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Hurricane council hears SBDC relaunch; city-funded office reopens in Hurricane
Summary
The Small Business Development Center reopened a local office at the USU Extension Building in Hurricane and is offering free counseling, business planning and capital-connection services; the council thanked the SBDC for local funding that supported the relaunch.
Jackie Hobson, director with the Small Business Development Center, told the Hurricane City Council that the SBDC has reopened a southern-Utah office at the USU Extension Building near the fairgrounds. Hobson said the center provides free services ranging from startup assistance to valuations, hiring guidance and loan access.
"All of our services are free," Hobson said, adding that the center receives state funding through GOEO, federal funding from the Small Business Administration and some local partner support. Hobson said the statewide SBDC network counseled nearly 4,000 small businesses in 2024 and that the Hurricane office reopened in August to restore local access.
Mayor Nanette Billings and council members thanked Hobson and noted the SBDC’s recent help to local entrepreneurs. Hobson described practical help the center offers — building bankable business plans, preparing for capital access and helping owners understand sales-tax filings — and recommended that residents use the center’s online locations page at utahsbdc.org to request counseling because local phone response is limited while staff capacity is small.
The council did not take formal action beyond expressing appreciation and requested contact information for follow-up. The SBDC representative said the center plans to expand training courses and one-on-one counseling as staffing permits.
