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State outreach manager outlines READY job grant and local grant wins for Green River
Summary
A representative from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity described the READY grant for new high‑wage jobs and city officials summarized multiple recent and pending grants, including a $3.6 million award tied to the Western Industrial Park.
Deborah McKee, outreach manager for the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, visited the Green River City Council on Jan. 14, 2025, to introduce the READY program, a state grant aimed at attracting new full‑time jobs to rural communities.
McKee said the READY grant is for new, full‑time positions that pay at least 100% of the county average wage; for Emery County the office is using last year’s figure of $51,855. Jobs in retail, construction, staffing or public utilities are ineligible. After an employer retains a qualified hire for 12 months, the state issues $5,000 per position; employers may apply for multiple positions up to a program cap of $250,000 per employer.
Council members also reported recent and pending awards tied to city economic projects. A council speaker said Better Cities applications and other work helped secure roughly $3,615,000 for projects associated with the Western Industrial Park. The speaker identified a $600,000 allocation from the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity for Broadway and Cherry Street design work, including sidewalks, curb and gutter, hydrants and drainage. The speaker also noted roughly $170,000 for Tidwell Park (partly UDOT funding and city match), and ongoing applications for approximately $764,000 for Main Street upgrades and $650,000 for long‑range planning with UDOT.
McKee said the Governor's Office also administers a Rural Communities Opportunity grant that provides $200,000 to Emery County annually; the Emery County Chamber manages that program locally and is accepting applications. McKee said she is the primary contact for READY grant interest in San Juan, Grand, Carbon and Emery counties and encouraged city staff and local businesses to contact her with questions.
City staff mentioned Ryan and Edward as local staff who worked with the Governor's Office on the READY application and other grants, and urged residents and business leaders to bring potential projects or hiring plans forward so the city can assist with state grant applications.
No formal council action was taken during McKee's presentation; council members directed staff to continue pursuing state and federal funding opportunities for planned projects.
