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Wasatch County Council backs student FFA team request, to consider $2,000 sponsorship at next meeting
Summary
A Wasatch County high school land-and-soils FFA team asked the county to help pay travel costs for nationals; council members voiced informal support and directed staff to add a formal request to next week’s agenda for ratification.
Mesa Child, a member of the local FFA land-and-soils team, told the Wasatch County Council on Jan. 8 that her four-person team won the state championship at Snow College and qualified for the national competition in Oklahoma City in May. "With this hard work and dedication put into this contest, we are very blessed to bring home the state championship to Wasatch," Mesa Child said.
The students said it will cost about $4,000 for the four students to get to nationals and asked the council for $2,000 in sponsorship. "We are here asking if you'll sponsor us $2,000 to be able to go to Oklahoma City and so we can go there and represent our beautiful Wasatch County in Oklahoma," Mesa Child told the council.
Dustin, speaking for county staff, said the council maintains a discretionary fund of roughly $30,000 and that the county has used that fund previously to support similar student travel. A council member suggested $2,000 would be a "valid use" of discretionary funds but noted the need for formal ratification: the contribution could be authorized at a future meeting or formally placed on next week’s agenda for approval.
The council asked the students to work with staff on a short follow-up report and indicated interest in having the students return after nationals with an account of their performance. No formal vote or authorization to pay the money occurred during the public-comment portion; council members said staff should place a formal sponsorship request on the agenda next week so the body can ratify any planned contribution.
Why it matters: The request seeks use of county discretionary funds to support local students representing the county at a national-level agricultural competition. Council members signaled support but required a formal agenda item and potential vote to expend funds.
What’s next: Staff will prepare an agenda item for the council’s next meeting with sponsorship details and any requested conditions; students said they would coordinate a follow-up report after nationals.
