"When I came to this office, there was a great need to restore Salt Lake County's morale and reputation," he said. "Today, I'm proud to say that we did what we said we'd do."
The first-term Democratic mayor, facing re-election in November, touted his administration as restoring public trust and leaving county government "better than we found it."
Aside from somber reflections on the Trolley Square shootings, Corroon centered his 3,040-word speech on a list of successes including curbside recycling and a Meals on Wheels program that registered nearly 500 seniors to vote by mail.
Corroon's tone had none of the toughness seen during last year's address, when he insisted - amid the Real Salt Lake stadium tug of war - that the county's "integrity is not for sale."
Rather, he took a look-at-how-far-we've-come tack and a subtle swipe at GOP claims that he is soft on crime by noting that the county will oversee a bigger public-safety budget than ever.
The mayor reminded colleagues of his plans to plant a million trees during the next 10 years and speckle the county's rooftops with solar panels. He also unveiled plans to reduce county government's water and energy use by 20 percent by 2009.
"Just as we all live under one sky, we are all affected by this shared environment," he said. "Neither the climes of Mill Creek Canyon nor the banks of the Jordan River are immune. We all drink the water, breathe the air and live on the land. So it's in all of our best interest to be conservationists and environmentalists."
At least one Republican balked at the idea that Corroon's tenure has brought sweeping reforms.
"He's running for re-election. I can appreciate that," GOP Councilman David Wilde said. "But I don't want people to say, 'Gosh, four years ago things were in shambles.' . . . Things were pretty good the whole time with the exception of a couple controversies."
Corroon introduced few new initiatives in his speech. Instead, he borrowed a line from newly elected Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, a fellow Democrat, to lay out his priorities for the future.
"I might not be 'blueprint man,' '' he mused, "but I am a man with a plan."
The mayor said county government must be built upon fiscal responsibility, collaboration, planning and a culture of trust and integrity.
"We have come a long way," he said. "But we will strive to do better."
jstettler@sltrib.com
* Forbes magazine ranked Salt Lake County the nation's hottest place for job growth in 2007.
* Meals on Wheels teamed up with the County Clerk's Office to enroll 500 seniors in the vote-by-mail program. Corroon suggested a new motto for the initiative: "Delivering nutrition and democracy straight to your door."
* Seeded the One Million Trees program, which envisions a million plantings by 2017.
* Provided "UPGRADE," a program that serves as a one-stop shop for prospective and existing businesses to navigate federal, state and local resources.
* Implemented mandatory curbside recycling in unincorporated communities. The county now diverts 160,000 pounds of recyclables daily.
* Staged the county's first Diversity Dinner to broaden understanding among cultural groups.
* Dedicated a new clinic for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department that provides services such as nutrition assistance, women's prenatal and postpartum care, family planning and cancer screening.
* Received two national awards for the Homeless Assistance Rental Program.
* Hired an emergency-preparedness coordinator to safeguard the county against disasters.
* Protect open spaces, construct sidewalks and build new libraries and recreation centers.
* Implement policies that will decrease energy and water usage by 20 percent in 2009.
* Report job satisfaction for 95 percent of all county employees by Dec. 31.
* Sprinkle solar panels on the rooftops of county buildings and promote increased reliance on solar energy.
Source: 2008 State of the County speech
