Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
SALINA, Sevier County — If you spend any time in Salina, you'll see a lot of trucks.
Kim Robinson would know. He owns Robinson Transport, a trucking company that's been around since the 1940s.
"I think Sevier County — this county — probably has the most trucks in it per capita than any county in the state," Robinson said.
A few miles down the road in Aurora, Mason Machinery is another longtime business that caters to another key aspect of the economy — agriculture.
"We sell agricultural equipment," said Rachel Mason, whose family has lived a long time in this area that's reliant on farming. "This is the lifeblood of our community."
The region doesn't have a big population. In fact, all of Sevier County has just about 22,000 people, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
One challenge that comes from rural living, residents told KSL-TV, is a persistent difficulty in finding good, qualified workers.
"We're always looking for people most of the time," Robinson said.
"We will open up a job," Mason added, "and we don't get hardly any response on what we need."
That's not the only economic concern in the area. At Mason Machinery, sales consultant Damon Averett said inflation and global challenges hit all at once.
"There's certain things in our market segment equipment-wise that have doubled in price, parts-wise doubled in price," Averett said. "So, it really takes the cash out of the farmer's pocket."
It's not only the economy people think about. Brynn Mason, a mother of two (and no relation to the owners of Mason Machinery) worries about education.
"I know there's not as many resources and opportunities here," Brynn Mason said. "You look at other big school districts, and they have everything, so I feel like maybe we're a little bit behind."
But she loves living here and enjoys the benefits of a small town.
"We've done well in this little community, and we've made it our home," she said.
For many in the Salina-Aurora region, the people are what make the place what it is. Robinson gets emotional even thinking about it.
"When things happen in this town, people gather around you and pull together and be strong," he said. "It's the people and the community that help pull things together and make it work."
