Wasatch County health director tells Daniel council department spent just over $4 million in 2025, is monitoring valley wells

Jonelle Fitzgerald, director of the Wasatch County Health Department, presented the department’s 2025 annual report to the Daniel Town Council on May 4, saying more than half of the department’s funding comes from state and local grants and that total expenditures for the year were just over $4 million.

Fitzgerald described the department’s core services — vital records, emergency preparedness, the medical reserve corps, environmental health, vaccinations and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program — and said those programs are supported primarily by grants, with taxes and fees making up most of the remainder.

The director told council members the department is actively monitoring water quality in several wells around the valley and confirmed that the valley retains a “pristine water” classification. Councilmember Gary Walton asked which branch of the department would have authority to address how many people live in a single-family dwelling; Fitzgerald said septic-tank sizing is tied to bedroom counts and that the department would intervene only when a public-health problem exists, such as a septic overflow.

Town Planner Eric Bunker asked whether the valley still had a pristine water designation; Fitzgerald replied yes and suggested that Tracy Richardson attend a future council meeting to explain current water-monitoring projects. Councilmember Eric Bennett clarified that the health department’s authority is tied to public-health threats rather than residential occupancy.

The presentation provided context for upcoming local planning and public-safety work, and the council did not take formal action on the report but asked staff to coordinate follow-up information about the department’s monitoring efforts.