Board renews public health emergency‑preparedness agreement with Ready Northwest for 2025–26

The board approved a personal services contract with Ready Northwest LLC for public health emergency preparedness coordination from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, not to exceed $50,000.

Marlene Pelham, county health official, said the selected contractor, Ed Coulson of Ready Northwest, submitted a detailed proposal and has worked with the county during the COVID‑19 response and other preparedness efforts. The scope of work in the contract includes biweekly public‑health modernization meetings, monthly coordination with the deputy director, quarterly reports, and support for required emergency plans including the emergency operations plan, medical countermeasures plan, mass‑facilities plan, continuity of operations and communications planning. The contract also covers work on accessibility of emergency communications for populations with literacy and language barriers.

Commissioners asked why the health department contracts separately for emergency preparedness when the county has other emergency management staff. County staff and commissioners explained that public‑health preparedness is a specialized function (communicable disease response, vaccination and population‑health planning) that complements broader county emergency management activities. The motion to approve the Ready Northwest personal services agreement carried on a unanimous vote.