County council talks multi-county health department, other business

The Cache County Council primarily talked about the “Multicounty United Local Health Department Interlocal Agreement” and a rezone request from the Powder Mountain Ski Resort during its meeting in the Cache County Historic Courthouse Tuesday. The Bear River Health Department's Interlocal Agreement is an agreement between Cache County, Box Elder County and Rich County with the purpose of providing “public health, mental health, and substance abuse services more efficiently and to ensure the quality and effective services for the citizens of these counties,” per the agreement. While all the council members approved of the agreement, they did not sign off on it because Councilmember Nolan Gunnell requested there be language added, requiring annual updates on how effective the agreement is.

BRHD Director Jordan Mathis and Cache County Deputy Attorney Jeris Kendall saw no issue with adding the language, noting they have to first consult the other two counties. Based on discussions between Mathis, Kendall and Cache County Council members, the agreement will likely be approved during the council’s next meeting, Feb. 11.



Mathis provided a presentation to the council, highlighting what the new agreement would change, as well as explaining how he believes the agreement will benefit all three counties. During his presentation, Mathis highlighted several ways in which the agreement hopes to unify not only the counties, but BRHD and its associated services. “Prior, we were in charge of substance abuse at the health department; Bear River Mental Health had all the funding and programming for the mental health,” Mathis said.

“It’s going to be an integration of those funds and those programs, to better serve the public.” The agreement would also give BRHD oversight over the contracts between all three counties, something counties themselves have been responsible for in the past. A Bear River Behavioral Health Advisory Council would also be created.

Composed of five appointed members from Cache County, three appointed members from Box Elder County and one appointed member from Rich County, the advisory council’s job will be to advise the respective county legislative bodies on the needs and happenings within the BRHD. Mathis said the advisory council will also inform the new director of behavioral health, when the position is filled. Another goal of the agreement is to seek out more public input.

“Quite frankly, we’ve done a really poor job of seeking the required public input into those plans in the past,” Mathis said. “What this interlocal agreement allows for and dictates is gaining that public input.” Mathis said the BRHD Board of Health will hold public hearings on pertinent topics regarding the BRHD, before anything is ever sent to the counties for approval.

Cache County Executive David Zook asked Mathis and Kendall whether or not this agreement was truly unifying the counties and services, seeing as how it was adding another advisory council, potentially putting Mathis in a place of not knowing whose orders to follow. After explanations from Mathis and Kendall made the advisory council’s purpose more clear - to bring more expertise into the discussions and provide a forum for public input - Zook responded. “I just want to make sure we are retaining the primary goal of this whole process, which was to unify and bring this service delivery together,” Zook said.

“If you feel comfortable about this structure retaining that goal, then I do too.” As for the rezone request from the Powder Mountain Ski Resort, the council decided to wait until the next meeting to make a decision, following no motions to approve or deny the 1,621 acre rezone. Requesting to be rezoned from FR40 (forest recreation) to RR (resort recreation), the parcel’s rezone was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission due to being compatible with an RR zone, being “partially consistent” with the Cache County General Plan and the nearest RR zone being directly south.

Brooke Hontz provided the council with a presentation detailing the planning commission’s recommendation, as well as the resort’s desires for the rezone. According to Hontz, the primary reason behind the rezone request is to allow for more housing and commercial opportunities, on the southern end of the parcel. Council Chair Sandi Goodlander and Zook agreed with Hontz sentiment regarding separate reasoning – designating the entire property as one zone would simplify its relationship with the county’s master plan.

With Councilmembers Keegan Garrity and Gunnell questioning if the rezone needs to include the entirety of the acreage, the council decided to not approve or deny and seek more information before their next meeting. The council also approved the Silva Farm Round One Open Space Application, allowing the property to move onto phase two, where it can potentially receive funding from the county to preserve the land. To watch or listen to the meeting, go here .

It was noted microphones were not working for the majority of the meeting so an audio recording was provided for the second half of the meeting..