place.
[1:37:44] >> [laughter]
[1:37:44] >> But when we We told like, "No, you can't
[1:37:47] add the word public lands to the general
[1:37:49] plan and we don't want you to to do that
[1:37:51] work. It was kind of like, okay, well,
[1:37:54] what are we supposed to do? And then it
[1:37:56] was, do the grants, which we did. Which
[1:37:58] we did really well. I feel like we made
[1:38:00] that grant program really tight and
[1:38:02] mostly Melissa has done that. But I just
[1:38:05] so
[1:38:06] you know, if you need a motion to
[1:38:08] support this budget, okay. And but
[1:38:10] hopefully we can you can come back and
[1:38:12] tell us more details about when you're
[1:38:14] going to
[1:38:16] commission these reports and we can talk
[1:38:19] about what those are and what those
[1:38:21] mean. I mean
[1:38:22] um
[1:38:23] >> Let's go to Aaron.
[1:38:24] >> Yeah. So
[1:38:26] >> when we do these other grants that we
[1:38:27] just
[1:38:28] passed this past year, part of the thing
[1:38:30] was we looked for accountability. Right?
[1:38:32] We were like, hey, did you spend these
[1:38:35] receipts and all that? And there's a
[1:38:37] part of me that's like, basically we're
[1:38:39] going to give the county money and the
[1:38:41] county is going to have to be
[1:38:42] accountable
[1:38:43] for it. And whatever metric that is. And
[1:38:46] I think that part of that is that we
[1:38:49] review
[1:38:50] like this board is supposed to be
[1:38:52] responsible for reviewing those things.
[1:38:54] And I think it is the bridge to the
[1:38:55] public we can serve in that. Now, I know
[1:38:57] we
[1:38:58] advise our changed our bylaws so we only
[1:39:01] deal with the RCG and RCOG, but I really
[1:39:04] feel that like
[1:39:06] I would like to see if we're going to be
[1:39:08] spending the money
[1:39:10] like, okay, yeah, do it. I kind of would
[1:39:12] like to have a public process into that
[1:39:15] so [snorts] we're like
[1:39:16] yeah, we're we are developing this. We
[1:39:19] have these plans ideas. I just feel that
[1:39:22] like if we're if we're kind of behind
[1:39:24] that, we should be a part of that
[1:39:26] process of building that general plan
[1:39:30] those ideas, implementing it. And that's
[1:39:32] kind of how like I kind of feel that
[1:39:36] like that would be my wish on that.
[1:39:39] >> Absolutely.
[1:39:41] >> That's like we give input. You know,
[1:39:43] ultimately you guys have the decision,
[1:39:44] but I'm like, man, I I think it's a
[1:39:47] important economic development is so
[1:39:49] important that like
[1:39:51] there is a feedback mechanism between
[1:39:53] the public, which would be us,
[1:39:56] and and the county and the elected on
[1:39:58] that.
[1:40:00] >> Yep, that's why you guys are here to get
[1:40:02] feedback. I mean, that's what happens
[1:40:03] every single meeting. So, I think you're
[1:40:05] right on track. But, I mean, the general
[1:40:07] plan's not going to be put in this group. It's
[1:40:12] going to be outsourced. And it will have
[1:40:14] public feedback, but um I don't even
[1:40:16] know where we're get I mean, but it's
[1:40:17] moving along, but we the land use code
[1:40:19] obviously takes precedence over the
[1:40:21] general plan. I mean, they're all big
[1:40:22] projects, so it's not like it's just
[1:40:23] going to end just move along.
[1:40:26] >> wouldn't for a minute think that you
[1:40:27] guys would
[1:40:28] >> in planning and zoning and to
[1:40:29] >> What I don't want is something made in a
[1:40:31] vacuum without a lot of like public
[1:40:33] input. I think it's good
[1:40:35] >> plan has a legislative process that
[1:40:37] demands public hearing and input.
[1:40:38] >> I'm just talking about the general plan.
[1:40:39] I'm talking about like, "Hey, you know,
[1:40:41] we we're thinking about this this
[1:40:44] study." And And Ashley's like, "Oh,
[1:40:47] yeah, these guys do it already." Or
[1:40:49] something. There's my institutional
[1:40:50] knowledge. And you're like, "Yeah, look
[1:40:52] at that Trail to Tomorrow. You guys were
[1:40:53] already like, yeah, it didn't really do
[1:40:55] anything." I kind of missed that when I
[1:40:57] read the whole thing, but um yeah.
[1:40:59] >> No, it just it just it gave a lot of
[1:41:01] information. It gave a picture of what
[1:41:03] we have going on. It didn't It didn't
[1:41:05] dictate. It didn't translate that
[1:41:07] picture into a plan. It was a snapshot
[1:41:10] of what what is our status and what we
[1:41:13] have going on. And the question is, what
[1:41:14] are we going to do about it? What what
[1:41:16] are we going to invest in of that's
[1:41:18] going to make it better? Or which pieces
[1:41:20] are missing from it? And there's
[1:41:23] whatever. I mean,
[1:41:24] >> It's a process.
