Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon started Tuesday delivering a message of guarded optimism in the first State of the County address of his second term and ended the day delivering a message of forthright thanks and celebration to the University of Utah Utes football team.

Corroon acknowledged the enormous fiscal challenges that will face the county in the year ahead and noted repeatedly that the key to managing the math of increasing expenses with shrinking revenues was innovation and frugality.

"We have to face the reality that we, as a government and a people, are facing one of the toughest tests in generations," Corroon said. "We face a daunting list of challenges, and yet I cannot help but feel a tremendous sense of hope as we enter 2009. With a new year, a new president, a new stimulus package to create jobs and a fresh start for all of us, I believe things are going to change for the better."

On a somewhat less sanguine note, Corroon highlighted programs critical to those county residents most in need of help. Some of those programs are ones that could be considered for sizable budget reductions in the upcoming legislative session.

"In 2008, with the skills, knowledge and experience of nearly 4,000 volunteers, Aging Services helped deliver over 126,000 meals-on-wheels to our frail, homebound seniors," Corroon said. "I mention this every year because the program is so important, but this year we face state budget cuts that may cut this program in half."

While state dollars may be waning, Corroon said the county will forge ahead on planning and construction on four new senior and community centers in Magna, Riverton, Draper and Millcreek as well as new libraries for Magna, Millcreek, Herriman and West Jordan.

Corroon also re-committed to efforts to "green" the county and cited energy savings achieved by solar installations on the roofs of the South Towne Expo Center and Salt Palace Convention Center that equate to the power needed to run 645 houses for a year. Last month, Corroon announced an ambitious plan to greatly increase the county's solar program and is working on a program to implement the plan at little cost to taxpayers.

Tuesday afternoon, Corroon presented a resolution to the council honoring the University of Utah Utes football team for a year of outstanding accomplishments, including a decisive Sugar Bowl victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide and contention, in the minds of many, for a national championship.

The resolution lauded the undefeated Utes for the "combination of planning, leadership and hard work combined for winning results, opening the minds of sports pundits, bowl operators, BCS voters, media pollsters and computer analysts."

Corroon presented four members of the team with an award marking the occasion, and members of the council expressed their congratulations on the team's winning season and nationally recognized success.

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E-mail: araymond@desnews.com