Monthly Newsletter - May 2024
NEWS & UPDATES
Executive Director's Corner
One of the many things I love about my position here at MAG is seeing the incredible amount of collaboration we have with all of our stakeholders. I’m routinely impressed with the unified vision and spirit of regionalism I see amongst our elected officials.

To help strengthen these unified efforts and understanding, I’ve decided to take our show on the road. This means we’ll be scheduling a time to bring our MAG team to you– to visit with the leadership of each of the counties, cities and towns within our jurisdiction– to give you updates on programs, information about opportunities, to answer questions, and to hear what priorities matter most in your area.


You can expect to hear from us in the next few weeks to coordinate meeting times that work for you. Thanks for giving our newsletter a read, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

-Michelle Carroll, MPA
Long-term Care Ombudsmen
Long-term care Ombudsmen are champions for the rights of individuals in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Certified by the state, they are trained to investigate complaints, resolve issues, and provide valuable information about long-term care options.

Recent success stories highlight their impact:
  • A resident facing homelessness due to a discharge notice received vital support. The Ombudsman assisted in appealing the decision, leading to a postponed discharge and more time to find a solution.
  • In another case, a divided family was preventing contact with a resident. The Ombudsman clarified regulations and facilitated a reunion between the resident and their child.
  • At a challenging facility, the Ombudsman stepped in to provide staff training, improving interactions with residents and families.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about long-term care, call 801-229-3809. Services are free and confidential.
Meals on Wheels and the Utah County Jail
You may not think of the Utah County Jail when you think about MAG's Meals on Wheels (MOW) program, but you should. County staff and inmate work together in the state-of-the-art kitchen, preparing more than 2,500 meals a day. This program nourishes our homebound seniors while providing an excellent rehabilitation opportunity for Utah County inmates.

Of the meals produced at the jail, hundreds are delivered to Meals on Wheels recipients by MAG MOW volunteers and staff. In fact, more than 65% of MOW deliveries in MAG's region are delivered by volunteers.

With a growing list of seniors waiting to join our program, we need your help. To learn more about MOW volunteer opportunities, please visit mountainland.org/volunteer.
Weatherization Wins
The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) offers assistance to homeowners, renters and mobile home owners to improve the energy efficiency and safety of their homes so that they hold heat better in the winter and stay cooler in the summer. If you qualify for the program, locally-based and professionally trained weatherization crews use computerized energy assessments and advanced diagnostic equipment to create a comprehensive analysis to determine the most cost effective improvements for your home. The Weatherization Assistance Program also thoroughly inspects households to ensure the occupant's safety and checks indoor air quality.

Examples of weatherization services include:
  • Mechanical measures
  • Building shell measures
  • Health & safety measures
  • Electric & Water measures
  • Client education activities
"Thank you very much for the upgrades in my home! I am sensitive to the dollar value of your time and skills and of the appliances and materials used and given to me directly and indirectly. I am so very grateful for the financial relief and stress relief you've given me! I feel so cared for. Thank you for servicing your community!"

-Weatherization Service Recipient
Community Block Grant Program (CDBG) Celebrates 50 Years of Community Building
Enacted by Congress in 1974 under the Housing and Community Development Act and signed into law by President Gerald Ford, CDBG provides necessary funding to communities across the country to address infrastructure, economic development, housing, disaster recovery, and other community needs. CDBG was the result of the consolidation of eight categorical programs which were federally funded. Consolidation meant that communities no longer had to compete for funding of each program and allowed community leaders to make their own decisions about resource distribution at the state and local levels. The inception of CDBG greatly increased the efficiency of the federal granting process.  

Over the last five decades many projects have been completed in Utah, Summit, and Wasatch Counties. Many cities have benefited from water and sewer, parks, ADA ramps, fire truck and Senior Centers projects.  Local non-profits including Community Action, Boys and Girls Club, Project Read, Tabitha’s Way, Centro Hispano, Community Health Connect, Mountainland Community Health, The Refuge, Children’s Justice Center, Family Haven, and Food and Care Coalition have received funding to help individuals in low and moderate-income categories. Our small business revolving loan fund has helped start-ups and small businesses grow their business. Recently, we have rehabilitated several dozen homes in our Single Family Rehab program.  

