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LaSalle County health department reports staffing gaps, Wedron water filtration costs and new vaccine contract
Summary
County health administrator reported three open positions, ongoing water-contamination work in Wedron with expensive whole-house filtration systems, adoption of DocuSign and a Vaxcare agreement to reduce upfront vaccine costs, and noted Planned Parenthood closing in March.
Chris Posey, administrator of the LaSalle County Health Department, told the LaSalle County oversight meeting on Feb. 10 that the department is operating with several vacancies and is dealing with a long-term water-contamination issue in Wedron.
"We currently have 3 open public health positions," Posey said, adding that two openings are for public health nurses and one is for an environmental health practitioner. He said positions were posted on the county website and would be listed on Indeed.
The department raised a persistent contamination problem in Wedron, where some homes use whole-house filtration systems. Posey said the systems remove petroleum byproducts that can make tap water smell like kerosene. "These are not normal water filtration systems. These are whole house water filtration systems that cost about $16,000 a year to replace," he said, and added that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) has paid to replace filters but that a permanent solution remains unsettled.
Posey also reported several operational changes intended to streamline county public health services. The department has started using DocuSign for digital signatures so standing orders and contracts can be signed electronically. The health department also entered an agreement with Vaxcare, under which Vaxcare buys vaccines and the county is paid an administration fee, removing the need for the department to purchase vaccines up front.
On infectious disease and safety guidance, Posey said the department is monitoring H5N1 activity and relayed state guidance for hunters and long-term care facilities. He referenced advice from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about thoroughly cooking game and avoiding raw milk; he also said the Illinois Department of Public Health issued reminders to nursing homes with outdoor water features about animal carcass handling.
Posey notified the board that Planned Parenthood will close in March, and that the health department provides overlapping services such as pregnancy testing and sexually transmitted infection testing. He said the department planned to expand STI testing and compile a list of alternative providers for clients.
The health department reported routine public outreach activity — posts on winter driving, radon test availability, cervical cancer awareness and food-safety guidance — and described a recent First Amendment audit at the health department that staff handled without incident.
No formal action was taken on the substantive items; the report was presented for oversight and informational purposes.
