County busy with personnel changes

Wahkiakum County commissioners acted on several personnel issues when they met Tuesday.

The board supported a recommendation from interim Health and Human Services Director Sherri McDonald to begin recruiting for a new full-time director.

The department has been without a director since January 1. McDonald presented a preliminary draft of an analysis of the department last week and recommended the county have a full-time director for the department.

It could take several months to fill the position, she said, adding that the county's pay for the postion is competitive, but on the low side, at a range of $64,700 to $71,544.

She added that the county didn't need to have a physician in the position, for it has hired a public health nurse and it is contracting with Clark County for services of a health officer, Dr. Alan Melnick.

Commissioners authorized McDonald to begin advertising for applicants.

The department will also be looking for a new environmental health officer. The current employee is moving on, McDonald said.

The department will contract with Clark County for part-time environmental health services, she said, and she will contact Cowlitz County for temporary director services.

In other personnel business, Undersheriff Mark Howie announced that the county will be looking for a new deputy sheriff.

Deputy Helen Coubra has been named new chief of police in Odessa and will be leaving for that community next week.

Howie received commission approval to offer the deputy position to a sergeant in the Barrow, Alaska, Sheriff's Department.

The officer is already trained, so it's called a lateral hire, Howie said. The officer is on the county's civil service list for potential officers, he said.