Davis County commissioners approve a series of contracts, table animal-care item

The Davis County Commission on Jan. 21, 2025, tabled an animal-care agenda item and approved a slate of county contracts and amendments across multiple departments, including a disaster-records agreement for the clerk's office, a website services amendment, an audit engagement letter, behavioral-health funding, event sponsorships and facility work at the South Davis Senior Center.

The move to table the animal-care item was announced at the start of the meeting after a county staff member said Animal Care asked that the item be postponed until the following week. Commissioners then called for and approved a motion to table that item.

The county’s elected clerk, Bridal McKenzie, described two items from her office. One is an agreement with BELFOR USA Group that would allow the county to call on disaster restoration services “as it relates to preserving and restoring records, if they were damaged.” McKenzie said there is no financial obligation unless the county uses BELFOR’s services; the contract includes an exhibit with a fee schedule. She also described an amendment to the county’s contract with CivicPlus that removes a historical import charge and adds single sign-on functionality; McKenzie said the amendment “is a net increase to our cost of this of 3,100 or $3,133.12” with an ongoing annual cost of $1,733 and a term from 11/27/24 through 11/27/25.

In the controller’s report, Chief Deputy Anne Johnson presented a letter of engagement with Carver, Florrick and James for the 2024 audit. Johnson said the fees, including expenses, “will not exceed a payable of 29,400” and the engagement runs from March 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025. She also presented a 2025 annual amendment to the comprehensive contract providing substance-abuse and mental-health services through Davis Behavioral Health; Johnson said that contract is payable in the amount of $2,123,200 for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025, and that a Davis County match is required.

Kent Anderson, director of community and economic development, brought three event agreements for commission approval: a receivable contract with Snowbasin Sports Education Foundation for the Snowbasin Ski Swap (receivable listed at $3,316.70, event dates shown as Oct. 24–25, 2025); a sponsorship agreement with Tracy Aviary for the 2025 Great Salt Lake Bird Festival (receivable $2,000; May 15–18, 2025); and a sponsorship agreement with Great Salt Lake Audubon (receivable amount stated in the record as "1 1,000," beginning May 15, 2025, and ending May 18, 2025). Anderson noted the festival will be held at Western Sports Park in 2025.

Facilities director Blaine Rose presented two contracts for the South Davis Senior Center bathroom remodel: Town and Country Flooring Company for tile installation (payable $33,433; contract term listed Jan. 21–May 30, 2025) and Select Specialties Inc. for bathroom partitions and accessories (payable $9,650; Jan. 21–May 30, 2025). Rose said the project is funded through an approved contract and that some CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) account coding was still being finalized by the health department staff.

Library director Josh Johnson presented a renewal to remain part of the Library Speakers Consortium. Johnson described past participation and audience reach and said the county has had hundreds register and thousands view the recorded talks. The commission approved the memorandum of understanding as presented.

From the sheriff’s office, Chief Deputy Oblad presented (1) a professional services contract with Davis Behavioral Health for mental-health services provided by John Chidester (term listed Jan. 1, 2024–Dec. 31, 2025; payable $133,071.44); (2) an amendment to a BRIC-funded contract updating a unique entity ID (contract 997; corrected form dates cited); and (3) a ratified amendment to a gas service-line agreement with Enbridge for the county emergency operations center that increased the amount from $7,918.80 to $8,017.70.

The commission also approved the property-tax register for Jan. 21, 2025. County staff reported appeals and assessor adjustments with totals noted in the meeting record (appeals totaling $1,760,613 and assessor adjustments totaling $1,586,013 were listed in the property-tax register text; exempt purchases and veteran exemptions totaling $26,332.04 were also recorded in the presentation).

During closing remarks Commissioner Stevenson mentioned House Bill 149, which she said is under consideration in the Utah Legislature and would restrict large organizations and trusts from purchasing large numbers of residential properties; she described constituent concerns about rising property values and housing affordability. Commissioner Maureen Kamalu and other commissioners noted the start of the 2025 Utah legislative session and encouraged following legislation.

Votes at a glance

- Animal Care item (Item 1): Motion to table; outcome: tabled. (Motion called by commissioners; second recorded; no roll-call vote recorded.) - Clerk’s office items (BELFOR agreement; CivicPlus amendment): Approved. (All in favor; aye.) - Audit engagement (Carver, Florrick and James): Approved. (All in favor; aye.) - Davis Behavioral Health 2025 amendment (comprehensive contract): Approved. (All in favor; aye.) - Community events (Snowbasin Ski Swap; Great Salt Lake Bird Festival sponsorships): Approved. (All in favor; aye.) - Facilities — South Davis Senior Center contracts (tile; partitions): Approved. (All in favor; aye.) - Library Speakers Consortium memorandum of understanding renewal: Approved. (All in favor; aye.) - Sheriff’s office contracts and amendments (John Chidester services; BRIC contract amendment; Enbridge gas line): Approved. (All in favor; aye.) - Property-tax register (Jan. 21, 2025): Approved. (All in favor; aye.)

The meeting ran about 10:00 a.m. to 10:19 a.m. and consisted of routine contract approvals, grant/contract amendments and the property-tax register; no final action on animal-care business occurred because the item was tabled for a later meeting.