Monroe County Council approves reclassification, hours increase for Health Services director amid funding debate

Monroe County Council voted 4–3 on April 8 to change the Health Services director position from a 35‑hour PAT D classification to a 40‑hour EXEA classification, a step county staff and the health board said is needed to recruit a candidate with both nursing and management experience.

The council’s action followed more than an hour of discussion, written materials from the county’s classification vendor (WIS), and extended testimony from Health Department leaders and board members urging the change. Health Officer Laurie Kelly and board members said the position supervises multiple teams — maternal and child health, chronic disease and injury prevention, harm reduction, infectious disease response and internship programs — and that the reclassification reflects clinical oversight alongside management duties.

WIS had recommended retaining the PAT D classification in a March memo after reviewing prior submissions. WIS’s written guidance noted that classifying a divisional director as executive could create internal pay‑equity issues; the vendor also recommended a review of several subordinate job descriptions if the director’s classification changed. Deputy county attorney Molly Turner King and WIS memos were discussed during the meeting.

Council members who opposed the change cited WIS’s repeated recommendation and concerns about internal parity with other division directors currently classified as PAT D. Supporters said the Health Department had existing budget authority and carryover funds and should be permitted to set the position at a level more likely to attract qualified applicants.

Councilor Wilts offered the motion — adopted by a 4–3 vote — that the position be moved to EXEA, 40 hours, “with the stipulation that the fiscal impact of that change is reflected as a deduction in the health department’s 2025 and 2026 budgets.” The council record shows a roll‑call outcome of 4 yes / 3 no. (Iverson and Henry voted no; Crossley, Wilts, Deckard and Bridal voted yes.)

Health Department staff said they have funds in the current Health First Indiana (HFI) allocations and local carryover that would cover the near‑term cost; staff also described program areas that would be scaled back first if HFI funding is reduced. Council and staff discussed uncertainty about upcoming state HFI appropriations and the department’s ability to carry funds forward.

County legal staff and Human Resources noted the salary ordinance change still requires the formal amendment process and that a future, unanimous salary‑ordinance vote will be needed to finalize the classification and update pay bands in the county payroll system. That procedural requirement was raised on the record to avoid premature advertising at a higher rate.

The debate highlighted tensions between the county’s job‑classification vendor, the health board’s assessment of operational needs, and council fiscal oversight. Health board members and the Health Officer urged the council to move quickly, saying the position has been open and under discussion since 2023 and that the department needs dedicated leadership to carry out core public‑health services.

The council paused further salary ordinance action to allow the required follow‑up steps; staff were asked to identify the specific budget lines that would absorb the change and report back as the ordinance amendment proceeds.