Non-trivial workload consists of no monetary compensation, nevertheless it’s an opportunity to serve group throughout a crucial time

La Plata County will arise a brand new well being division over the following 12 months and is in search of seven individuals to serve on the Board of Health. (Durango Herald file)

La Plata County is accepting functions for certified appointees for its board of well being, which can oversee the institution and governance of the brand new La Plata County Public Health Department.

Commissioners of La Plata and Archuleta counties handed a joint resolution on Nov. 15 to dissolve the prevailing San Juan Basin Public Health efficient Dec. 31, 2023. La Plata County shall be accepting functions for the brand new board by Dec. 9 in order that it could possibly have the board in place by the top of this 12 months.

County Commissioner and member of the SJBPH Board of Health Marsha Porter-Norton mentioned the county is in search of a various assemblage of candidates for the seven-seat board.

“What we are going to need in standing up a department is people who are strategic thinkers, people who have a deep bench of community knowledge and knowledge of how new systems work,” Porter-Norton mentioned.

The board of well being shall be chargeable for deciding on a public well being director for the county well being division, recommending a funds and different governing duties as soon as the division is working. Members are anticipated to satisfy month-to-month or biweekly all through 2023 because the board stands up a brand new division. The place is unpaid.

The present well being division fractured below the rising pressure of a political and social divide between the 2 counties. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced that divide into excessive aid. While localizing public well being to only one county is prone to have advantages, the brand new board will face an analogous problem in serving its politically and ideologically numerous constituency inside La Plata County.

Porter-Norton mentioned making certain that the board consists of members who hail from all corners of the county shall be crucial in assembly the problem. Because there are particular points of public well being that “people just don’t like,” Porter-Norton mentioned group outreach shall be crucial, particularly within the subsequent 12 months.

In an effort to quell any look of politicization, there won’t be a county commissioner seated on the board. The SJBPH board features a commissioner from every county.

“One of the things that occurred in the pandemic is a realization that sometimes you can mix the goals of elected officials – some people would call that political goals or ideological goals – with public health, and it is our opinion that that isn’t the greatest way to go,” Porter-Norton mentioned.

Her tenure on the SJBPH board will come to an finish with the dissolution of the division.

While current SJBPH board members have the choice of making use of for a place on the county well being board, they must concurrently serve on each boards if chosen. In addition to the 2 county commissioners, the SJBPH board consists of Shere Byrd, a biology professor at Fort Lewis College; Bob Ledger, former Durango metropolis supervisor; Terryl Peterson, a monetary professional; and Dr. Jon Bruss, president of a consulting agency for medical drug growth.

None of them could possibly be reached to touch upon whether or not they would search a place on the brand new board.

The purview of public well being covers a broad vary of points and the brand new board can have a not too long ago carried out Public Health Improvement Plan to information them. SJBPH at the moment receives funding from 42 totally different grants.

Porter-Norton mentioned she hopes the board can strike a steadiness between addressing human well being and environmental well being. However, the board’s first mandate shall be to get the company up and working, which means the primary batch of board members could also be required to have a barely totally different ability set than those that succeed them.

The first set of phrases will range in size to stagger the departure of the members and subsequent phrases shall be 5 years lengthy.

The Board of County Commissioners will conduct interviews on Dec. 16 and 19 in a public assembly. To apply for the board, submit a letter of curiosity and a resume on the county’s website.

Despite the non-trivial workload with no monetary compensation, Porter-Norton mentioned the decision for candidates presents a chance to present again to the group.

“It’s a chance to really put your vision and your viewpoints and your work to a better result for a better community,” she mentioned.

rschafir@durangoherald.com