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Kittitas County Public Health Department approves staff-retreat closure, urges state FPHS funding and OKs consultant plans
Summary
At a Jan. 28 study session the Kittitas County Public Health Department won commissioner approval to close for a half-day staff retreat Feb. 20, approved hiring Robin Read Consulting for human-services planning, passed a resolution urging the state to maintain Foundational Public Health Services funding, and received a measles-exposure update and an opioid-funding inquiry for jail treatment.
Kittitas County commissioners on Jan. 28 approved several administrative and advocacy actions proposed by the Public Health Department, including a one-time half-day closure for staff training, contracting a consultant to develop human-services plans and a resolution urging the Washington State Legislature to maintain funding for Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS).
Chelsey Loeffers told the board the department plans to close for a half-day on Feb. 20, 2026, to provide required annual staff training. The board approved Resolution 2026-013 authorizing that closure; Commissioner Brett Wachsmith moved and Chair Laura Osiadacz seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.
Kasey Knutson presented several Human Services project proposals from Robin Read Consulting: a two-year strategic plan for mental-health and substance-use-disorder prevention; an update of the Kittitas County Developmental Disabilities Plan for 2026–2028; and an action plan for the Homelessness and Affordable Housing Committee based on the county's 2025–2030 Local Homeless Plan. Commissioners asked staff for quarterly updates to ensure new plans align with county goals and unanimously approved hiring Robin Read Consulting to prepare the plans.
Loeffers also presented a resolution asking the Washington State Legislature to retain funding for Foundational Public Health Services; commissioners approved the resolution and directed staff to provide the county lobbyist with additional information for advocacy during the legislative session.
On infectious-disease matters, Loeffers updated the board about recent measles exposures: quarantine end dates are Jan. 30 and Jan. 31; staff are continuing symptom checks for exposed unvaccinated individuals; the three weeks after the last exposure dates will be lower-risk general monitoring. She said the department is working with the Washington State Department of Health to bring a vaccination caravan to Kittitas County and will conduct outreach to check vaccination status in the community.
In other business, Loeffers and Kasey Knutson reported an inquiry from Ed Buntin at the jail about using opioid-settlement funds for Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). Commissioners agreed the jail met the settlement funding requirements and asked that the topic return to the Board of County Commissioners for further discussion.
All administrative motions in the minutes were recorded as passed; where motions list movers and seconders (the closure and FPHS resolution), the minutes record unanimous approval.
