Logan County District Board of Health members were briefed on organizational changes at the administrative level at their Wednesday afternoon meeting, and also unanimously approved a 4 percent raise for staff members in 2023, beginning with the first full pay period in January.
Health Commissioner Travis Irvan said the pay raises will include all staff members, except for intermittent or temporary personnel. Those new hires who are in their probationary period will receive the raise once they have successfully completed the temporary probation.
Irvan said this is the first pay raise in two years, and expressed appreciation to the board for their approval on behalf of his staff, with the board’s vote of 3-0. Members Chris Watkins and Kristen Wish were absent.
In administrative matters, Irvan detailed the changes to the administrative team’s organization. At last month’s meeting, the board accepted the resignation of Deputy Health Commissioner Donna Peachey, as she is moving out of state. Her resignation is effective Jan. 6.
Instead of replacing the deputy health commissioner position, the board approved the promotion of Megan Bailey to a newly created position — director of community outreach, effective Dec. 12.
Bailey previously has served as the public information officer/emergency preparedness coordinator.
With this addition, the health commissioner said the agency will now be structured with four department heads — director of business operations, Christina Bramlage; director of environmental health, Tim Smith; nursing director, Kelly Reaver; and Bailey’s new director of community outreach position.
Members are also looking to fill a board member position with upcoming retirement of Board President Bob Harrison, in early 2023. The Logan County District Advisory Council will select the candidate to fill Harrison’s position at their annual meeting, slated for 7 p.m. March 23, 2023, at the Logan County Fairgrounds Grange Building.
In the nursing report, Reaver noted that many infectious disease cases in the county are trending downward this year compared to last year, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and hepatitis C. However, influenza cases are on the rise locally and nationally during an earlier than usual flu season, with 12 flu-related hospitalizations of county residents reported so far this year.
In other action at the meeting, the board:
• accepted the resignation of Jesse Daniels, effective Nov. 21;
• ordered Adriana Russell, 685 W. Center St., West Mansfield, who has solid wastes outside of the manufactured home and behind a shed on the property, to remove the solid wastes to a licensed disposal facility within seven days;
• ordered Gustavo Ramirez Enterprises, license holder for La Palma, 2201 S. Main St., Bellefontaine, to provide the board with a written action plan with a detailed timeline to correct ongoing violations within 14 days, or to appear before the board at the next regular meeting, slated for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11.
• approved a well variance request for Don Derrick, 8110 Indian Drive, Russells Point; and
• approved variance requests relating to a shared water well that collapsed, with the water well shared by neighbors Mark and Yvette Fetterly, 11121 East Drive; Andy Hakes, 11115 East Drive; Avondale, Lakeview; and Nicholas Richardson of Huntsville, for his property at 11133 East Drive, Avondale, Lakeview.