Cascade County Board of Health unanimously recommends Trisha Gardner as public health officer

The Cascade County Board of Health on March 18 recommended that the Cascade County Board of Commissioners appoint Trisha Gardner as Public Health Officer. The special meeting record shows the recommendation was made by motion and carried unanimously.

Chairman Joe Briggs opened the special meeting to review Public Health Officer interviews conducted March 11 and to provide a hiring recommendation to the commissioners. He read into the record written statements submitted by board members Matt Martin, DDS, and Rachel Amthor, MD; board members then discussed the candidates and focused on recommending Trisha Gardner.

Board member Shannon Wilson moved that the Board of Health recommend to the Cascade County Board of Commissioners the appointment of Trisha Gardner to Public Health Officer. The motion was seconded by fellow board member Ray Ceyer, DO, and the motion carried unanimously, according to the meeting minutes. The minutes do not list individual roll-call votes; they record only that the motion carried unanimously. The members present as listed in the minutes were Chairman Joe Briggs; Vice-Chair Laurie Glover; Rachel Amthor, MD (submitted a written statement); Shannon Wilson; Heather Hoyer; Matt Martin, DDS (submitted a written statement); and Ray Ceyer, DO.

The agenda included an opportunity for public comment, but the written minutes do not capture substantive remarks from the public-comment period. Chairman Briggs adjourned the meeting at 10:39 p.m. The minutes state they will be officially approved April 1, 2026, and the recommendation will be transmitted to the Cascade County Board of Commissioners for their consideration.

Next steps: the Board of Commissioners will receive the Board of Health's recommendation and may take separate action on the appointment; the minutes do not record a commissioners’ meeting date or decision in this record.