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Southern Utah Economic Alliance pitches regional plan and membership to Enoch council
Summary
Todd Brightwell of the Southern Utah Economic Alliance briefed the Enoch City Council on a three-phase regional economic plan targeting business parks, light manufacturing and aerospace; the Alliance outlined grant opportunities and said membership would cost $10,000 annually, with formal authorization to be considered at a future meeting.
Todd Brightwell, representing the Southern Utah Economic Alliance, presented a regional economic development overview to the Enoch City Council on July 1, outlining opportunities for business recruitment, workforce coordination and grant funding.
Brightwell said the SUEA is a five-county 501(c)(6) organization funded by private memberships, public-sector entities and state grants and described a governance structure with an executive committee and specialized committees. He told the Council the Alliance’s workforce committee includes representatives from SUU, Utah Tech, Southwest Tech and Dixie Tech and is intended to coordinate the more than 20 entities involved in workforce development across the region.
The Alliance reported an initial assessment of Enoch found the city entering a significant growth phase, with current development heavily residential and limited commercial or industrial recruitment. Brightwell outlined target opportunities including a business park and light manufacturing (building parts, outdoor products, metal fabrication), and he identified aerospace and advanced air mobility as a potential growth sector given federal and state emphasis and nearby regional capabilities such as AMPACT and a company developing fire-suppression drones.
Brightwell proposed a three-phase engagement: Phase 1, a site inventory of available land, ownership, zoning and utilities; Phase 2, an economic opportunity assessment identifying target industries, infrastructure needs and grant prospects; and Phase 3, a prioritized economic development road map and tracking system. Colette Cox, on the phone from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, flagged grant windows including the Rural County Grant (roughly $200,000 annually to Iron County) and the Rural Communities Opportunity Grant and suggested potential coordination with tourism and the Economic Development Administration.
City Manager Ryan Robinson said the SUEA process would help the city delineate appropriate zones for commercial and industrial uses to reduce piecemeal pressure on agricultural lands. Council Member Debra Ley asked that any recruitment strategy preserve agricultural character and prioritize small, community-friendly businesses; Brightwell and partnering stakeholders said ag and ag‑tech could be included if the community prioritized it.
Brightwell said SUEA board membership would require a $10,000 annual fee and that a formal authorization would be brought to a future Council meeting for decision. The presentation closed with the Council accepting the introduction and expecting a follow-up authorization agenda item.
