The Board of Lincoln County Commissioners met at 9:30 a.m. on November 9, 2009 to interview candidates for the position of Public Health Director. The following attended: Chairman Ted Lyons, Commissioners Steve Burgess and Gary Beedy and County Administrator Roxie Devers. Corinne Lengel and Stan Kimble were absent and excused. Assisting with the interviews was Tsering Dorjee with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Janice Gill met first with the Board and gave an overview of her education and work experience. She has a strong background in lab research and biology and a variety of nursing experiences. Ms. Gill said she has worked with various populations, including seniors and children, and has experience with disease management and education for such things as chronic illnesses. She stated that public health programs needed to be marketed to the public. Ms. Gill was questioned on how she would handle a specific instance with a sick child and discussed with the Board the difference between screening and diagnosis of people. She stated that she is very analytical and likes office work. She sees the role of Public Health as that of prevention, community needs, education, identifying needed programs, working with all populations and providing people what they want. As Public Health Director she would supervise all aspects of the office, work with other offices, and communicate with medical facilities and other entities.
The Board advised Ms. Gill of the county’s benefits and discussed salary, which she said was negotiable. She had questions of the Board concerning the new EPR position and public health’s role in response to emergency situations. They told her a decision would be made today on the position.
The next applicant interviewed was Margaret Wooton, who defined the role of public health to include providing for the wellness of people and prevention, which includes communicable disease, family planning and inoculations. The services are population based. Ms. Wooton said she has worked on budgets while serving as director in Park County and has substantial experience in public health. She organized a community assessment effort with nursing students and used the results to develop brochures and give talks on health issues raised. As a nurse in Public Health, she would assist with office programs and as Director would encourage staff, seek funding sources, determine the needs of the public, provide budget administration, and monitor the performance and morale of the team. Ms. Wooton said she prefers smaller rural settings and used the Lake County office as an example. The Board advised her the Lincoln County office is substantially smaller. The Board questioned Ms. Wooton on how she would handle an issue involving a mother with a young infant who was possibly pregnant again. When asked by Ms. Dorjee about community health education, Ms. Wooton said she would give traveling presentations on programs developed and sit down with focus groups.
The Board asked Ms. Wooton if she was open to relocation, which she is. She asked if there was a county policy that she had to live in the county. While there isn’t, the Board said their preference was that she did. Ms. Wooton also asked about the programs currently in place in Public Health and when the last community assessment was done. The Board advised Ms. Wooton of the county’s benefit package and asked about salary. She stated she was flexible, and when Mr. Lyons suggested $35,000 to $37,000/year she was agreeable with that. The Board told Ms. Wooton they would be making a decision today on whom to hire.
The Board discussed who to offer the position to and decided that the best candidate was Ms. Wooton. Salary was discussed and agreed on. With no further discussion, Mr. Burgess made a motion to offer the position of Public Health Director to Margaret Wooton, with a starting annual salary of $37,000 on December 1, 2009, with an increase to $40,000 on July 1, 2010 upon receiving a satisfactory performance evaluation. Mr. Beedy seconded and the motion carried unanimously. The Board contacted Ms. Wooton by phone to advise her of their decision.
Bev Raines, secretary in the District Attorney’s Office, introduced the Board to the new District Attorney, Jim Bartkus.
With no further business to come before the Board the meeting was adjourned until 9:00 on November 18, 2009.
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Roxie Devers, Acting Clerk of the Board Ted Lyons, Chairman