Daggett officials urge lawmakers to restore technical-college funding, back lineman apprenticeship

Daggett County commissioners and local economic‑development staff discussed efforts this week to restore technical‑college funding language and secure ongoing state support for a high‑voltage electrical apprenticeship program, a UBTech representative told the commission.

Aaron Wade, a UBTech representative, asked commissioners to contact bill sponsors on behalf of rural technical colleges and said language requiring the state board “to include equal value for secondary and adult students in their future formulas” was moved from House Bill 91 into House Bill 265. “It’s back in with Milner and Peterson. It’s back in House Bill 265,” Wade said, noting the amended language “begins on line about 94 95.”

Why it matters: Wade said the funding‑formula language is intended to prevent rural technical colleges from losing funding to larger campuses. “Right now, we are getting the short end of the stick,” he said, adding that only a few colleges — Davis County, Dixie and St. George — appear to benefit under the current distribution. He asked commissioners to contact Representative Karen Peterson and Senator Anne Milner, whom he identified as sponsors of HB 265, and to have constituents communicate support.

Apprenticeship funding and federal grant timeline

Wade told the commission UBTech secured a federal grant roughly three years ago to buy equipment for a high‑voltage electrical apprenticeship program for linemen and electrical technicians. He said the program has received multiple extensions but must “perform on that grant this year, or we’re gonna jeopardize our credit rating with this federal government.” He asked for help in getting ongoing state funding being pursued through an RSA presented to the Business and Economic Development Committee, which he said would cover hiring instructors and sustaining the program.

Wade said the ongoing state funding request is modest by state standards — “it’s not a lot of money in their world. It’s 260 or $290,000” — and that local industry partners including Moonlake Electric, Rocky Mountain Power and High Voltage Electric had supported the grant application and the program’s development.

Local workforce, students and facilities

Peggy White, Daggett County’s economic development director, raised student housing as an obstacle for keeping local students in UBTech programs in Vernal and other campuses. “We have a lot more students from up here that would go there, if they could get some type of housing,” White said, noting she knew students who chose other campuses because housing was available there.

Wade responded that UBTech is not a degree‑granting institution and does not currently develop student housing, but said the system is pursuing a legislative change that could allow it to develop small, privately run housing on lots it owns; he estimated that work would be “probably a year or 2 away.”

Wade also described a proposed distance‑learning federal grant UBTech plans to submit by an early June window; awards would be announced in the fall and, if successful, equipment could arrive about a year and a half later. He said that grant could allow hybrid and hands‑on medical education opportunities for Daggett and “Manoa High School” (as referenced in the meeting), and that UBTech’s IT programs have students who may be available for local hires.

Next steps and staff follow‑up

Wade asked commissioners to prioritize contacting Representative Peterson and Senator Milner and to encourage local constituents to express support for the funding language. He also referred commissioners to Representative Watkins, Senator Winterton and Representative Chew as legislators representing the area for additional outreach.

Commissioners agreed to exchange contact information and for UBTech to follow up with local IT faculty and apprenticeship partners, and the meeting closed after other business.