Paul Cozzens Iron County Commissioner

06/09/2026

Statement Regarding Transparency, Oversight, and Commission Reassignments

Today, after raising concerns about a May 26 closed session, the Iron County Commission voted to remove me as liaison over two county departments.

My concerns were straightforward.
I requested release of the closed-session record to the fullest extent permitted by law because I believe the public deserves confidence that closed meetings are being used only for the narrow purposes authorized under Utah law.

As I stated during the meeting, I learned of the closed session while watching the commission meeting remotely. I was never notified beforehand, nor was the elected official over the issue, despite serving as the commission liaison over the departments involved.

After joining the discussion by phone and later reviewing the recording, I became concerned that portions of the discussion may have extended beyond the limited scope authorized for a personnel closed session.

I also learned that elected officials with direct supervisory responsibility over the matter being discussed were not present during the closed session.

Rather than addressing those concerns directly, Commissioner Bleak made a motion to remove my liaison assignments.

Citizens can decide for themselves whether that sequence of events strengthens or weakens public confidence in county government.
Transparency matters because government functions best when decisions are made openly and accountability is applied consistently.

That principle should apply to every department and every elected official.

For example, several years ago concerns were raised by our auditor regarding issues at the Children's Justice Center. According to public information, taxpayers are now responsible for repaying $358,895 of grant funds intended to serve child victims. More recently, public reports indicate that approximately $160,000 was embezzled from the Planning Department by another county employee.

Both departments were overseen by commissioner Bleak

To make matters worse, when the CJC issue came up years ago, I called for an extensive audit based on information from the county auditor at the time. Commissioner Bleak assured those of us involved that he would handle it.

These are serious matters involving public funds.

The purpose of raising these issues is not to assign blame without evidence, but to ask an important question: If commission liaison assignments are being evaluated based on departmental performance and oversight, should that standard be applied equally across all departments and all commissioners?

Public trust requires consistency.
My position remains the same today as it was before this meeting:

“Secret” closed sessions are not appropriate.

Closed sessions should be rare and limited to the purposes authorized by law.
Concerns about government conduct should be addressed, not avoided.
Accountability should be applied consistently, regardless of who is involved.
And when questions arise, transparency should be the default, not the exception.

06/06/2026

05/17/2026

There’s been a lot of debate lately about data centers, growth, and the fear of what “might happen” to our communities. It reminds me of another controversy from Southern Utah’s past.
After the massive PEPCON rocket fuel plant explosion in Henderson, Nevada in 1988, the company relocated operations to an isolated area outside Cedar City under the name WECCO (Western Electrochemical Company). The Henderson explosion was catastrophic, it killed 2 people, injured hundreds, and damaged buildings for miles.
When the company proposed moving near Cedar City, many people feared the worst. Residents worried it would destroy the community, contaminate water, hurt property values, and permanently damage the area. There was intense opposition and deep concern about the unknown.
But today, decades later, Cedar City still thrives.

I was sitting in church today and heard a man speak who said he had worked at WECCO for 31 years. That really struck me and made me think.

Here was a project many people once believed would ruin the community, yet instead it provided stable jobs, careers, and economic opportunity for generations of local families.
That doesn’t mean every project is perfect or that concerns should be ignored. Communities absolutely should ask hard questions and demand accountability. But history also teaches us that fear of the unknown can sometimes lead us to assume the absolute worst before we’ve seen the actual outcome.

Growth and change most always creates anxiety. New industries generally face skepticism. Sometimes those concerns are justified. Sometimes they aren’t.
But it’s worth remembering: not every feared project becomes the disaster people imagine. Some become part of the fabric of a community and bless many families.

05/11/2026

“People say they hate data centers while posting about it from three devices connected to one.”

“Anti–data center posts are always uploaded… through a data center.”

“Apparently everyone hates data centers right up until the Wi-Fi slows down.”

“Saying you don’t need data centers while using smartphones, streaming TV, and cloud apps is like saying you don’t need roads while driving to the meeting.”

“Some people oppose data centers more passionately than they oppose their screen time.”

“They say data centers ruin modern life… on Facebook, using cloud storage, over fiber internet.”

“The cloud isn’t floating in the sky—it’s a building somewhere.”

“If data centers disappeared tomorrow, half the complaints about them couldn’t even be posted.”

“People want all the benefits of the digital world, just not the building that makes it work.”

“Everybody’s against data centers until Netflix buffers.”

“The internet runs on hopes, dreams… and data centers.”

“Data centers are basically the electric substations of the internet age.”

04/30/2026

This is a great program! My daughter in law is helping and asked me to share!

Bridle Up Hope- Cedar City is a non-profit equine assisted learning program with a mission to inspire hope, confidence, and resilience in girls and women through horses and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Open house April 30- May 1 6-8 pm

04/27/2026

I have had the opportunity to serve alongside Commissioner Gil Almquist of Washington County for the past 7.5 years in my role as an Iron County Commissioner.

Together, we also serve on the Five County Southwest Behavioral Health Board under the leadership of our director, Michael Deal.

This week, we are attending the annual NATCON conference in Denver, where leaders from across the country come together with a shared purpose: improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental health challenges. The workshops and discussions here are focused on real solutions that we can bring back to better serve our communities.
Last year, Gil took the initiative to reach out directly to the leadership of NATCON and advocate for more workshops that incorporate a spiritual and faith based component in the healing process.

Because of his efforts, that perspective is now being included in this year’s conference. That kind of leadership, thoughtful, proactive, and centered on the needs of the people we serve is so important.

Gil Almquist is an outstanding commissioner. Washington County is fortunate to have him, and I strongly support him in his upcoming election. His character, experience, and commitment to improving lives are exactly what we need in leadership today.

The photo shows Gil standing to thank NATCON leadership for listening and responding, just one example of how he consistently works to make a difference.

01/07/2026

For those of you who ignored the 20+ public hearings on the jail, over the last five plus years let’s make it clear:

YOU DID NOT VOTE on whether to build a jail.
You voted on how to pay for it. Period.

The bond failing was expected—and frankly, a good thing. It directly led to legislation allowing the county to fund the jail with a sales tax. That means people from Las Vegas buying materials in Iron County and building cabins on the mountain are helping pay for OUR jail instead of dumping the entire burden on local property owners.
So here was the real choice:
Pay $50 million or more in civil rights lawsuits and then vote to build a $100 million jail, or
Build the $100 million jail first and stop violating people’s rights.
We chose the responsible option.
Yes, it’s a JAIL.
Yes, it will house county, state, and federal inmates, just like the current jail has done for nearly 40 years.
That does NOT make it a prison.
Federal inmates are transported in and typically held around 90 days before being sent to a federal prison. They are never released here. And no, their families are not “moving here.” In-person family visits are not allowed anymore—everything is done by Zoom or similar technology. So the fear-mongering about that can stop right now.
Opening the first pod should go smoothly. The second pod will be more challenging due to staffing and pay—but that’s a problem to solve when we get there. Once the full facility is operational, the jail should generate significant revenue, enough to pay the bond down quickly and strengthen the county budget, including funding needed law-enforcement increases.
Bottom line:
We’ve had years of meetings, endless public discussion, and complete transparency. If you’re still spreading falsehoods about this project, it’s because you didn’t show up, didn’t listen, or don’t understand what you’re talking about.
Please stop lying to the public. Please stop stirring people up with untruths

Bottom line with the 1000’s
of hours we have spent on this project. It will be the most organized and thought out jail in the state of Utah and it will be in high demand for state and federal inmates to help pay the bills.

This issue has been explained—over and over again.

Please share if you would like to help others understand.