By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
The final economic development planning committee meeting for Juab County was held and two Mona City Council members were well-satisfied with the result.
Jonathan Jones and Jeff Hearty, both Mona council members, said the meetings had been informative and helpful.
“There were a lot of good ideas presented,” said Jones. “Councilman Hearty gave an excellent presentation at our meeting.”
Hearty said that they had attended the last formal meeting of the planning committee and now there will be other committees formed.
“We have some good ideas,” he said.
Though East Juab has a large number of people engaged in agriculture, it was not one of the industries receiving high interest on the survey, said Jones.
“It has been interesting to be on the committee, said Hearty.
Jones said that there were 40 people on the economic development committee who worked to determine which of the 177 business responses were the most advantageous matches for the county.
“There are some exciting things for our community and for all in the county,” Hearty said, “which will, hopefully, provide additional tax revenue.”
The number of surveys completed by residents of the county dealing with the ASAP (Area Sector Analysis Process) set a new record.
Brent Boswell, county economic development director, is spear heading the process, and when all is done will have the necessary information on companies which might locate in the county and on those companies which will be compatible with residents’ preferences.
The Western Rural Development Center Area Sector Analysis Process (ASAP) was designed by Extension Specialists and Agents for Extension to use in collaboration with community leaders and has already been successfully applied to several communities across the region.
A team of community development specialists from throughout the west developed ASAP to assist communities in their economic development efforts. A six-county collaboration exists between Wayne, Juab, Grand, Sanpete, Sevier, Millard and Piute Counties.
Hearty said that the committee had eliminated some of those industries which were possible matches.
“In the first round,” said Hearty, “we eliminated some of the industries and, in the second round, we started breaking the list down.”
The committee has been reviewing different types of businesses for the county.
Economic Development, under the direction of Boswell, is continuing to move forward and the committee has discussed grocery wholesale, different types of manufacturing companies, and some data-type industries which might be a good fit for the county.
It has been a preliminary type of review, said Hearty.
All of the information will be summarized and will be shared with the communities in the county.
“We will have a database with information on companies that want to come to the county so that interested companies will be able to access that information,” said Hearty.
“It is exciting to know the opportunities that the county can now pursue,” said Jones. | 