Utah County held its first State of the County presentation Wednesday, with officials touting the vast improvements in many departments and some problems as well.

Showing a dated photograph of early downtown Provo with a train in the street, Ellertson said the new project would not be the first time there have been trains in Utah County. Currently, the county is looking at bringing bus rapid-transit into the area.

Ellertson said the county has doubled in size since 1990 and will likely reach 800,000 residents by 2020 at its current growth rate.

"The fact is, we're growing," he said. "The population's coming."

County Attorney Jeff Buhman said the attorney's office has made strides to work better with police officers to prosecute crimes.

In the last year, an attorney was assigned to each police agency in the county in order to work more closely and efficiently with law enforcement and keep the county safe.

"The mission of my office, the County Attorney's Office, is to protect the citizens of Utah County," he said.

Bryan Thompson, county clerk/auditor, said his comments on his office's accomplishments would be different as a result of the recent election. Some mistakes were made in underestimating voter turnout, and Thompson has not forgotten it yet.

"Bryan, since you're such a proponent of consolidating, why don't you consolidate your talk to one minute instead of two?" Thompson's wife asked him before he spoke.

Aside from the election-day hassles, Thompson also focused on the positive aspects of the county. Almost 5,000 marriage licenses were issued last year, and Thompson said Utah County is one of the best places to raise a family.

The county also received an "unqualified opinion" with no management comments in an external audit, which is the highest possible rating.

A major accomplishment of the County Treasurer's Office was the implementation of the lockbox program, said County Treasurer Robert Kirk. The lockbox program allows residents to pay their property taxes at a Wells Fargo bank.

The bank is able to scan and process the documents much faster than the county, which has increased revenue dramatically. In November 2006, $86 million was collected in property taxes, while $160 million was collected in 2007.

"It was practically double this year from last, and it was all due to the lockbox system," he said.

Commissioner Gary Anderson emphasized the growth of the county and its fiscally conservative programs. The county has not raised taxes in 13 years, though Anderson said it may need to happen in the future.

"We are no longer a rural county or a small county," he said. "We're a player."

Several awards were given out by the county for businesses and individuals in the community who made a difference. Action Target and Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company, both located in Provo, were given the Business of the Year award. Anderson said the companies are great community partners that offer quality jobs and service to Utah County.

Anderson also gave awards to individuals who he said made a difference in the community. The first Commissioner's Medal of Honor was given to Bill Anderson, Clyde Naylor and Hesther Rippy, whom Anderson called "Utah County Treasures."

Gary Anderson said Bill Anderson was born in Provo and has continued to serve in the community throughout his life. Gary Anderson, who is not related to Bill, said the man is who he would like to be when he grows up.

Naylor was honored for his work building infrastructure in the county in his years of public service. Naylor built flood structures and roads after the floods of the early 1980s.

"Clyde built this county, and his legacy will last forever," Anderson said.

Hesther Rippy is the embodiment of the spirit of Utah County, Anderson said. Rippy was a literacy specialist for her church in Lehi in 1997, and her work has grown from a 9-foot-by-9-foot room to 2,000 square feet. The Rippy Literacy Center now teaches reading, math and advanced math courses for free.

"I strongly believe that we have been divinely blessed to have Hesther Rippy with us," Anderson said.