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Health director flags staffing, equipment and physician changes in Macon County budget ask
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Summary
Macon County Health Director Kathy McGaha told commissioners the department faces retention challenges for degree-level positions, requested reclassification to add an animal-control officer, replacement of a 20-year-old roller and converting a contracted physician to a full-time position.
Kathy McGaha, Macon County health director, told the Board of Commissioners on June 8 that the department is struggling to retain staff in positions requiring college degrees and has several vacancies that are hard to fill. She said one Environmental Health employee left after the county paid for required certifications and training to take a higher-paying job with sign-on incentives in a larger county.
McGaha outlined several budget requests for fiscal year 2023–24: reclassifying a Health Services Coordinator position to Animal Control Officer I to address rising animal-control calls and increased sheltering, replacing the department’s aging Molar Roller (approximately 20 years old), and replacing a contracted physician with a full-time Physician I.
Melissa Setzer, finance officer for Macon County Public Health, summarized the department’s funding sources and revenue streams that support those requests. The presentation noted a mix of departmental revenue and county funding but did not specify line-item amounts for each request in the meeting minutes.
The board did not take a vote on the public health requests and postponed budget decisions pending additional review. Commissioners later said they needed more time to review materials and asked staff for follow-up information before any final decisions.