[1:41:25] >> What are we
[1:41:25] >> So, I
[1:41:26] >> What I mean in terms of sustainability
[1:41:28] for any institution is having that long
[1:41:30] time, you know, you we can be like,
[1:41:32] "Look, this has been always been feed
[1:41:34] Oh, there's a new commission. No one
[1:41:37] remembered what they were doing. I don't
[1:41:39] You know what I'm saying? I'm just kind
[1:41:40] of like
[1:41:41] >> If we're trying to build an institution,
[1:41:43] it helps to have
[1:41:44] >> No, public feedback is a part of how you
[1:41:46] build longevity to policy, right? If you
[1:41:48] don't include other stakeholder groups
[1:41:50] outside of government, policy flips and flips and flips with the
[1:41:53] policy makers. If you include other
[1:41:54] stakeholder groups, they provide
[1:41:56] momentum that continues on policies
[1:41:58] across administrations.
[1:41:59] >> Exactly. That's what I want with this.
[1:42:02] >> Um what my
[1:42:04] I mean, I was thinking about this in in
[1:42:06] a recommendation. I mean, I I would
[1:42:09] personally put forward a recommendation
[1:42:11] to support institution building this
[1:42:13] year, right? As we as has already been
[1:42:15] budgeted, and recognize that that's
[1:42:17] really important for Grand County at
[1:42:19] this time of transition from
[1:42:22] uh an economic development department
[1:42:24] that was wrapped up in the tourism
[1:42:26] promotion department to having a
[1:42:27] free-standing economic development
[1:42:28] department that does more than just
[1:42:31] tourism promotion. I think that's a
[1:42:33] really worthwhile thing to invest money
[1:42:35] in. Um
[1:42:36] I would also attach to that
[1:42:38] recommendation
[1:42:40] uh a recommendation for the county
[1:42:43] commission to
[1:42:46] not budget ahead of a recommendation
[1:42:50] from this
[1:42:51] commission. I would suggest to the
[1:42:52] county commission that we'll get better
[1:42:55] results with RCG in the future. I
[1:42:58] Recognizing that 2026 with is an outlier
[1:43:01] year in some ways, right? But that in
[1:43:03] the future
[1:43:05] the process should go from a
[1:43:07] recommendation from EAB then
[1:43:08] consideration by the commission and then
[1:43:10] whatever direction the commission wants
[1:43:12] to take. And that, you know, hope that
[1:43:14] we don't get in a cycle of
[1:43:16] the budget cycle
[1:43:19] taking control of RCG outside of the
[1:43:23] process of this committee. Or or if the
[1:43:25] budget cycle if it needs to go in there,
[1:43:27] then we need to be doing our work
[1:43:31] you know, a year ahead of time
[1:43:32] basically, so that it can then that
[1:43:34] we're the input to the budget cycle.
[1:43:35] But, whatever it is, like I think that
[1:43:38] this needs to be I think that this
[1:43:41] would be best for the community if this
[1:43:42] was an outlier year in terms of process.
[1:43:44] And I think it might be helpful for us.
[1:43:46] I don't know, I mean, obviously, I know
[1:43:48] that you understand the ins and outs of
[1:43:50] this. I don't know that every
[1:43:52] commissioner has thought about this in
[1:43:54] such detail. I believe that EAB links
[1:43:56] into the budget cycle, etc. And so, I'd
[1:43:58] like to
[1:43:59] you know, I think this is an opportunity
[1:44:01] we can take to have to make a statement
[1:44:02] to the rest of the commissioners
[1:44:04] >> That's when we start our budget process,
[1:44:06] you know. We start our budget process
[1:44:08] like in 2 months exactly for next year.
[1:44:10] So, you guys need to start thinking
[1:44:11] about what you would like to put forth.
[1:44:12] But, I think that that's great to I
[1:44:14] think that's I think that's a great
[1:44:16] recommendation to the commission to to
[1:44:19] sort of that way and that way it does
[1:44:20] give you guys time next year to figure
[1:44:23] out what you're doing with that RCG or
[1:44:25] actually gives a you know, you and
[1:44:27] Melissa working together the plans after
[1:44:29] you compile this information to go for
[1:44:31] what would be really beneficial to our
[1:44:33] community next year.
[1:44:34] >> Totally.
[1:44:35] >> You know, and just one more comment on
[1:44:36] the general plan. So, the general plan
[1:44:37] is all based on the fact that we signed
[1:44:39] a strategic plan and we have no
[1:44:41] strategic plan. So, you have this whole
[1:44:42] general plan that's written saying that
[1:44:44] we we have a strategic plan and we
[1:44:46] don't. Very it's very interesting. When
[1:44:48] you read that whole thing, you're just
[1:44:49] like, "Whoa." When she's telling me that
[1:44:50] we have 127 things that we're supposed
[1:44:52] to be reporting on and I read it and I'm
[1:44:54] just like
[1:44:55] "Holy crap." I mean, most people
[1:44:57] probably never read the general plan and
[1:44:58] don't know what's in there. And and
[1:45:01] it's going to take a lot to change it.
