Central Nevada Health District board confirms bylaws, reorganizes staff structure and ratifies multiple grants and contracts

The Central Nevada Health District Board of Health on Jan. 15 approved a series of governance and operational changes and ratified multiple grants and vendor contracts intended to expand services and improve public communications.

Chair Mary Anne Tedford called the meeting to order and the board moved, seconded and voted to approve the agenda and the Nov. 13, 2025 minutes. The board accepted a county appointment to seat Matt Hyde as the Churchill County representative and then voted to confirm Mary Anne Tedford as board chair and Don Whitten as vice chair for 2026.

Shannon Ernst, interim administrator, told the board the amended bylaws standardize board terms to two years and recommended final approval. “Basically, it was a clean up,” Ernst said of the bylaw changes. The board approved the final reading and adopted the amended bylaws.

The board also approved an updated organizational chart that removes the combined administrator/doctor position and adopted "structure 1," which the interim administrator presented as aligning public-health preparedness and managerial duties. After that vote the board approved an updated job description and moved the administrator pay scale to step 85 (from step 70) to improve recruitment prospects. Chair Tedford described a shortened, chair-led hiring timeline to identify a top candidate and return that finalist for board ratification.

Votes at a glance: the board carried motions to— - Ratify a DHHS, Division of Public and Behavioral Health subaward totaling $10,400 to fund chronic-disease prevention and management outreach (approved). - Ratify a $43,006 subaward to expand abstinence and youth-development programming across Mineral, Churchill, Eureka and Pershing counties (approved). - Ratify a $30,000 agreement with KPS3 to create a public health dashboard showing outbreaks and trends (approved). - Approve a $72,925 contract with KPS3 to redesign the CNHD website (includes one year of maintenance; most costs grant-funded, ~4.1% or $2,900 expected from CNHD general fund) (approved). - Ratify Verkada security-equipment purchases through a state-approved vendor for $59,307.24 (approved). - Ratify pool-insurance application submission for liability policies (approved). - Accept review of FY2026 revenue, expenditures and grants to date (approved).

Several motions were moved and seconded on the record; where speakers named themselves in the transcript they were recorded as mover or seconder. For example, Bob Erickson moved to ratify the $10,400 subaward and Don Whitton seconded; Denise Ferguson moved the $43,006 subaward and Dr. James Zubernis seconded.

Shannon Ernst described the KPS3 website contract as a full redesign intended to improve accessibility, allow on-line environmental-health applications and host the new dashboard. “If you take a look at our website now, it’s really not easy to navigate,” Ernst said. She said KPS3’s proposal includes one year of maintenance and that grant funds will cover most costs; a small general-fund contribution was noted for the local share.

On facility security, Ernst said the Verkada system chosen can be monitored remotely, supports mag locks and can expand to remote locations; the purchase was financed with SB 118 grant funds to be expended this fiscal year. For pool insurance and other administrative items staff described routine renewals and clarifications about building-ownership and county responsibilities.

Next steps and context: staff will proceed with the hiring timeline described by the chair, complete contracting for the community needs assessment and continue implementing the dashboard and website work so the public can access outbreak statistics. The board scheduled its next meeting for March 19 at 1:30 p.m.

The board heard no public comment on these agenda items and adjourned with the actions above recorded as carried motions.