Box Elder County Commission approves dog-behavior ordinance, broadband grant extension and other items; names Bingham commission chair

Box Elder County Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a new local ordinance targeting nuisance and property-damaging dog behavior, approved an interlocal agreement with the Bear River Association of Governments, agreed to a reimbursement for work on the Manaway corridor and accepted a contract and a grant amendment with conditions. The commission also appointed Boyd Bingham as chair for 2025 and completed committee assignment updates.

The commission’s action on multiple operational items came after routine reports, staff presentations and two brief public hearings on agricultural leases. The measures affect county enforcement of nuisance animals, regional planning cooperation, a broadband project timeline and reimbursements for a completed corridor project.

Tyler Holmes, justice court prosecutor, described the new local ordinance (Ordinance 6-11) as distinct from the county’s existing vicious-dog law: “The vicious dog ordinance is more tied towards animals attacking or dogs attacking animals or humans, whereas this one is more associated with animals and property damage to neighbors’ properties, as well as it covers dogs barking during certain hours.” Holmes said the ordinance treats provoked barking as an exception and contemplates proof by a video or audio recording or by three witnesses; if the sheriff verifies a complaint, the ordinance gives the alleged owner 10 days to remedy barking or property damage before prosecution in justice court. The commission approved Ordinance 6-11 on a motion that was seconded and passed unanimously.

The commission approved Interlocal Agreement 02/2003 with the Bear River Association of Governments after county and neighboring-county attorneys incorporated suggested changes. Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the agreement.

On a broadband-related item, commissioners approved the fourth amendment to Grant Agreement 02/1000 for the county’s broadband access project. The amendment extends the project completion date from February 1, 2025, to an estimated March 31, 2025, and modifies the scope and deployment locations. Commissioners asked county staff to require the grantee to specify the revised deployment locations and the number of households served before the county signs the amendment; the commission approved the amendment subject to the County Attorney’s Office finalizing that language.

The commission approved CPF 23-03, a reimbursement request from the Manaway Corridor Preservation Fund, for $89,150. County staff said the request included paid invoices, a third-party engineer’s letter and documentation of project completion.

The commission also approved a one-year contract with Ninth Brain, an online learning-management and credential-tracking platform intended to help EMS and volunteer providers track certifications and biomedical equipment maintenance. Corey Oakes, who introduced the item, said the platform “is a learning management system that provides online education for continuing education for all of our EMS personnel” and also provides credential reminders and equipment checklists. Commissioners approved the Ninth Brain contract on the condition that the County Attorney’s Office review and approve the agreement.

Staff opened separate public hearings for two agricultural leases treated as surplus-property disposals. The Bear River City parcel (about 39 acres at 4300 North / 4800 West, south of Bear River City) received the winning bid from Luke Anderson for a five-year lease that would run to December 2029; commissioners closed the Bear River City hearing with no public comment and said the lease contract would be brought back for approval at the Jan. 22 meeting. A Plymouth-area parcel (about 40 acres near 19,800 North / 6000 West) received the winning bid from Nick Hawkes (noting he is a county employee who participated in the closed bidding process). Commissioners closed that hearing with no public comment and said the Plymouth lease contract would also be brought back for formal signature at the Jan. 22 meeting.

The commission took routine administrative steps as well: Commissioners appointed Boyd Bingham as the commission chair for 2025; commissioners approved the list of committee and board assignments presented at the meeting; and they voted to go into a closed session to discuss litigation.

During the meeting staff recognized the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue volunteers and described their 2024 activity: the unit ended the year with 32 active members (plus probationary members), reported training and call-out mileage near 50,000 miles for 2024, and reported roughly 3,083 volunteer hours — figures county staff used to illustrate the scale of volunteer support the county receives. The county’s victim-advocate program also presented a semiannual report on services, hotline/on-scene responses, protective-order assistance and other casework; staff noted increased hotline and on-scene responses since July when the program expanded its services.

Public comment included criticism of the county’s recent property tax increases and local government salaries. Deanna Hardy, speaking for a local group she identified as the Box Elder Committee of Liberty, said the commission’s recent 2025 tax increase (which she described as a reduction from an earlier proposal but still a 12.54% rise) harms residents on fixed incomes and called for elected officials’ pay to be aligned with local average incomes. A local fourplex owner identified as Paul (surname redacted on the meeting record) described a 270% increase in his property taxes (from about $2,400 to $6,700) and said the resulting mortgage-escrow increase (about $912.99 monthly) was unsustainable for his rental business. Another resident, Curtis Christiansen, urged improved markings at several rural roads and bridges near 6800 West and 5600 North to reduce collision risk.

What’s next: the commission will return leases for formal approval at its Jan. 22 meeting and county attorneys will finalize language on the broadband amendment and review the Ninth Brain contract before county signature.