Commissioners approve $1.8 million property purchase and federal/state public-health contracts including $817,718 for WIC

The Davis County Board of Commissioners approved several Health Department items on Oct. 21, 2025, including the ratification of a commercial real-estate purchase contract for tax ID 15-100-0002 in the amount of $1,800,000 and multiple grant and contract amendments to accept federal and state funds.

Health Director Brian Hatch presented the items. Hatch described the property purchase as a one-time payable of $1.8 million and said the commission was being asked to ratify the purchase contract and authorize the chair to sign incidental documents identified in the contract. Hatch also presented an amendment to the county’s pass-through agreement with the Utah Area Agency (via the Utah Department of Health and Human Services) that shifts funds from state to federal sources without changing total funding for the program, describing it as a wash. Hatch presented a maternal and child health (MCH) block grant receivable of $126,297 beginning Oct. 1, 2025 and running through Sept. 30, 2030; a personal responsibility education program (PREP) receivable of $93,000 for 2025–26; and an amendment increasing local WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) funding by $817,718 beginning Oct. 1, 2025 and running through Sept. 30, 2026.

Hatch noted that most public health program funding is federal or state contract funds rather than property-tax dollars, and he cautioned that the WIC award could be affected by a federal shutdown: “This is the contract for next year but if the Federal funds are not opened up and government’s not opened up, we won't receive those,” Hatch said, noting the department had funds to run through October but would face difficulties issuing food vouchers if federal funds were unavailable.

Commissioners moved to approve items 5 through 9; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The approved items authorize the county to complete the real-estate purchase and accept and administer the listed federal and state public-health contract funds. Hatch did not identify required matching funds beyond the pass-through adjustment described as fund-source neutral at the meeting; no additional contingencies or implementation timelines beyond contract dates were specified at the public presentation.