CACHE COUNTY – The long-awaited report of the Cache County Form of Government Study Committee will be presented to members of the Cache County Council during their regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
The report on the feasibility and/or necessity of a possible change to Cache County’s form of government is scheduled to be delivered by Jack Draxler, a former state representative and chair of the study committee.
The Cache County Council informally decided to organize a study committee to consider changes to the county’s form of government at their regular meeting on March 18.
The decision was influenced by discussions surrounding House Bill 356 (County Governance Amendments) passed by the 2025 general session of the Utah Legislature, which initially sought to restrict certain forms of county government.
The members of the study group – including Draxler, Jordan Mathis from the Bear River Health Department and mayors Ed Buist from Mendon, Bryan Cox from Hyde Park and Blake Wright from River Heights – studied the four optional forms of county government allowed under Utah laws.
Those include the current council-executive system; a part-time county council with an appointed county manager; a full-time, three-member commission elected at at-large; and a larger part-time county commission.
The study committee also reviewed materials from other Utah counties that have explored their government structures and met with local and state officials who have experience in different county set-ups to benefit from their experience.
Public opinion also played a key role in the study committee’s deliberations, according to Draxler.
Since September, the study group has been holding public meetings throughout Cache County to gather public feedback and working hard to keep local residents informed and engaged.
Also on the County Council’s agenda for Dec. 2 is a public hearing and final decision on the county’s 2026 budget, which is expected to include an 18 percent property tax increase.
Council members are also slated to approve new compensation rates for elected officials.
The meeting of the Cache County Council will be held at 5 p.m. at 199 North Main Street in the Cache County Historic Courthouse.