On April 15th, we were pleased to have as our Lunch and Learn speaker, Victor Iverson, one of our three Washington County Commissioners. It was an informative hour during which we learned not only about commissioner Iverson's passion for serving our county but also about the structure of the local government and what concerns residents will be confronting in the future as we experience continued growth in our area. Washington County's three Commissioners work as a political subdivision of the state to determine policy and set budgets in conjunction with, but not dictating to, local cities. Our county government also is served by a Sheriff, Attorney, Tax Assessor, Recorder, Treasurer and, in a combined position, a Clerk/Auditor, who oversees elections.

Commissioner Iverson spoke about various issues which must be addressed by the commissioners to promote orderly development of the county where growth has already outpaced previous planning. Among these issues are:

• Transportation, to include studying traffic patterns and determine which new road construction can best provide for our cities' future needs.
• Development of the Northern Corridor while caring for the Mojave desert tortoise, a topic which has been in conversation for thirty years and about which we await a ruling from a DC District Court, possibly by October.
• Water supply and how, in conjunction with the Washington County Water Conservancy District, this area's demand for water will best be met.

Following the Commissioner's initial talk, attendees were invited to ask questions, many of which indicated a desire for elaboration on topics already discussed. We learned that, although there are benefits to growth, there are now about 214,000 people living in Washington County and at least 30,000 visitors per year with next year's population projected to be 218,000. Sustainability for land use and number of available water permits has been predicted to accommodate a population of 300,000. Additionally, Commissioner Iverson is adamant about the need for thoughtful construction of infrastructure, including bridges and overpasses, continued expansion of our St. George airport and creative development of trail systems which should connect to other trails in local cities. He also agrees that homelessness must be addressed by appropriate agencies working together to ensure and provide for social services and affordable housing.

This is only a synopsis of our time with Commissioner Iverson. If you would like to watch a video of this entire Lunch and Learn program, it is available on our YouTube channel.