In his “State of the County” message Tuesday afternoon in Provo, Utah County Commission Chair Brandon Gordon referenced a quote from late NFL star Walter Payton.

“When you’re good at something, you’ll tell everyone. When you’re great at something, they’ll tell you,” Gordon read.

The quote reflected the tone of the afternoon, as Gordon and the other two commissioners, Amelia Powers Gardner and Skyler Beltran, used their “State of the County” addresses to publicly applaud the successes of county departments and employees in the past year.

Each commissioner took their turn addressing the highlights of the respective departments they oversee, many of which were well-represented by their employees at the Utah Valley Convention Center, on Tuesday.

Gordon touched on the county’s efforts to provide warming centers, expressed his gratitude to Sheriff Mike Smith and public safety and applauded public works, crediting their efforts to make a land swap with the Forest Service for land around Bridal Veil Falls.

“I’m happy to report that as of last week, the forest service has come to the table and has a different tone, perhaps,” Gordon said.

Powers Gardner touted Utah County’s 2024 growth, stating the county accounted for 43% of the statewide population increase.

“The growth that we have anticipated is here and the momentum will only continue,” she said. “Together, with our state partners, we must invest in infrastructure and ensure that Utah County remains a place where families thrive, businesses succeed and a quality of life that we value is preserved.”

She also spoke of a $2 million Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant the administrative services department received, which will help families in poverty, and highlighted the efforts from the recorder’s office and information systems to improve their internal technology.

Beltran commended the assessor’s office for the completion of a five-year review plan to review all county land parcels, and addressed the Alpine School District’s split into three districts.

He also said the attorney’s office has made “significant strides” in prosecuting crime under County Attorney Jeff Gray, referencing their success prosecuting Matt Hoover, who was found guilty of killing Provo officer Joseph Shinners in 2019 and sentenced to life without parole.

“This achievement brings justice and closure to the families affected while reinforcing our commitment to a safer community,” Beltran said.

County awards

To round out the event, three awards were handed out to individuals and organizations that impacted Utah County in 2024.

Wendy Osborne, the executive director of Tabitha’s Way, was named “Person of the Year.” The food pantry recently opened a new location in Pleasant Grove and moved to a larger building in Spanish Fork.

“We had over 7,770 volunteers perform over 30 hours of volunteer service in our food pantry,” Osborne said. “It’s a team effort, it’s a community effort.”

“Organization of the Year” went to Wasatch Behavioral Health for its work in the mental health community.

Just Ingredients was named “Business of the Year” for its efforts improving the health of the community and rapid growth as a business.

“I just wanted a way to share with others how to feel better by using nourishing foods in their meals,” founder and CEO Karalynne Call said.