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Park County reclassifies health position, adds hours to preserve vaccination and school services
Summary
The commission approved reclassifying a disease‑intervention specialist to a public‑health nurse and increasing the position from 0.75 to 0.9 FTE, funding the change with reallocated grant dollars and a limited county contribution (~$12,000 through June).
Park County commissioners voted Dec. 23 to reclassify a health‑department position and increase its hours to keep walk‑in vaccination services and expand school and maternal‑child health support.
Health staff told the commission a recently hired employee, Gretchen, holds a nursing license and can perform additional duties the county needs, including maternal‑child visits and partial school‑nursing coverage. Health staff proposed changing the position from a disease‑intervention specialist back to a public‑health nurse and increasing the FTE from 0.75 to 0.9, with the change effective Jan. 5.
Travis (health staff) explained funding would come mainly from a mix of grant adjustments: an extended tobacco‑prevention task order, immunization‑grant reallocations and other short‑term adjustments. He estimated the county cost at about $12,000 through June to cover the FTE change. "She's been providing vaccinations on a walk in basis to the public," he said, arguing that keeping staff capacity supports both routine immunizations and school programs.
Public commenters and commissioners expressed support. Carly (executive assistant / speaking as a citizen) described the Hope Squad peer‑support program and said the additional staff capacity could help get the program established in Park High. Commissioners discussed the budget detail and approved an amended motion to reclassify the position to public‑health nurse and raise the FTE to 0.9; the motion passed on a voice vote.
What’s next: The personnel reclassification will take effect Jan. 5; staff said some grant paperwork will return to the commission for a formal agenda item related to a tobacco‑prevention grant extension.
