Washington City Roads

One of the major costs of local government is the building and maintenance of our roads. Because of the fast growth of our community we have all become accustom to the orange cones throughout the community.

Since 2008, Washington City had spent nearly $15 million dollars on the construction of new roads or in the ongoing maintenance of the existing roads. Some of the road projects completed in the last few years have included: widening of Washington Fields road, Telegraph widening and improvements, Virgin River Bridge, 2000 South/Sandia improvements, and Industrial Road. And we are currently working on road connections to the new Southern Corridor. 

Each year we spend a significant amount of money on sealing road cracks, fixing potholes and slurry sealing the surfaces. We currently have maintained a life-span on our roads of greater than 16 years, which is a great accomplishment. 

The money available for road projects is very limited and comes from either the general funds and taxes of the community or from a proportioned share of the tax the state collects from every gallon of fuel sold. It never seems quite sufficient for all of our road needs. 

We have a very dedicated and professional road crew and appreciate the great work that they do in providing for both the quality and safety of our streets. 

Emergency Operations Training

Recently I was able to attend a week-long training on emergency operations with our city's emergency operations director, Chief Jim Keith. This training was conducted by FEMA and took place at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, MD. 

The purpose of this training was to receive instruction and practical experience in the proper running of an emergency operations center (EOC). We received classroom instruction for several days and were then placed in a working EOC to run emergency scenarios for a simulated disaster(s) for a community. The training was intense and demonstrated the challenges that occur while trying to manage uncertain situations during an emergency. 

Washington City has had a written emergency operation plan for many years. As a staff, we practice aspects of the plan several times a year. During the last 10 years we have opened our EOC on a few occasions to deal with floods and power outages. Each year we try to improve upon the physical assets we need to properly deal with an emergency; this has included the purchases of mobile generator units, emergency supply pods, etc. 

Life safety and property protection are the most important roles for local government to take on. To do this effectively good planning and constant training are necessary. This aspect of good governance is a high priority for Washington City and its staff. 

Yourwashington.org

During our recent Cotton Days event the city introduced a new citizen interface platform called
"Yourwashington.org." This platform creates a one-stop shop for interfacing with your elected officials and city staff.

From this site you can connect with all of the ways the city communicates with you,
Including: Facebook, Twitter, Blogger. And you can communicate with the city by contacting your city councilmen, connecting to any surveys the city is conducting, asking a question, or generating ideas for the elected officials to consider.

This last feature called "Yourvoice" is a new feature which allows you to recommend or suggest an idea for the city to consider and vote on other ideas suggested. Through this process the city is hoping to hear your ideas and to see which ideas are most supported by the community. You will need to check this feature out.

As the name of this platform indicates, this is "Your Washington" and we hope you will take advantage of this simple way to influence, direct, and stay aware of all that is going on in your city.

YourWashington.org Launch Event at Cotton Days 2013

Covington Home

A year ago Washington City was fortunate enough to purchase the Robert Covington home, located at 200 N and 200 E. this home was one of the original homes built in Washington and was the residence of Robert Dockery Covington and his family. Mr. Covington was commissioned by Brigham Young to bring a group of pioneers down to this part of the state to homestead and establish a cotton crop and mill.

The home he resided in was also used as the city's first church, first city hall and the first community center. It is a rich and important part of our heritage here in Washington.

Although it will take several years to restore, the city has been enhancing and improving the grounds. We have allowed the city's Youth Council to use it for their weekly meetings and we eventually look forward to opening it up to the public to enjoy on a regular basis.

In the meantime and during Cotton Days week we encourage you to swing by and take a look at this beautiful part of our (your) history.

Dogtown Resolution

-Submission from guest writer Shannon Hinman (St George Mom)

Time for New Year's resolutions and that means setting goals and taking steps to achieve them. My next goal is to run a personal best in the Dogtown Half Marathon. This February 23, 2013 Washington City will hold their annual Dogtown Half Marathon, 9k, and 5k. I suggest picking an obtainable distance and selecting the best training program to fit you.

 I find running in the morning the best way to start my day and I can do it while my family still sleeps.  This has not been easy with the cold temperatures we have been experiencing lately, so I am glad the Washington City Community Center is nearby. I have been attending circuit classes (great for preventing running injuries), weightlifting, spin class, and swimming. I have even hit the dreaded treadmill for short runs. I save my long runs for the weekends when I can run in the afternoon. I run all over Washington City and love it. You can easily find hills to challenge you or run out to Washington Fields for some flat speed work. 

Check out the Dogtown Half Marathon course. It starts in Coral Canyon and runs down hill through a beautiful canyon. Then it heads out to Washington Fields and has two tiny hills. You also receive a pair of running shorts for signing up. I love both pair I have and ran the St. George Marathon in them the last two years because they were so comfortable. The dog tag metal you receive when you cross the finish line is awesome. Sign up at the Washington City Community Center and look for me at the start line!

-Submission from guest writer Shannon Hinman (St George Mom)

Washington Fields Traffic Signal

One of the items most indicative of our growth is the increase in traffic signals at our intersections. Recently the Washington Fields area hit a new milestone in its growth, as the first traffic signal, in the Fields, was installed at Washington Fields and Washington Dam Road. This installation, along with the widening of the Washington Fields Road, was due to the large growth in homes and traffic in this part of our community. This lighted intersection is also in preparation of the increased traffic we will receive once SR-9 is connected to Washington Dam Road and Washington Fields Road is connected to the new Southern Parkway. These new connections will be the quickest access to the St. George Airport from the east and other parts of our county. Just another sign of a growing community. With the increase in traffic and traffic control measures, please be safe and cautious while traveling in our community.

 

Washington City Boilers

Recently the Washington City Mayor and Council met on-site at the Washington City Boilers to discuss future options for this unique feature and ecosystem. The Boilers are a natural hotspring located between I-15 and Buena Vista Parkway. This "old swimming hole" has been a rich part of the history of our community. The Mayor and Council met to evaluate its current condition and discuss future options to preserve and enhance this wonderful gem of our community.