[1:45:03] It's not going to just take this board
[1:45:04] >> Oh, no, I'm not saying this board.
[1:45:06] >> that we're working on. But, but it is
[1:45:07] it's very interesting. So, I mean, I
[1:45:09] challenge you all to read it. It's such
[1:45:11] fun reading.
[1:45:12] Um
[1:45:13] >> So,
[1:45:13] >> plan
[1:45:14] >> I I just
[1:45:15] I guess what I'm getting at now, ladies,
[1:45:16] like I just feel like
[1:45:19] you know,
[1:45:20] there's a like something would be made
[1:45:23] like I'm not saying the general plan,
[1:45:25] but like I I don't know. I just feel
[1:45:27] >> I want
[1:45:27] >> a strategic plan.
[1:45:28] >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[1:45:28] >> I want a strategic plan. Yes, I do. That
[1:45:30] you know, that's what Maybe that would
[1:45:32] be something that we work on, but we can
[1:45:33] barely get through these meetings in 2
[1:45:34] hours and talk, you know, so
[1:45:36] >> We just canceled the last two meetings,
[1:45:38] so
[1:45:39] >> We didn't cancel two. So, maybe we don't
[1:45:40] cancel anymore. And you know, I mean, we
[1:45:42] mentioned that
[1:45:42] >> This board could make a draft strategic
[1:45:45] plan.
[1:45:46] >> Yeah. Well, maybe. I'm not so sure that
[1:45:47] we have the capacity to like without
[1:45:49] staff that be playing a huge role in
[1:45:51] that.
[1:45:52] >> Well, you can
[1:45:53] >> That would be
[1:45:54] We can do that.
[1:45:56] >> So, yes, I agree.
[1:45:58] >> You can make a general
[1:46:00] >> I just have a
[1:46:02] random questions as I've been listening.
[1:46:04] Um,
[1:46:04] cuz kind of on to your point, so
[1:46:06] thinking future and not saying wanting
[1:46:10] to do it for this one, but if we were to
[1:46:12] say like this is how we wanted to fund
[1:46:14] that budget knowing it goes into effect
[1:46:17] July 1st, like
[1:46:21] especially this year, what is the
[1:46:23] deadline for that?
[1:46:25] For saying this is how the money is
[1:46:26] going to be
[1:46:26] >> Well, this year the deadline for the
[1:46:27] application for RCG is the August 1st, I
[1:46:31] think. It's the end of our
[1:46:33] Wait, am I saying that right?
[1:46:35] Um, I had it up here. I have it right
[1:46:37] here. Um, opens July 1st, closes
[1:46:40] September 1st. So, that mean What that
[1:46:42] means that we have to work back a little
[1:46:43] bit from that because the commission
[1:46:45] needs to act on it
[1:46:46] before it can be submitted. And so, they
[1:46:49] need to take care of it in a meeting at
[1:46:51] some time in August. So,
[1:46:53] really our
[1:46:56] we if we want to make any recommendation
[1:46:58] that gets acted upon, it needs to come
[1:47:01] by our next meeting at the very latest,
[1:47:03] right? By our July meeting at the very
[1:47:05] latest.
[1:47:06] >> It has
[1:47:08] Maybe.
[1:47:08] >> You're saying is that Is that giving
[1:47:10] enough time even?
[1:47:11] >> No, because
[1:47:12] as we're backing it up,
[1:47:15] the close date is July 30th, yeah?
[1:47:18] And we have to
[1:47:19] >> September 1st. like 1st. Rural County
[1:47:22] grant closes September 1st.
[1:47:24] >> The application.
[1:47:26] We're putting it
[1:47:27] August 1st.
[1:47:28] >> I panicked for a minute because I was
[1:47:30] confusing the reporting with the date.
[1:47:32] >> Yeah, but the sooner you get it in, the
[1:47:33] sooner you get your money.
[1:47:34] >> Right, it's better for us to go early,
[1:47:36] of course, but but that is the deadline.
[1:47:39] >> So, it's
[1:47:41] it keeps coming back to we need a motion
[1:47:43] to support this budget.
[1:47:45] >> Well, I want to just say I'm not sure um
[1:47:48] I'm open to people's take on this, but
[1:47:50] this was set up I I think it should have
[1:47:52] been an action item. It was set up as a
[1:47:54] discussion item for this meeting.
[1:47:56] >> So, we should just
[1:47:56] >> I'm not sure. I think we really need to
[1:47:58] just wait till the next meeting to vote
[1:47:59] on it.
[1:48:00] needs to be set as an action item for
[1:48:02] next meeting.
[1:48:04] >> But, that won't cause any problems?
