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Council approves Trevor Cook as behavioral health director; seeks finalized Bear River interlocal agreement
Summary
The Cache County Council reviewed revisions to the Bear River Health Department interlocal agreement to clarify public‑health and behavioral‑health duties and approved appointing Trevor Cook (executive director, Bear River Behavioral Health) as the multi‑county behavioral health director by contract for the term of the contract or until he leaves employment.
Jordan Matthysse, director of the Bear River Health Department, briefed the council on a revised interlocal agreement that restores statutory public‑health duties and expands behavioral‑health responsibilities following integration work completed earlier this year. Matthysse said edits clarified formation language, split public‑health and behavioral‑health duties, and adjusted board membership to add two ex‑officio seats, one reserved for the Cache County executive and a proposed emergency‑management representative from Utah State University.
Matthysse told the council there are two packet versions in circulation; members asked staff to provide a non‑editable, finalized copy before a fuller vote and agreed to continue discussion at the July 14 meeting. Matthysse repeatedly noted the substantive changes were intended to make responsibilities explicit for current and future directors.
On a related item, the council considered appointing by contract Trevor Cook, identified in the packet as executive director of Bear River Behavioral Health, to serve as the behavioral health director for the three‑county arrangement. A council member moved to appoint Cook “for the term of the contract or until he ends his employment,” a friendly amendment that the mover accepted. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Council members asked for two clarifications before final contract execution: that the appointment follows existing code requiring counties to approve the behavioral‑health director, and that contracting authority and any remaining contract details be handled by the county attorney and executive before final execution. No dollar amounts or terms beyond “for the term of the contract or until he ends his employment” were provided at the meeting.
Next steps: staff will circulate the finalized interlocal agreement and return with any remaining clarifications at the July 14 meeting; the council authorized taking steps to contract with Bear River Behavioral Health so the county may execute the services agreement by July 1 if paperwork is completed.
