Commissioners approve county logo

Sweetwater County now has its own logo.

The Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the new logo at their last meeting on February 21.

The logo was discussed in more detail during the February 7 meeting, when IT Director Tim Knight presented the new design and explained it to the commissioners.

"I'm really excited about this opportunity," Knight said. "Every once in a while I get asked 'Where's the county logo?'"

Knight demonstrated how this question can be a problem by showing the commissioners almost a dozen different logos, which he said were all currently in use by the county.

"They're all over the place," he said, pointing out how the designs included everything from a horse to an antelope to a "stump looking thing."

Since there hasn't been an official county logo in the past, Knight asked the commissioners if he could form a committee to develop one. The committee consisted of Knight, Cindy Lane, Erin Wyant, Jason Mower and Dave Divis.

The committee's goals were to create a logo so there would be consistency across the county, a recognizable brand for marketing, and a vectored logo that could be used on all platforms. They wanted the new logo to be simple, recognizable, and a reflection of local culture.

Thinking through what the community represents, the committee discussed the importance of things like history, the outdoors and wildlife, small town and family values, and a rugged western mentality. Many ideas and designs came out of the discussion until the committee narrowed it down to the design they liked best.

Bruce Stigler designed the new logo, which features a view of a butte, inspired by Castle Rock, and a river, inspired by the Green River.

"Wide open skies symbolize the county's endless possibilities," Stigler explained in a statement he wrote for the commissioners. "Desert landscapes and rivers winding through the rugged canyons and buttes are testament to the residents' strengths and perseverance. The wordmark type style represents the western characteristics of the community (courage, optimism, self-reliance, authenticity, honesty, duty and heart). Together, they serve as a reminder of how unique and special it is to live in Sweetwater County."

"I think all the things that we put together really help serve to make this logo feel representative of the county and the people in the county," Stigler said during the meeting. "It's something that is unique and different and will have some longevity."

Knight pointed out that there is also a number 4 hidden in the design of the butte in the logo, which fits with the "hidden gems" of Sweetwater County.

Knight said the county has already started using the logo for some internal things but is excited to use it more widely and to have something to tie things together. Knight also confirmed the commissioners' question that the logo is adaptable to be used by multiple departments and showed ways the logo can be customized to be used in different settings.

"I think that it really is important for our county overall to have a cohesive front," Commissioner Lauren Schoenfeld commented. "That's what we're trying to do in all of the processes that we've been working through for the past few years, and so I think that this ties it together nicely."

"We need business cards, new ones," Commissioners Mary Thoman said with a laugh when the commissioners voted to approve the logo.

"They're in the works I think," Knight answered.