[1:48:05] >> Well, I think because the calendar is
[1:48:08] September 1st, I mean it's a little bit
[1:48:10] tightish, but it it's feasible.
[1:48:13] >> I mean, the least we can do is support
[1:48:14] the license problems.
[1:48:16] >> She needs a new stapler.
[1:48:18] >> [laughter]
[1:48:21] » She needs to go to the trainings I sent
[1:48:23] her that she needs to go to.
[1:48:26] >> All right.
[1:48:27] >> I mean, I think that
[1:48:28] the the reality is is that right now
[1:48:30] outside of the RCG, Melissa's operating
[1:48:33] a department with no budget. I mean,
[1:48:35] it's like we, you know, if we don't if
[1:48:37] we don't support her with this RCG
[1:48:39] funding for this year, then we're asking
[1:48:41] her to accomplish something without
[1:48:43] anything. That's very hard to do.
[1:48:45] >> I agree. So, okay, we're just going to
[1:48:47] Sorry, go ahead.
[1:48:49] >> I just want to say we'll reimburse you
[1:48:50] for what you've paid out of pocket.
[1:48:52] >> Yeah, but I really like what I'm doing.
[1:48:55] I love what I'm doing.
[1:48:56] >> And the thing is she's worth way more
[1:48:57] than what she's getting. For example,
[1:48:59] you know, like a dashboard. So, a
[1:49:01] dashboard's like $10,000. I mean, we the
[1:49:04] county gave the housing dash $10,000 to
[1:49:08] create a dashboard. Melissa created the
[1:49:10] dashboard. The housing
[1:49:12] still has the $10,000, but Melissa
[1:49:14] created it. So, you know,
[1:49:16] that's the thing is like
[1:49:18] the value that she has is way more than
[1:49:21] what we're paying her.
[1:49:22] >> Yeah.
[1:49:23] >> And what she's going to spend the money
[1:49:24] on is going to be valuable as well. And
[1:49:26] she's going to bring in portals to you
[1:49:27] guys. You're going to know what the
[1:49:28] money's being spent on. And it's not
[1:49:30] going to be on just generic reporting
[1:49:31] that is not valuable. You know,
[1:49:34] she's a she'll get the value out of it.
[1:49:36] Now, if we have somebody else in the
[1:49:37] position, that might not be the case.
[1:49:39] But right now, we have a really really
[1:49:41] amazing staff, and she can do a lot with
[1:49:43] a small budget. And I appreciate you
[1:49:44] guys being willing to do be a capacity
[1:49:47] building year and come forward with
[1:49:49] those ideas for the future of what you
[1:49:51] think you want them, but we still have
[1:49:53] the RCOG is going to come next.
[1:49:55] >> So, let's can we turn to that real
[1:49:56] quick? Just We we only have 15 minutes
[1:49:58] left, and I just wanted to we just
[1:50:00] wanted to tee up some RCOG stuff because
[1:50:03] we do need to be getting the ball
[1:50:04] rolling on that. Um
[1:50:06] and since we can't act on RCG, so we'll
[1:50:09] put this this conversation will come
[1:50:11] back up the next meeting, and we'll it
[1:50:12] will require a vote.
[1:50:14] >> What's up? Was there something Is there
[1:50:17] something I'm supposed to share for the
[1:50:17] RCOG?
[1:50:18] >> Okay.
[1:50:20] >> So, yeah, what we talked about at our
[1:50:22] last meeting, Melissa mentioned that she
[1:50:24] had some ideas swirling on what
[1:50:26] potential RCGs would be. So, we wanted
[1:50:28] to tee that up with just a short
[1:50:30] conversation now so that we can start
[1:50:32] getting thinking about what needs to
[1:50:33] happen to for this board to, you know,
[1:50:37] put forward a recommendation within the
[1:50:39] next 2 months, basically,
[1:50:42] on an RCOG. And if there's other things
[1:50:44] that we want to bring to the table,
[1:50:45] etc., etc. So, with that, let me pass it
[1:50:48] back to you to get that conversation
[1:50:49] started.
[1:50:50] >> Okay. So,
[1:50:52] uh this is just general conversation.
[1:50:56] All the time being went into the
[1:50:57] reporting and the other stuff. So, we
[1:51:00] just don't have a lot of things for
[1:51:01] people to look at. But in general, as we
[1:51:04] start looking at industry and industry
[1:51:07] clusters, you know, to what Ashley was
[1:51:09] saying, there is no part of me with an
[1:51:11] economic hat on that says, "You know
[1:51:14] what I really think that we need to do
[1:51:16] is build industrial property and put in
[1:51:18] infrastructure so that we can
[1:51:20] accommodate light manufacturing." I feel
[1:51:23] like we are regionally isolated, being
[1:51:25] realistic about who we are and where we
[1:51:28] are and what really plays well for this
[1:51:31] community.
