09 12 2023 CACHE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING
April 10, 2026complete
TL;DR
Cache County Council approved Amy Adams as permanent director of the new Office of Personnel Management, adopted several governance and ethics measures, and moved forward with amended ARPA allocations, including redirecting the county facilities assessment request to the public defender’s office. The council also advanced land-use and district actions, set hearings for the Bailey Building lease and budget opening, and heard major proposals on the Cache County School District’s $139 million bond and the county’s rural economic development grant plan, both of which were left for further review or later action.
Meeting Summary
- The council approved Amy Adams as the permanent Director of the newly created Cache County Office of Personnel Management, following the county executive’s executive order establishing the office under state law.
- The council approved amended ARPA funding for county departments and component units after adjusting the internal allocation; members redirected the $36,595 county administrative facilities assessment request to the public defender’s office instead.
- Discussion on ARPA nonprofit funding was deferred to the next meeting so council members can review the applications and submit preferences, with staff asked to create a comparison sheet that flags prior RAPZ tax recipients and highlights nonprofits with limited alternative funding.
- Public hearings were set for September 26 on the lease of the John C. Bailey Building to the Bear River Health Department and on Resolution 2023-15 opening the 2023 budget.
- The council appointed drainage district trustees by approving Resolution 2023-15, including Anthony Hall for District 4 and Eric Summers and Hunter Sigurd for District 6.
- The council approved Ordinance 2023-31, reclassifying a parcel north of Richmond and east of Lewiston from A-10 to RU-5, allowing a higher-density rural residential subdivision; the property owners said the change would help carry out the original owner’s wishes and support future family use.
- The Cache County School District presented its proposed $139 million bond for new middle schools in Nibley and Hyde Park, a new elementary school, conversion of Spring Creek Middle to elementary, and safety upgrades; district leaders said the bond would not increase the tax rate and would help relieve overcrowding and add full-day kindergarten access.
- The county’s Rural County Grant advisory board proposed using the county’s $200,000 allocation for economic development studies and initiatives, including an airport viability study, a SWOT analysis, targeted aerospace/defense recruitment, and arts/culture analysis; several council members urged adding agriculture-related priorities, but final approval was deferred to the next meeting.
- The council approved Ordinance 2023-33 on financial controls, including restrictions on extra compensation for employees and officers, monthly reporting of ledger recategorizations, and grant time-tracking/training requirements; they also added a requirement that travel be authorized before expenses are incurred.
- The council approved Ordinance 2023-34 to implement the Office of Personnel Management structure in county code, and also passed Resolution 2023-13 prohibiting county employees from manufacturing alcohol, illegal drugs, or other intoxicants on county property or during work hours.
- The council approved Resolution 2023-12 updating CVTD board apportionment to comply with state law reducing the board from 19 members to a maximum of 9, and asked that Sean Bushman be reappointed as Cache County’s representative under the new structure.
- In public comments and council discussion, members also raised concerns about county space needs, airport snow-removal costs, open-space bond application procedures, UAC updates, and the importance of balancing economic development with agriculture, water conservation, and preservation of Cache County’s rural character.