Central Nevada Health District elects Ken Tedford chair, approves two state subawards and reviews fiscal health

The Central Nevada Health District Board of Health elected Mayor Ken Tedford as chair and Dr. Justin Heath as vice chair and approved two state subawards at its January 2025 meeting.

The board voted unanimously to install Ken Tedford as chair and to retain Dr. Justin Heath as vice chair following nominations and a voice vote. Amber Edwards verified for the record that the meeting agenda was posted in compliance with the Nevada Revised Statutes before the meeting began.

The board approved a notice of subaward from the Public Health Infrastructure and Improvement Office to the Central Nevada Health District to support information-technology infrastructure for a new district building. Darren Winkleman, who presented the item, said the funding would cover cabling, servers and network switches and described that “some of that is hardware driven,” meaning the district can purchase equipment promptly once bids and specifications are finalized. The motion to approve the subaward was made by Jim Barbee and seconded by Brandon Shattuck; the motion carried.

The board also approved a subaward from the Office of HIV to support HIV-prevention services in Central Nevada. Darren Winkleman said the grant will help the district expand testing and data work to track trends. The motion to approve that subaward was moved by Denise Ferguson and carried by voice vote.

In a midyear fiscal report, Winkleman told the board the district’s annual expenditure budget is about $2.8 million and that, based on data through November, expenditures were roughly $750,000 to date. He reported approximately $500,000 in district reserves and noted an expected upward movement in revenues as additional grants execute; he pointed to roughly $315,000 shown on the packet’s projection that may increase as more spending is recorded. Winkleman said some personnel positions in Eureka and Pershing counties remain vacant and that the vacancies have been managed without reducing services.

Winkleman also said the district’s first audit as the Central Nevada Health District had no audit findings. He credited county accounting support for helping the district finalize grant and fiscal work.

During staff reports, Dr. Ted McDonald described recent influenza activity across the district and explained steps the state is taking to monitor avian influenza. He said the district’s influenza surge in Churchill County has tested positive for influenza A, that vaccines reduce severe outcomes, and that the state is offering a limited number of subtype tests statewide — about 20 per week — which are being prioritized for people with severe disease or certain exposure risks (for example, dairy or poultry workers). McDonald said there have been no avian-flu positives in district residents and that human cases in the United States remain extremely rare; he referenced one recent U.S. death associated with avian exposure in Louisiana and stressed that current measures are precautionary.

Winkleman said staff are developing a Burning Man fee structure that would tie hourly rates to a proposed permit fee; that work will be reported back to the board. He also said the district plans to present a FY 2026 proposed budget at the February meeting.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes from Dec. 12, 2024: Moved by Jim Barbee; seconded by Denise Ferguson; approved by voice vote. - Election of chair (Ken Tedford): Nominated and approved by voice vote; outcome carried. - Election of vice chair (Dr. Justin Heath): Nominated by Jim Barbee; seconded by Denise Ferguson; approved by voice vote. - Subaward (Public Health Infrastructure and Improvement Office → Central Nevada Health District) for IT/data management: Moved by Jim Barbee; seconded by Brandon Shattuck; motion carried. (Amount reported in presentation as $94,477; the motion text recorded $94,447.) - Subaward (Office of HIV → Central Nevada Health District) to support HIV prevention services: Moved by Denise Ferguson; second not specified on record; motion carried. (Amount recorded in the packet and motion: $20,002; period described in meeting materials and motion as Aug. 1, 2024–May 30, 2025.)

The board adjourned after receiving staff reports and public comment was recorded as none for the general-public comment period.

Why this matters: The leadership votes set the board’s officers for the year, the subawards provide funding for data systems and HIV prevention services that affect the district’s ability to track and respond to communicable disease, and the fiscal report showed improved reserves and no audit findings, which bear on the district’s financial stability going into FY 2026.

The board is scheduled to review a draft FY 2026 budget and further grant details at its February meeting.