An Association of Local Governments: Serving Southwestern Utah since 1972
Phone:(435)673-3548 Fax:(435)673-3540 Address: 1070 W. 1600 S., Bldg. B; St. George, UT
The Five County Association of Governments is a voluntary association of local governments from the five southwestern counties of the State of Utah. The five counties in southwestern Utah that comprise the Five County Association of Governments are Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane and Washington.
This year, 2024, marks the 51st year since the formal establishment of the Five County Association of Governments. Articles of Association were formally adopted in 1973 by the entities who comprise the Association and with their adoption officially created the Five County Association of Governments. While the Five County AOG was officially created in 1973, informal cooperation amongst the five member counties, along with the municipalities within them, as a group, has taken place since the 1950's.
Farsighted leaders of the past envisioned the time when our world-class scenic landscapes, mild climate, beautiful communities and hard-working people would foster the evolution of a major regional center in the West. That time has arrived for southwestern Utah has come into its own. The Five County Association of Governments is a key player in aiding locally elected officials in coping with regional challenges as it begins it's next fifty years of serving southwestern Utah.
The Association has a main office location in the Tonaquint Center High Tech Business Park in St. George City and a satellite office in Cedar City. We also have dedicated staff in several other locations providing important services within our five county service area. More information on the Association, including our Vision and Mission, can be viewed using the "What is The FCAOG" link on the "About" tab above. Our office addresses, as well as maps to locate them, are found using the "Contact" tab above.
Five County News
2024-10-09
| STEERING COMMITTEE
MEETING IS ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024 |
The Steering Committee is the governing body of the Five County Association of Governments. The next Steering Committee meeting will be held at 12:30 P.M. on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
The meeting will be held in-person at: SOUTHWEST UTAH PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDING, CONFERENCE ROOM; 260 EAST DL SARGENT DRIVE; CEDAR CITY, UTAH (MAP LINK)
| 2025 CDBG RATING
AND RANKING CRITERIA PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD |
There is a 30 day public comment period on the Five County Association of Governments' 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) Policies and Rating and Ranking (R&R) Criteria. The public comment period will be from August 5, 2024 at 12:00 noon p.m. to September 5, 2024 at 12:00 noon p.m.
Comments can
be sent to Cody Christensen at cchristensen@fivecounty.utah.gov
or be mailed to the AOG at 1070 W 1600 S, Bldg B, St. George UT
84770.
You may view
and/or print the 2025 CDBG Policies and R&R Criteria by clicking on
this LINK.
| ANNUAL ACTION PLAN
AVAILABLE |
The Five
County Association of Governments' contributes to the 2024
Utah Annual Action Plan assembled by the State of Utah’s Housing
and Community Development office, which reports on Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) activities statewide.The Five County report for the 2024 Utah Annual Action Plan describes activities completed in the past year and offers the region an opportunity to review and update goals year to year. The progress made in the last year is complemented by an understanding of the expected funds for the upcoming fiscal year and a discussion of the projects to be rated and ranked in the coming year. For a much more detailed description of the Annual Action Plan process and to view the draft document, please use the link directly below:
Click HERE to go to the Annual Action Plan webpage.
Information on the Community Development Block Grant program is available at this LINK
|
CEDS DOCUMENT APPROVED |
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) was prepared by FCAOG staff in conjunction with the CEDS Strategy Committee and Steering Committee, through a capacity building grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). The goal for this strategic plan is to provide guidance for regional growth while promoting a coordinated approach towards region-wide economic development objectives in Southwest Utah.
The CEDS employs long-range planning processes in their development. This planning method allowed staff to consolidate information from a wide range of stakeholders and synthesize the findings into a comprehensive regional growth strategy. This consolidation also provides consistent and unified policy direction for regional economic development efforts.
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy adheres to and satisfies all guidelines provided by both the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Steering Committee, the governing board of the Five County Association of Governments, approved the CEDS document at it's October 11, 2023 meeting.
CLICK HERE to view and/or download the CEDS document.
| POTENTIAL PASSENGER
RAIL SERVICE PRESENTATION |
Passenger rail service between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, with the possibility of extending that service into Cedar City and Washington County, is being studied. There was a presentation made to the Dixie Metropolitan Planning Organization's governing board, the Dixie Transportation Executive Council, made by Mr. Bryan Thiot, Executive Director of the Five County Association of Governments.
Please click on THIS LINK to view/print that presentation (which was originally done as a PowerPoint presentation). This is a PDF version of the presentation.
| STATE OF UTAH
COORDINATED ACTION PLAN |
In 2022, the State of Utah embarked on a strategic planning process to create a Coordinated Action Plan for Economic Vision 2030 document.
