Pratt County hires health-department billing clerk; public health staff report measles contact tracing and new vaccine refrigerator arriving

The Pratt County Board of County Commissioners on June 2 approved hiring Aleta Bartida as an insurance billing clerk for the county health department at a starting rate of $18.50 per hour.

The hiring motion was made and seconded; the board voted 3-0 to approve the appointment. Commissioners described the hire as filling a non-elected personnel position in the health department.

Health department staff also reported a positive measles exposure in town that produced an active contact list of about 34 people who are being monitored. The health official said the county is on day 14 of the 21-day monitoring period for those contacts and urged that people who can obtain MMR vaccination do so as a prevention measure. The official noted the person who tested positive had attended a facility in town (the case was not school-aged), and public-health staff are contacting those who were exposed while the person was in the facility.

Staff further reported that a new vaccine refrigerator is scheduled for delivery the following day. Health staff discussed options for disposal of the old refrigerator, including contractor removal or moving the unit outside for county staff to handle; the board and staff agreed to coordinate removal and possible scrap-metal disposal if appropriate.

The board received these reports and approved the hiring action; no additional personnel actions were taken beyond the hire approved in open session.