Pratt County health staff say mutual aid to neighboring county will be limited; workforce grant could fund temporary staff costs

County health department staff told Pratt County commissioners they intend to limit ongoing in-person mutual aid to Harford County and to seek formal reimbursement if the neighboring county requests extended help.

Darcy, addressing the board as county health department staff, summarized a three-month schedule of weekly in-person visits the county has provided to Harford County’s health department and said the county has not received applicants to fill vacancies at that office. Darcy said she would send a letter to Harford County’s commissioners and to Heather, a Pratt County health department staff member, to place Pratt County’s position in writing and to signal that Pratt County will stop routine in-person assistance as of March 1 unless a formal agreement and reimbursement are arranged.

Darcy told commissioners the mutual-aid arrangement was intended to be temporary: "The mutual aid is designed to be temporary," she said. She said the county can continue limited remote assistance (for example, telephone-based WIC services) but urged Harford County to develop a plan for in-person services or to reimburse Pratt County for continued on-site support.

Board members and staff discussed that some WIC services and immunizations require a nurse per state rules; Darcy said that without a nurse Harford County cannot provide immunizations, family-planning services or WIC in person. Darcy noted residents could travel to neighboring counties such as Barber for needed in-person services.

Darcy also discussed a three-year workforce development grant the health department is operating under; she said the grant includes guidance on allowable expenses and that the grantor indicated there may be flexibility to fund temporary salary costs. Darcy described two facility projects she has tried to fund: cutting a new window in the front reception area (contractor rough estimate: about $12,000) and covering a small exterior area with concrete or gravel to create an outdoor covered workstation. Darcy said the grantor will not pay for permanent structural improvements such as asphalt but said removable awnings and some other expenses may be eligible. She reported a prepayment of about $19,000 had been received, and estimated roughly $35,000 remained to spend from the grant.

Commissioners asked for written confirmation of what the grant will allow. Darcy said she can obtain written guidance from the grant administrator and a contractor quote for the exterior work. Commissioners and staff also discussed county maintenance workload and whether to create or fund a county maintenance position to handle routine building repairs and snow/ice removal.

Darcy requested county direction on whether Pratt County will continue in-person mutual-aid visits after March 1. Commissioners did not take a formal vote on mutual aid; Darcy said she would send stated letters and await response from Harford County.

The board subsequently entered a separate executive session on attorney–client privilege and later returned to open session with no action taken.