[1:51:33] It is unique to our area. We're not the
[1:51:35] rare bird that I think sometimes we
[1:51:37] would like to believe,
[1:51:39] but we are absolutely unique. So, as we
[1:51:42] look at, you know, where do we double
[1:51:43] down? Where can we place these
[1:51:45] investments? Yeah, the assets and the
[1:51:47] resources that you have, you don't get
[1:51:48] to go out and invent new ones
[1:51:51] just because we want to be able to
[1:51:53] create a diversification strategy.
[1:51:56] So, when I think about it, I think about
[1:51:58] it less in terms of diversification and
[1:51:59] more in terms of resiliency.
[1:52:01] So,
[1:52:03] we need to be more resilient by
[1:52:05] spreading out all of the eggs, and it
[1:52:07] doesn't mean that we need to go out and
[1:52:09] reinvent three different baskets that
[1:52:10] aren't necessarily a fit. Means that we
[1:52:12] have to work with what we have.
[1:52:14] So, in meeting with Commissioner
[1:52:16] McCandless and Jen Staley at the
[1:52:18] hospital, in looking at the last
[1:52:21] $250,000
[1:52:22] reports that we commissioned for an
[1:52:24] economic development strategy and plan
[1:52:26] that did get adopted,
[1:52:29] we know that health care and wellness
[1:52:31] have that adjacency to tourism and
[1:52:34] really leverage a lot of the same
[1:52:36] assets, which are Listen, this is a
[1:52:39] really beautiful place. If we double
[1:52:41] down on wellness within our community
[1:52:43] and what we have to offer and how that
[1:52:45] this is an outdoor recreation
[1:52:48] community, what are some of the assets
[1:52:50] that we have that are unique to us? One
[1:52:52] of the assets that we have that are
[1:52:53] absolutely unique to us is we have a
[1:52:55] level four trauma center. Other rural
[1:52:57] communities do not have that. So, to be
[1:52:59] able to have surgical suites, that's not
[1:53:02] something that you're going to find in
[1:53:03] most rural communities.
[1:53:05] So, when we look at clusters,
[1:53:08] being able to double down on healthcare
[1:53:10] and wellness is an industry cluster, and
[1:53:13] seeing if we can't start to measure and
[1:53:15] get some results, and try some things,
[1:53:18] and tweak some things, and see how those
[1:53:20] come out. Healthcare really feels like a
[1:53:23] good a good industry for us.
[1:53:26] In talking with the hospital, she is
[1:53:29] really working to recruit an orthopedics
[1:53:31] practice. So, some kind of a world-class
[1:53:34] orthopedics practice where, you know, we
[1:53:37] can have destination
[1:53:39] things like that are adjacent to that
[1:53:42] outside of an orthopedic practice, for
[1:53:44] example, could be elective surgery. This
[1:53:46] could also be a place where we could use
[1:53:48] those surgical suites and have some
[1:53:50] types of recovery centers.
[1:53:52] The other things that could be
[1:53:54] interesting around that are what kind of
[1:53:55] physical therapy can we have? So, would,
[1:53:58] for example, the TOSH organization in
[1:54:01] along the Wasatch Front be interested in
[1:54:04] having some sort of a destination
[1:54:05] practice here where the miles of
[1:54:10] paved trails that we have could be
[1:54:11] incorporated into physical therapy
[1:54:14] practice.
[1:54:15] So, that's one side of things. As we
[1:54:17] look at the economic mobility part of
[1:54:19] things, one of the biggest challenges
[1:54:20] for economic mobility that's hitting
[1:54:22] Grand County really hard is that if you
[1:54:25] are a transplant from outside,
[1:54:28] you are increasingly making a higher
[1:54:32] income and having economic mobility. If
[1:54:34] you are a person who lives here, has
[1:54:37] resided here long-term, or were born
[1:54:39] here,
[1:54:40] your chances are pretty abysmal. So, how
[1:54:44] do we say we're going to cultivate
[1:54:46] workforce or create opportunities for
[1:54:49] people who are living here currently
[1:54:53] that would map to those types of
[1:54:54] opportunities that come in. So, one of
[1:54:57] the things that we would be really
[1:54:59] interested in trying
[1:55:01] is doubling down and partnering with EDC
[1:55:04] Utah and doing a lot of work around
[1:55:07] crafting a profile for Grand County that
[1:55:09] says, if you are doing rural
[1:55:11] healthcare research, if you are doing
[1:55:14] rural aging research, if you are
[1:55:17] interested in destination or the Peds,
[1:55:20] or elective surgeries, or any of these
[1:55:22] types of things,
[1:55:24] we have an amazing airport with daily
[1:55:26] connection to Salt Lake City and to
[1:55:27] Denver.
[1:55:28] We've got a boatload of capacity in
[1:55:31] terms of built infrastructure for the
[1:55:33] visitation economy. We've got a level
[1:55:36] four trauma hospital that has surgical
[1:55:39] suites, has recovery capability.
