UTAH DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Agency History #181

CREATION

The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) was organized on July 1, 1979, for the purpose of improving the quality of life in Utah. It was created by legislative H.B., #383, which is codified in Utah Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 33.

FUNCTIONS

Original functions of the department did not differ significantly from those exercised by the old departments of Community Affairs and Development Services. The new department was to encourage a healthy economy through increased economic development and tourism, and to promote social and cultural opportunities in the state. As the department expanded, a new function was added in 1981: to assist communities and minorities through affordable housing and technical advice on community development.

ADMINISTRATION

The director of the department is appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. An Advisory Council on Community Affairs was created to advise the department on matters affecting state and local government relations in 1979, but its role was expanded in 1985 to also include advising the Legislature and the Governor's Office. The department administration also assumes a role in state issues that overlap or transcend the mission of DCED. The Executive Director serves on the Four Corners Regional Commission as an alternate for the Governor, and this officer or a designee, also serves on the Federal Research Committee and several other state-wide planning bodies.

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

DCED was organized by combining the departments of Development Services (Agency #303) and Community Affairs (#178). Divisions included in the new department were essentially those which had existed in the two older ones and included: Industrial Promotion (# 535), Expositions (#367), Travel Development (#1151), Fine Arts (#369), History (#495), and Community Development (#176). The Division of Industrial Promotion (#535) became the Division of Business and Economic Development (#1825) in 1985. Two new divisions were added in the reorganization: the State Library (#575), which was formerly independent, and the Division of Indian Affairs (#524), which had been transferred from the Department of Social Services.

Since its creation, eight additional agencies have been placed under the department's administrative umbrella. The Utah Housing Finance Agency (#492) was added in 1979. Offices of Community Services (#243), Hispanic Affairs (#472), and Black Affairs (#74) had been added by 1981. The Office of Labor and Training was transferred from the Planning and Budget Office (#762) in 1983 and reorganized as the Office of Job Training for Economic Development (#554). The Offices of Asian Affairs (#3) and the Utah Technology Finance Agency were added in 1984. The Women's Economic Development Bureau (#1636) was created in 1989.

PRIOR NAMES

The department has not had a name change.

DIRECTORS

Stanley B. Parrish, 1989-present

David W. Adams, 1985-1989

Dale Carpenter, 1980-1985

Reed Searle, 1979-1980

COMPILED BY: Steven R. Wood, October 1989

SOURCES

Deseret News, 29 July 1989, pp. A1-2 (Women's Economic Development Bureau created).

Governor's Executive Orders, May 30, 1986 (Minority Affairs created--Asian American Affairs, Black Affairs, and Hispanic Affairs).

Governor's Executive Orders, May 16, 1988 (Polynesian Advisory Board).

Laws of Utah, 1979 (Chapter 234), DCED created.

Laws of Utah, 1985 (Chapter 144), the Division of Industrial Promotion becomes the Division of Business and Economic Development, pp. 256-58.

Salt Lake Tribune, 29 July 1989, p. 2B (Women's Economic Development Bureau created).

Utah Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 33.