Resolution No.

2018-____

RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF UTAH COUNTY TO

OPPOSE THE CREATION OF A UTAH COUNTY NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

WHEREAS, a needle exchange program, also commonly known as a syringe exchange

program, is a social service that allows injecting drug users to obtain hypodermic needles and

associated paraphernalia at little or no cost to the users; and

WHEREAS, the first obligation of the Board of Commissioners of Utah County is to

ensure the safety and wellbeing of its residents; and

WHEREAS, a public health threat is posed to residents and public employees by the

increase of discarded needles in public places; and

WHEREAS, multiple recent instances of public employees being pricked by discarded

needles have been reported throughout the United States, including in San Diego, Seattle, and

Santa Ana; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Orange County, California voted unanimously

in June 2018 to discontinue Orange County’s two-year-old needle exchange program after

experiencing a sharp increase in discarded needles in public places and instances of public

employees being pricked by discarded needles; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, an elementary school student in Orem was pricked by a used needle

that she found discarded on her school’s playground; and

WHEREAS, a Utah County needle exchange program would likely further endanger our

communities and sacrifice the safety of our residents and public employees; and

WHEREAS, the facilitation of a needle exchange program by Utah County would risk

putting the County in a position of financial liability.

1
 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners of Utah

County does hereby declare:

1. its opposition to the establishment of a Utah County needle exchange program due to

the safety and liability risks that such a program would pose to Utah County, and

2. that Utah County resources shall not be used to facilitate the creation or operation of

any needle exchange programs.

RESOLVED, ADOPTED, AND ORDERED this 31st day of July, 2018.

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,

UTAH COUNTY, UTAH

_______________________________ ______
Nathan Ivie, Chair

_______________________________ ______
William C. Lee, Vice Chair

_______________________________ ______
Greg Graves, Commissioner

ATTEST:
Bryan E. Thompson
Utah County Clerk/Auditor

By: ________________________
Deputy

APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Jeffrey R. Buhman
Utah County Attorney

By: ________________________
Deputy