[1:55:42] This is a perfect place for you to come
[1:55:45] and start your physical therapy
[1:55:46] practice, your
[1:55:49] elective surgery practice, your
[1:55:50] orthopedics practice. And what uh Jen
[1:55:54] had mentioned is once that orthopedics
[1:55:56] practice is in place,
[1:55:58] to be able to do that marketing and that
[1:56:02] advertising around now, how do we help
[1:56:05] you build your practice? How do we help
[1:56:07] you build your physical therapy
[1:56:08] practice? The thing that's really
[1:56:10] interesting about that approach is with
[1:56:12] USU, we also have an opportunity to
[1:56:14] train our workforce in conjunction with
[1:56:16] that. So, whether that's
[1:56:19] rural healthcare, aging, physical
[1:56:22] therapy,
[1:56:24] working as an aid, how do we map our
[1:56:27] programs to what we're trying to build?
[1:56:29] So, if we double down and we say these
[1:56:30] are the types of industry clusters that
[1:56:32] we're trying to attract, how do we
[1:56:34] develop our workforce at the same time
[1:56:36] so that our kids who are graduating from
[1:56:39] high school can go take those
[1:56:42] uh tourism jobs, and they can get those
[1:56:44] cash tips, and all the things that are
[1:56:46] now luring into that, but they're also
[1:56:48] getting certificates, degrees, and
[1:56:51] building out skills at the same time
[1:56:53] that would help them develop a career in
[1:56:56] an industry that we're trying to
[1:56:57] attract. So, really high level with the
[1:57:00] time that we have,
[1:57:01] that's one of the things that would be a
[1:57:04] really interesting RCOG.
[1:57:06] One of the communities, and I can't
[1:57:08] remember, I want to say it wasn't Kane,
[1:57:10] maybe it was Garfield,
[1:57:12] was talking in our meeting last week
[1:57:14] that their RCOG is all about, "We don't
[1:57:17] want people to come and visit here.
[1:57:18] We've got enough visitors, we've got
[1:57:19] enough tourism, our TRT funds are taking
[1:57:21] care of that. What our concern is is
[1:57:24] that we don't have enough taxpayers as a
[1:57:25] property tax base. So, what we want to
[1:57:28] do with our RCOG, and I think they're in
[1:57:29] process, their commercial is like mostly
[1:57:32] produced now, they wanted to do a huge
[1:57:34] campaign about why this is a really
[1:57:36] great county to live. This is definitely
[1:57:39] >> in that sentence? Sorry.
[1:57:40] >> Garf-
[1:57:40] >> Garfield County.
[1:57:41] >> Oh, the county.
[1:57:42] >> Garfield, yeah. So, it's another county.
[1:57:44] >> right.
[1:57:44] >> So, ours would sort of be parallel to
[1:57:46] that, but instead of come and live here
[1:57:48] or whatever, it's this is the great
[1:57:49] place for you to come and do your
[1:57:53] research in this specific area. Like
[1:57:54] there have been a lot of
[1:57:56] uh a lot of New York Times articles
[1:57:59] recently around rural health care
[1:58:01] because of the funding that has been
[1:58:02] made available, and people are
[1:58:04] relocating to do research. They're
[1:58:06] starting all of these different
[1:58:08] projects. The interesting thing about
[1:58:10] Grand County is that we're kind of
[1:58:12] redefining rural because you can
[1:58:14] actually get great cocktails here, and
[1:58:16] you can go get a massage because of the
[1:58:17] tourism industry. We've got a lot of
[1:58:20] depth, we've got uh airport where you've
[1:58:23] got daily flights.
[1:58:25] Not every rural community that you go to
[1:58:27] is going to be able to offer those
[1:58:29] things or have those things available.
[1:58:32] >> So, I think these are good ideas. The challenge with this is always
[1:58:37] this is a government conversation, and
[1:58:40] what you're looking for is
[1:58:42] entrepreneurship. I mean, or or or
[1:58:44] business people who want to execute on
[1:58:46] these strategies. And I just wonder if
[1:58:49] we shouldn't be asking our business
[1:58:52] people more about what ideas they have
[1:58:55] and what they see as their opportunities
[1:58:58] to grow a business. I mean, when we
[1:59:01] created Outerbike, the whole idea was to
[1:59:03] bring the entire bike industry to Moab
[1:59:06] once a year. And um
[1:59:08] you know, that is that's
[1:59:11] that was just how we were growing that
[1:59:14] piece. And but and and in my dreams, it
[1:59:17] would have been some of those companies
[1:59:19] would have started doing some more R&D
[1:59:22] here. We were hoping Specialized was
[1:59:24] going to pay for a building at USU. Like
[1:59:26] there was a like next level commitment
[1:59:28] to the to it that would create jobs and
[1:59:31] bring all kinds of cool projects like
[1:59:33] that. And then the pandemic happened, so
[1:59:35] whatever, forget it. But but I think
[1:59:38] that like government can have ideas, but
[1:59:43] the business people in town have to
[1:59:45] actually be ready to execute on those
[1:59:47] kind of thing. So we it might be worth
[1:59:49] it we could even have
[1:59:52] just do a little outreach to see who's
[1:59:54] got ideas. Not like funding like these
[1:59:56] small businesses that we are trying to
[1:59:58] help, but what are the ideas? I mean, I
[2:00:00] don't know what Rebecca is doing all
[2:00:02] this stuff with local food and there's
[2:00:04] just other categories too that that
[2:00:06] could be really interesting that could
[2:00:09] um
[2:00:10] that we could have growth in and and and
[2:00:12] um expertise and along the lines of what
[2:00:15] you're saying. I think that's not a bad
[2:00:16] idea, but I think there might be others
[2:00:18] out there too that we could look at.
