Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson shared a pre-recorded State of the County address Thursday, highlighting priorities like improved recreation, building new public spaces and, most importantly, getting county residents vaccinated against COVID-19.
Despite the loss of life challenges 2020 wrought, the mayor highlighted positives from the past year — a new library in Kearns, residents who rallied to support local businesses and county employees who worked to address a public health crisis. Wilson said 2021 will be a year of “rebuilding.”
“My hope is that now the state of the county could be, more than ever, compassionate,” Wilson said. “We must look out for our neighbors, support local businesses, care for our parks, trails, our air, and our water, and make an effort in 2021 to serve others and lift people up.”
The county will also continue to grapple with issues that set in long before the pandemic. Wilson said the county intends to explore solutions for affordable housing and aiding people experiencing homelessness. There could be incentives encouraging people to continue working from home and improve air quality. Outreach efforts to aid all residents of the county will continue as well, despite language, economic and technology barriers.
“Long after COVID, the connections we make and the systems we implement now will put us in better position to serve every resident in a more personal and equitable manner than ever before,” Wilson said.
Watch the full address below.
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