After more than 30 years as director of the Bear River Health Department, John Bailey is resigning.
Last year, Bailey, 60, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma — a bone marrow cancer. He said the reason for his resignation, announced Monday to the Bear River Board of Health, was not directly due to the cancer.
"Even though the myeloma is in remission and I am making optimum progress in returning to health, it has become increasingly clear to me that this obstacle will continue to be a formidable challenge and interferes considerably with the demands required by the office of Health Department director," Bailey said.
The Bear River district includes Cache, Rich and Box Elder counties.
Among the programs implemented during Bailey's 30 years of service was the immunization program.
"In this day and age, public immunization programs are a standard feature of health departments, but it was a significant addition that had a real impact as a needed service in the community," Bailey said.
Mike Weibel, Bear River public information and safety officer, said that without Bailey, the health department wouldn't be the entity that it is today.
"Politicians and those who know him well would say public health and Dr. John Bailey are synonymous," Weibel said.
Bailey, who said public health is "in my blood," earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Utah. After being drafted into the Army in 1971, he served as chief of preventative medicine at Fort Benning, Ga., for two years. He then completed a residency in preventative medicine and a master's degree in public health. He has been director of the Bear River Health Department since 1973, interrupted only by a tour of duty in Germany with the Army Reserve in 1990 during the U.S. involvement in the Gulf War.
After accepting Bailey's resignation, the board appointed the department's deputy director, Lloyd Berentzen, to serve as acting director until a permanent director is hired. Berentzen has worked with Bailey for nearly 18 years at the Bear River Health Department and led the department when Bailey was out for health reasons. He has a degree in health education and an MBA.
"He has proved his ability to administer the affairs of the health department in the most effective manner," Bailey said.
Bailey said he plans to stay active in public health issues, continuing to provide medical supervision and oversight, despite his resignation as Health Department director.
E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com