THE COUNTY’S EFFORTS TO CREATE JOBS and maintain public safety in the face of the ongoing nationwide economic downturn will be spotlighted during the State of Riverside County Forum Luncheon Sept. 30 at Morongo Casino, Resort and Spa.

The chairman of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors will deliver the keynote address at the event and each supervisorial district will make a video presentation highlighting accomplishments in each district and upcoming projects.

Other topics of the address are expected to include ways the county has balanced its budget and trimmed its payroll to respond to the tightening budgets that are the reality for most government agencies in California.

The event is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the resort in Cabazon. Attendees are expected to include a large cross-section of the county’s business, government and educational leadership.

Robert Field, the Assistant County Executive Officer/Economic Development Agency (EDA), will emcee the event, which is being put on the Riverside County Economic Development Agency. Field oversees 23 divisions, a staff of more than 1,000 and an annual budget of over $1 billion.

Guest speakers include Tom Kirk, Executive Director of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and Rick Bishop, Executive Director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG).Kirk’s work with CVAG calls for him to work closely with 10 cities, the County of Riverside and two Indian Tribes: the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.

CVAG is a joint powers agency that unifies the many voices for progress in the Coachella Valley on issues like economic development and transportation.

Bishop fulfills a similar role in western Riverside County, working with 16 cities, the County of Riverside, Eastern Municipal Water District and Western Municipal Water District to advance the quality of life for 1.2 million people.

WRCOG is the administrator of the Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) Program, the nation’s largest multi-jurisdictional development fee program that will pay for about $4 billion in transportation improvements during the next three decades.