Cache County Council Regular Meeting – 11-18-2025 @ 5:00 PM

- The council approved the regular meeting agenda and the October 28, October 30, and November 4 minutes, with a correction changing “Keegan Erickson” to “Keegan Garrity” in the October 28 minutes. - Council unanimously appointed Jay Richard Catton as Cache County’s administrative law judge for personnel grievances and appeals. Staff said he will be used on an as-needed, hourly basis to provide an outside option for employee appeals and to avoid conflicts of interest. - The council reviewed potential CDBG grant applications, including senior center improvements, fire-related projects, and airport ADA bathroom upgrades; the food bank project was redirected to BRAG since it serves the region. Members asked staff to rank projects with cost estimates and send them out for council scoring before final prioritization. - The Cache Open Space Advisory Committee received approval for $350 to fund a targeted mailer campaign. The mailer will focus on high-visibility, high-development-risk areas to encourage willing landowners to consider conservation easements, with staff noting the effort is meant to support the bond’s preservation goals. - The Trails Division announced it received a $1 million Outdoor Recreation Initiative grant for the Bonneville Shoreline Trail buildout between Green Canyon and Smithfield Canyon. Construction is expected to begin next year and continue over two to three years, with maps to be emailed to council members. - The council set public hearings for December 2 at 5:30 p.m. for ordinance 2025-41 (treasurer compensation correction), resolution 2025-43 (2026 budget adoption), and resolution 2025-44 (2025 budget opening amendment). - The council also approved resolution 2025-42, removing certain parcels from an agricultural protection area, after being told the county recorder wanted the removal handled by resolution to match the original designation. - County Executive George Daines gave a detailed preview of the upcoming Truth in Taxation hearing, explaining that the county only controls its own small share of property tax revenue and that 80% of county taxpayers saw lower bills this year. He said the county has reduced expenses by 5%–7% in many departments but still faces a deficit, and emphasized that the county remains one of the least expensive in Utah on a per-resident basis. - Public comments during this portion were limited, but council discussion highlighted support for preserving scenic and agricultural areas, improving trail connectivity, and being transparent about the proposed tax increase. The meeting then adjourned briefly before the Truth in Taxation session.