Another week means another packed schedule for Jordan Leonard and the Emery County Commissioners. Following their biweekly commissioners meeting on Tuesday, April 15, Commissioner Leonard joined the KOAL Newsroom to discuss grants, upcoming events and the county’s inland port project.
The Commissioners discussed the county’s Trails Grant in the Commission meeting. Leonard explained what this grant entails,” the Trails Grant allows cities and different entities in the community to apply for infrastructure-type grants, extending different trails in the community. And so if an entity needs to do a project, they can apply for funds through our tourism office. Those funds will help with infrastructure projects to build out different trails and signage, which are different things. So it’s really good to build trails in our community for our locals and visitors as they come.”
The Commissioners approved support for the America250 and Utah250 programs in the same meeting. “The state has partnered with the federal government to do a big party. So there’s a grant that we went after America 250. It will allow us $3,000 toward some events surrounding America250. So, it aims to increase patriotism and focus on our history and heritage. The cool part is our goal as a county is to try to focus on those things, so it dovetails really well with what we’re currently doing with our county fair and Heritage Days.”
Commissioner Leonard then provided an update on the county’s inland port project,” So these are the areas that we identify for growth and development. We have an industrial park just north of the research center above Orangeville. That 100 acres, we’re looking to develop industry. So putting that in an inland port allows the state to focus and help us recruit businesses to come into that area. There are a few more things we need to do, but finalize some of the big discussion items in the commission meeting so that we can move forward with the inland port and the taxing entities.”
Building on this discussion, Leonard spoke on the industrial park: ” We will have an RFP (Request for Proposal) sent out within the next couple of weeks to do a master plan of the industrial park. This includes drainage, development areas, and roads. So we’ll be sending out that RFP for most likely an engineering company or someone specialized in master plans for industrial parks.”
He continued,” So we’ll get that finished. Once we get that finished, the goal would be to work with the inland port and maybe contract out to a business or someone to help us recruit. So that’ll be where we’re at moving forward.”
Switching gears, the Commissioner directed his attention to upcoming events within Emery County. With the weather warming, Leonard spoke excitedly of Green River’s ‘Catfish on the Green’ tournament in June. “If anyone likes catfishing or fishing, sign up for that tournament. The weather’s always good and there’s always a good turnout. A lot of big fish were caught in the 20-30 inch range. And so it’s a good opportunity to catch some fish and have the camaraderie of the fishermen there in Green River.”
Also coming to Green River on April 26 at the John Wesley Powell Museum is the Glen Canyon Exposed exhibit. ” The museum is a great place to learn about our community and our county. Green River has a ton of history that has happened. The museum is fantastic for not only the locals but also the visitors to get information. And so that’ll be a fun activity to have that exposure and those booths and different things that they’re going to do.”
Rounding out our conversation, the Commissioner discussed the upcoming MECCA Bike Club Festival,” If anybody’s interested in mountain biking, they take a lot of different trails. I know they give it away. I know that in previous years, they were giving away different bikes and different things. The food’s always good. And so if anyone’s interested in mountain biking or bike festivals, the Mecca Bike Festival is a great one to attend for beginners as well as advanced riders.”
The Commissioner ended our conversation, saying,” Get out there and enjoy the weather while it lasts. Look for local events as the community is getting out.”