We are proud of the contributions that CDBG federal funds have made to help build communities across our three counties, and it is our ongoing pleasure to administer the programs.
MAG Safety Action Plan
MAG is working to adopt our first ever Safety Action Plan. This will be a data-driven plan that identifies the locations with the highest safety concerns and identifies solutions to these issues. MAG is currently reviewing a draft plan and will recommend approval to the Board on August 1. The Safety Action Plan is a part of a greater, nationwide effort referred to as Safe Streets and Roads for All, which is currently in its third year of five. MAG is completing the plan through funding from this federal program, and is applying for additional funding to perform supplemental planning work. 

Cities, towns, and counties within MAG's jurisdiction are also eligible and are encouraged to apply for supplemental planning and demonstration grants. The final deadline for this year to apply for these grants is August 29. Applicants are required to have 20% of the total grant amount as a local match. These grants can be used to perform deeper dives on issues uncovered by the Safety Action Plan or to test new or novel safety interventions on a limited or temporary basis. Cities, towns, and counties interested in applying for these grants should review information provided by the Federal Highway Administration and contact MAG staff to coordinate grant activities.
MAG Receives State Grant to Develop 'Missing Middle Housing' Toolkit
Utah communities are ready for more housing options. According to Governor Spencer Cox, “We stopped building starter homes generally as a nation about 15 years ago. We now build two things pretty well - we build apartment buildings and we build bigger homes for people who can afford bigger homes.”  

To help fill the housing gap between rental apartments and aspirational housing, MAG was recently awarded $200,000 from the Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman to develop a ‘Missing Middle Housing’ Toolkit. This toolkit will include: 

  1. An informational guide describing what Missing Middle Housing is, what it looks like, and why it’s important.
  2. A user-friendly matrix of Missing Middle Housing barriers and strategies, featuring ready-to-implement templates and a directory of resources. 
  3. A real-world case study demonstrating how a Utah community can successfully apply and benefit from the Missing Middle Housing Toolkit. 

The MMH Toolkit will be housed on the Land Use Academy of Utah website utah.luau.gov, where it can be accessed by any agency or individual free of charge.
Missing Middle Housing concept created by Daniel Parolek/Image © Opticos Design, Inc./For more info visit www.missingmiddlehousing.com 
Making the Rounds
Wasatch Back Economic Summit - Park City
MAG's Bob Allen was a panelist at the Keep the Wasatch Back Moving session of the Wasatch Back Economic Summit. The session focused on transportation and the role transit can play in Wasatch and Summit Counties. Bob shared how the Wasatch Back RPO can bring the region together and plan for future transportation solutions. 

Utah APA Spring Conference - Cedar City
At this annual conference, Bob Allen and representatives from across the state shared with planners some of the many programs and resources that Utah's AOGs provide to communities and planners. Bob's presentation focused on programs that can provide funding to develop plans and studies on a regional and local level, such as the TIP and TAG.
Planning Team New Additions
Jared Lillywhite, PE, is a new transportation modeler in the analytics division. He brings over four years of experience in traffic operations engineering, travel demand forecasting, active transportation planning, and data analysis. Jared is passionate about harnessing technological tools to improve communities by providing decision makers with insightful and accurate information. He views transportation investments as an opportunity to improve quality of life for all people and is excited to be part of building the tools to inform those investments at MAG.
Kimberly Brenneman joined MAG’s Planning Department in early April as an Executive Assistant. She has over 10 years of experience working in the public sector related to land and economic development. She has experience working with elected officials and meeting coordination. Kim is excited to share her organization skills in creating a solid foundation of support to the department. She looks forward to building relationships with those that are served by the MAG organization and fostering a collaborative environment.
Borrow Me!
MAG's folding e-bike is looking forward to exploring with elected officials and city staff who want to experience the opportunities this new technology brings. 

Contact Shauna Mecham for more information to learn about active transportation plans at:
For questions, concerns, or comments contact Johnathon Knapton, MAG Communications Manager, at jknapton@magutah.org or (801)229-3836