The Ashley Valley Water & Sewer Improvement District operates as a vital civic institution for the Vernal area. The district is managed by an elected board of directors tasked with overseeing water and sewer services for the community. According to the district's own website, the board consists of several members serving specific terms to guide the organization's operations and successes.
Leadership within the district is provided by a board of directors with diverse professional backgrounds. Boyd Workman serves as the board chairman, a role with a term that expires in 2026, according to the district's board of directors page. Workman has been involved in farming and ranching in the Vernal area since the 1960s, an experience that contributed to his interest in local water issues.
Other members of the board include Dean Baker, who serves as a trustee with a term expiring in 2028. According to the district's website, Baker was born and raised in Naples and has a long history of community service in the basin, including serving as a mayor. Max Haslem also serves as a trustee with a term expiring in 2026. The district's website describes Haslem as a lifelong Vernal resident and business owner.
David Hatch is a trustee whose term expires in 2028. The district's website notes that Hatch brings several decades of experience to the board and has worked for Vernal City as a water treatment plant employee. Brownie Tomlinson is a trustee whose term expires in 2026. According to the district's website, Tomlinson has served the Ashley Valley Water & Sewer Improvement District for over 40 years. The district's biography of Tomlinson notes that his institutional memory of the district's operations has been instrumental in guiding how the district serves the community now and into the future. Tomlinson is a lifelong resident of the area and operates an excavation business with jobs throughout the basin. His professional experience includes performing earthwork on several local projects, such as the 8th District Court, UBTECH College, the University of Utah Vernal Campus, and the Youth Detention Center. His company was also contracted to perform excavation work underneath the foundation and existing structure for the Vernal Utah LDS Temple.
Residents can engage with the district through its public-facing information and leadership. The board members maintain contact information for the public, such as phone numbers for the chairman and various trustees, as listed on the district's official website. By understanding the backgrounds of these officials—ranging from agricultural experience to water treatment expertise—residents can better understand the perspectives guiding local water and sewer infrastructure decisions.
What this means for Vernal
For Vernal residents, the Ashley Valley Water & Sewer Improvement District provides essential utility oversight through an elected board. Because the trustees include local business owners and individuals with long histories in the basin, the district's leadership possesses significant local knowledge. This ensures that the management of water and sewer services is handled by people with deep ties to the community.