The purpose of this Statewide Plan is to unify the goals and direction of State government with those of seven regions in the State of Utah. This involves, among other things, aligning each region’s existing Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) developed by each of the state’s Association of Governments (AOGs). The overarching objectives are to optimize growth and expand prosperity throughout all counties.
The unified approach to economic development requires the State and regional interests to work together in harmony to advance mutual goals.
The document can be viewed/downloaded
by clicking on this LINK.
| ASAP REPORT FOR
THE FIVE COUNTY REGION |
The Five County Association of Governments (FCAOG) is a regional organization serving the Utah counties of Beaver, Garfield, Kane, Iron and Washington. The FCAOG also serves as the regional economic development district as a planning partner with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).
Working regionally the AOG develops and maintains a regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The goals, objectives, and strategies identified in the comprehensive strategic plan, support the economic development goals of the region, as well as those of the counties and communities that comprise the region.
To further its strategic goals the AOG developed an agreement and partnered with the Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) to implement an Area Sector Analysis Process (ASAP) for its five member counties and produce a final summary regional report. The May 2023 Area Sector Analysis Process (ASAP) is an economic development tool that identifies the most desirable and compatible industries for a single community.
To view/print the ASAP Report
please click on this LINK
| THE ASSOCIATION'S FY2023
AUDIT REPORT |
Each year the Five County Association of Governments has an independent audit of our organization conducted by a qualified public auditing firm. The FY2023 Audit was completed by the Certified Public Accounting firm of Hafen|Buckner of St. George City, Utah and the report was presented to our governing body, the Steering Committee, for acceptance, which they did at their meeting on November 8, 2023.
| ANONYMOUS ETHICS AND
COMPLIANCE
HOTLINE |
The Utah Counties Indemnity Pool (UCIP) is our Association's "insurer". A Fraud Tip Hotline has been established by UCIP, in cooperation with Lighthouse Services, LLC. This service has been set up for UCIP members, such as the Five County Association of Governments, in order to provide their staff and citizens with easy access to report fraud, and keep government open and honest.
Fraud tips can be submitted four ways:
Website: www.lighthouse-services.com/uciputah (available in English or Spanish)
Toll-Free Telephone: • English – (877) 410-0007 • Spanish – (800) 216-1288
E-mail: reports@lighthouse-services.com (must include our Association's name with report) Fax: (215) 689-3885 (must include our Association's name with report.
|
NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION
PLAN FOR REGION |
An updated regional Multi-jurisdictional Natural Hazard Pre-disaster Mitigation Plan was developed by the Five County Association of Governments' staff in collaboration with all of the cities and towns, the five counties in this region, as well as the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah. The Plan update includes information regarding the type, location and extent potential and regularly occurring hazards in the Five County area and also includes information on previous occurrences of hazard events and the likelihood of a future natural hazard events.
This update was done through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Once adopted as a "guidance document" by each entity, the 5-year plan will be valid for that entity until 2027. If there are any questions on the Plan update, please contact Mr. Nate Wiberg, Senior Planner, at (435) 673-3548 ext. 105, or via e-mail to nwiberg@fivecounty.utah.gov
| THE ASSOCIATION HAS
A MICROLOAN LOAN PROGRAM |
The Five County Association of Governments has a microloan fund. The purpose of this fund is to create permanent, long-term jobs within the southwestern region of Utah by providing needed financing to qualified businesses for eligible activities. Loans made through the fund are intended to help when commercial financing proves unreachable. Funds loaned at interest are repaid into the program and recycled to other businesses, thus allowing an on-going job creation program. Funds are available in Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane and Washington County, Utah.
The Southwest Utah Microloan Program, established by the Five County Association of Governments, focuses on loans of $50,000 or less with most being $25,000 or less. The importance of these loans lies in their ability to offset the difficulty that businesses experience in receiving traditional bank financing.
To
find out more about
the loan fund, please contact
Gary Zabriskie, Director of Community
and Economic Development at: gzabriskie@fivecounty.utah.gov , or
phone (435) 673-3548 ext. 126
As required by
Utah Code the Five County Association
of Governments publishes
all of its public meetings on the "Utah Public Meeting Notice"
(UPMN)
web site. You can search for
our meetings
by date or subject keyword.
To locate all of the meeting announcement
postings published on the UPMN site
by the Five County Association of Governments
you can use this link and use the "Advanced Search"
tab. You will need to
type in the word
five into
the "Entity"
box, highlight the "Five County Association of Governments"
link that comes up, select a date range you want to view and
then click on the "Submit" button.
It will then
show all upcoming meetings scheduled by
the Five County AOG in the date range you
selected.
Alternatively, you
can use
this LINK, choose to Find a Notice, and
select "Associations
of Governments"
for Government type, choose
"Five County
Association of
Governments" for the Entity,
and you will see the Public Body
list with links to each of them.
Click Here for more info on what the Five County AOG is about.
