At the Utah Association of Counties Annual Convention, Ben Hart and Dan Hemmert answered questions about how state development authorities can support counties without displacing local decision-making.
A state development authority should make difficult work easier for a county, not make local government’s job more complicated.
That principle shaped a candid panel discussion at the Utah Association of Counties Annual Convention featuring Utah Inland Port Authority Executive Director Ben Hart and Military Installation Development Authority Executive Director Dan Hemmert.
Brandy Grace, chief executive officer of the Utah Association of Counties, moderated the discussion, inviting county commissioners to ask direct questions about local control, tax differential, project communication and the role state authorities should play in economic development.
Both Hart and Hemmert described their organizations as tools counties may choose to use, with local priorities determining the work.
Hart explained that UIPA’s role is not identical in every community. Some counties want substantial help with business recruitment and infrastructure. Others already have strong economic development programs and want UIPA to fill a narrower supporting role.
“Every county is different,” Hart said. “I hope that you view us as an extension of your team. That’s really what we are.”
Much of the discussion centered on what that relationship should look like before a project begins.
Commissioners spoke about the frustration created when local officials learn about a proposal after discussions are already underway or when they are asked to respond publicly without enough information. Hart acknowledged that UIPA has not always been perfect in its early coordination and said the organization has learned from those experiences.
“The standard for us is that it always goes to the local first,” Hart said. “They decide if the zoning is in place, if the appetite is in place.”
Hart reiterated that UIPA does not have land-use authority. Cities and counties retain responsibility for zoning, permitting and other land-use decisions. Hemmert explained that MIDA’s authority differs, but it cannot exercise land-use authority on private property without the local government’s consent.
The conversation also addressed how commitments can endure as elected officials, staff members and state law change. Hart said UIPA is placing greater emphasis on interlocal agreements and memorandums of understanding that clearly define how the organization will operate within a county.
Trust, he noted, should not depend solely on who happens to be leading an organization at a given time. Written agreements can establish when UIPA may act, how tax differential may be used and what role the county will have throughout the process.
Hemmert said he supports requiring local government action before a development authority board considers creating a project area. He also expressed support for stronger coordination with county officials when a proposed project is located within a municipality.
Commissioners raised another practical concern: Counties often carry much of the administrative and public communications workload associated with major projects, even when they have limited staff.
The discussion also highlighted the responsibility of development authorities to manage relationships with project proponents. Hart said UIPA is willing to tell developers to slow down or step back when a proposal is moving ahead of local officials or the community.
State development authorities can bring financing, infrastructure and recruitment capabilities to counties across Utah, including rural communities that may not otherwise have access to the same resources as larger population centers. But Hart and Hemmert agreed that those tools are only useful when they advance goals established by the community.
The panel did not ask commissioners to accept that promise on faith. It focused on what counties should be able to see in practice: early notice, local approval, written terms, help with implementation and a clear account of where public dollars go.
Author: Kaitlin Felsted
Publication Date: 09/11/2026