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Millard County officials push workforce training, Main Street grants and ag planning as energy projects arrive
Summary
County economic development staff updated commissioners on a community profile, Main Street grant applications, partnerships with Snow College and UAMPS, and plans to build local apprenticeship and lineman training to supply workers for incoming energy and drilling projects.
Millard County commissioners heard an update Tuesday on local economic development efforts that officials said are aimed at keeping jobs and business growth in the county as several large energy projects consider local siting.
County economic development staff provided commissioners a printed community profile produced with EDC Utah and described a short “blueprint” economic strategy for Fillmore City being prepared with the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. The staff also said the county has applied for a Utah Main Street program grant to support historic-downtown building improvements and is working with Snow College and other partners on workforce and apprenticeship programs tied to incoming energy projects, including geothermal drilling.
Why it matters: Commissioners pressed that training local residents — welders, linemen and other trades — matters as much as tax revenues when firms arrive, saying a higher local hire rate would multiply benefits for families and the county’s tax base. Staff and commissioners framed training and apprenticeship programs as a needed step to ensure new projects hire local workers rather than bringing in labor from outside the county.
County staff said Fillmore’s condensed economic blueprint is already underway with August Brown of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. The Main Street application, a program administered through the State Historic Preservation office and offering façade and interior building grants, was submitted by a city and requires local letters of support; staff expects a decision within about a month.
The commission discussed taking study trips to Vernal to see downtown revitalization work there and noted a recently developed example in Mount Pleasant where a business received grant support for interior work. Staff said such revitalization can increase retail activity and sales tax receipts by drawing residents and visitors back to downtown commercial corridors.
On workforce, the county reported meetings with UAMPS, Snow College and energy companies to develop training for jobs created by planned power and drilling projects near Fillmore and McCormick. Staff said one employer specifically requested a local lineman training program; staff said their goal is “to develop those programs that they’re here,” so local residents do not have to relocate to take these jobs. Abby, county economic development staff, said a geothermal drilling apprenticeship already in place elsewhere could provide a model for the county.
Commissioners and staff also discussed complementary agricultural and agri-business initiatives. The county is pursuing a regional approach that includes agriculture and the AgriPark project, for which County leaders said 920 acres were secured. Commissioners emphasized balancing industrial development and agriculture, noting water and land constraints.
Next steps: Staff will continue grant applications, pursue apprenticeship and lineman-program development with Snow College and other partners, and return to commissioners with specific program proposals and grant outcomes.