[2:00:20] >> I think that's kind of our job as board
[2:00:22] members, like is to be floating out
[2:00:24] there getting those ideas from people.
[2:00:26] And realistically, it's going to be a
[2:00:28] challenge to hatch a brand new idea and
[2:00:32] grow it to a robust proposal in 2
[2:00:34] months. So if we're talking about this
[2:00:36] cycle, you know, we want to make sure
[2:00:38] that we're I always think with these
[2:00:40] things like we want to make sure we're
[2:00:41] working with strong partners. Because in
[2:00:43] particular with these this grant, RCOG's
[2:00:45] like it's geared towards government,
[2:00:48] right? But, you know, the hospital would
[2:00:51] be I mean, it's largest employer in
[2:00:53] town, isn't it? Yeah. I mean,
[2:00:55] about as strong of a partner as you
[2:00:57] would get, right? So, if and I would
[2:00:59] definitely say this, only if Jens and I
[2:01:01] and the hospital want to partner with
[2:01:02] the county on a project like this,
[2:01:05] I think you've got a really robust group
[2:01:07] of partners at that point. And
[2:01:08] >> I agree. I'm just saying there's other
[2:01:10] things out there.
[2:01:10] >> But and we should be exploring them. I
[2:01:12] totally agree with that.
[2:01:13] >> because it will take us a year to find
[2:01:15] them and
[2:01:15] >> We should be cooking up some
[2:01:16] >> one's been kicking around for a little
[2:01:17] while, and it's a good idea, and it's
[2:01:19] the one teed up for now, and I think it
[2:01:22] has
[2:01:23] um potential. And so, if that's what we
[2:01:27] you know, and if they want to partner,
[2:01:29] then that's great. But I think there's
[2:01:30] others out there, too, that could be
[2:01:32] interesting and
[2:01:34] >> But also also keep in mind, you know,
[2:01:37] that it's that it's you're looking for a
[2:01:39] county project, right? Like that's
[2:01:42] something that you guys learned
[2:01:43] previously. You know, it's the actual
[2:01:45] county's project, not
[2:01:48] giving the money to or granting the
[2:01:50] money to another business. Or it's
[2:01:51] really their project that the county's
[2:01:53] funding, right? I think you guys are
[2:01:54] trying to move away from that and it be
[2:01:56] an actual county project that the county
[2:01:58] owns.
[2:01:59] >> Well, I I don't get that exactly,
[2:02:00] because the county's not going to hire a
[2:02:02] physical therapist. The county's not
[2:02:04] going to host
[2:02:04] >> How is it a county project? Do you want
[2:02:06] to And I guess we don't really have
[2:02:08] time, but
[2:02:08] >> Well, we can talk about that next time,
[2:02:09] but I mean,
[2:02:10] >> But that's But that's an important
[2:02:12] question, isn't it?
[2:02:12] >> Yeah, I mean, the county's supporting,
[2:02:14] like,
[2:02:15] it government is not business. Business
[2:02:17] is got to be independent.
[2:02:19] >> she's talking about like the government
[2:02:21] doing the advertising, right? Building
[2:02:24] the the like EDC, stuff like that. But I
[2:02:27] mean, I think that it really comes down
[2:02:29] It has to be a close partnership with
[2:02:31] the hospital. I mean, and so some of the
[2:02:32] funding might flow to the hospital,
[2:02:34] like,
[2:02:34] >> Well, yeah, that's why I'm a little bit
[2:02:36] confused about how they do it.
[2:02:37] >> a project run by the county.
[2:02:39] >> RFP, correct. So, like, you work with
[2:02:42] the hospital, right? It is a
[2:02:45] partnership. You're paying other people
[2:02:46] to do these things.
[2:02:49] But the county is who is paying the
[2:02:51] people and cultivating the partnership.
[2:02:54] To get the things done.
[2:02:55] >> like running point on the project.
[2:02:58] That's why we we need somebody at the
[2:03:01] We also, in addition to having like a
[2:03:02] strong outside partner like a hospital,
[2:03:04] we need to have a willing partner within
[2:03:06] the county government, right? To run
[2:03:08] point on a project like this. I mean,
[2:03:09] that's that's huge, too.
[2:03:11] But we're out of time.
