|
Each year, I gather with my colleagues from Utah’s other Associations of Governments (AOGs) for our annual Utah AOG Retreat. It is a valuable chance to step away from our individual responsibilities and focus on how we can continue working together to better serve the communities across our state.
This year’s retreat brought together representatives from all seven of Utah’s AOGs for two days of learning, collaboration, and conversation. We were joined on the first day by representatives from a wide range of state government agencies, as well as the Utah League of Cities and Towns and the Utah Association of Counties. Their presentations provided important updates on issues affecting local governments and gave us an opportunity to hear directly from our state and local partners about the work happening across Utah.
The second day provided an opportunity for AOGs to share directly with one another. Through roundtable discussions, we exchanged ideas, discussed challenges facing our regions, and shared best practices. While each AOG serves in its own unique way, in its own particular region, we often encounter many of the same challenges. There is tremendous value in learning from what is working in other parts of the state and considering how those ideas might benefit the communities we serve.
I am continually impressed by the expertise and commitment of my fellow AOG leaders and staff. Our organizations play an important role in connecting local governments with one another and with state and federal partners, and that work is stronger when we approach it collaboratively. These partnerships make all of us better at what we do and, ultimately, that benefits the communities we are here to serve.
-Michelle Carroll, MPA
| 