[2:03:13] Um
[2:03:14] so, [laughter]
[2:03:15] I think I would say
[2:03:17] it's probably smart for us to come back
[2:03:19] to the next meeting with additional
[2:03:20] ideas for our COG, if you have them,
[2:03:23] because if this doesn't work out, right?
[2:03:25] Like we don't want to you know, if
[2:03:27] Jen says
[2:03:29] I really love this idea and I'm sorry,
[2:03:31] it's just not the year for us right now.
[2:03:33] Like then what are we going to do,
[2:03:35] right? I don't want us to be I would I
[2:03:36] would hate for us to be in a situation
[2:03:37] where that just means no application
[2:03:39] this year. So, I do think it's good for
[2:03:41] at least all of us to be thinking about
[2:03:43] other things. If there's something that
[2:03:44] might be even if it's a smaller project,
[2:03:46] you know, but like something.
[2:03:48] Um but either way, we're going to
[2:03:49] continue that conversation next time.
[2:03:52] >> You Can you know what would be really
[2:03:53] helpful? Is could you give examples of a
[2:03:55] county project that another county has
[2:03:57] done that absolutely fit this? Because I
[2:04:00] still am struggling
[2:04:01] >> innovation hubs. Like those stuff like
[2:04:04] that is like innovation stuff.
[2:04:05] >> were going to ask all the county
[2:04:07] institutions to throw us a proposal. I
[2:04:09] thought we were going to
[2:04:10] >> Oh, yeah, we did talk about it.
[2:04:11] >> Yeah, I was like, oh, cuz Ousta came. I
[2:04:14] thought like it was kind of that was the
[2:04:17] plan, but now I'm you know,
[2:04:20] that's where we're going. That's where
[2:04:21] we're going. I don't
[2:04:23] >> I thought that's what we talked about
[2:04:24] and then we didn't.
[2:04:25] >> Yeah.
[2:04:26] that's right. We had this idea
[2:04:27] that we were going to really make it a
[2:04:29] county project, like invest in the
[2:04:31] county, right? Like
[2:04:34] >> Yeah, I think that's the idea.
[2:04:35] >> I think we're we're kind of like
[2:04:36] institutions,
[2:04:38] you know, instead of like small business
[2:04:40] like businesses. It was like whatever I
[2:04:42] mean the hospital is kind of an
[2:04:43] institution.
[2:04:44] >> Yeah. But I thought it was like aren't
[2:04:46] there departments in the county that
[2:04:48] need more money that
[2:04:51] Actually, I think we were running
[2:04:53] through that idea and then it was kind
[2:04:54] of like well Melissa has all these
[2:04:56] things she should just
[2:05:01] » Exactly. That's exactly
[2:05:02] >> Like I think that's the trajectory.
[2:05:04] >> So am I to bring you examples next
[2:05:06] meeting? Is that an action item for me?
[2:05:08] >> That would I think that would be great.
[2:05:09] >> Not 10 like 10 next year too.
[2:05:12] >> Just like some time to us sooner because
[2:05:16] >> maybe it might be something to bring to
[2:05:18] the next meeting instead of like having
[2:05:20] it
[2:05:20] >> I mean one that really matters
[2:05:23] >> We're we're constantly trying to understand the legislature's
[2:05:28] intent.
[2:05:29] Like what is or the
[2:05:31] governor's intent.
[2:05:32] >> Right here there's three bullet points
[2:05:34] of what this funding is to be used for.
[2:05:37] >> Okay.
[2:05:38] But that's but we
[2:05:40] >> I mean a lot of it is like
[2:05:41] infrastructure stuff that's hard for us
[2:05:42] to how to translate it to here like I
[2:05:46] mean you could do site work site prep
[2:05:48] for like manufacturing, right? You know
[2:05:49] what I mean? Like that would fit really
[2:05:50] well in this scope.
[2:05:51] >> We have a massive amount of money but
[2:05:54] it's not the same.
[2:05:58] But I think we don't want to fund those.
[2:05:59] I don't know whatever we can talk more.
[2:06:01] >> We did a joint
[2:06:02] >> Okay. We did a joint we don't have to
[2:06:06] >> Actually you don't want one of these?
[2:06:08] >> I don't think so.
[2:06:09] >> I know you do.
[2:06:10] >> Oh.
[2:06:13] » Anybody else?
[2:06:15] State statutes?
[2:06:17] >> I have read it sometimes.
[2:06:18] >> State statutes anymore?
[2:06:20] >> Give me all the state statute you've
[2:06:21] got.
[2:06:21] >> So this one
[2:06:23] a light read. This one's a good one.
[2:06:24] >> What is that? Like where do you find
[2:06:26] that?
[2:06:27] >> You just you can just type in trail to
[2:06:28] tomorrow Grand County in the top. We're
[2:06:30] going to pull up.
[2:06:31] >> It is a It was a $150,000
[2:06:33] plan that was commissioned in like 2022
[2:06:37] maybe.
[2:06:39] And it was presented to the commission
[2:06:41] in 2024.