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Bremer County public health director outlines grants, nurse vacancy and state alignment plan
Summary
Dr. Lindley Sharp presented a public-health update including grant amendments (a $9,098 award and a $2,816 healthy-hometowns allocation for radon kits), opioid grant spending, and staffing challenges after the public health nurse resigned; she outlined the state's public-health lead-entity RFP timeline beginning in August with contracts effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Dr. Lindley Sharp, Bremer County public health director, briefed supervisors on departmental finances, several grant amendments, opioid grant spending and staffing gaps, and described an upcoming state public-health service alignment process that could change how local public health is organized.
Sharp presented an April snapshot showing departmental expenditures and revenue and noted several grant adjustments: a $9,098 amendment awarded in April (to be spent by October) and a $2,816 allocation from a statewide healthy-hometowns initiative for radon kits and cancer-prevention activities. "We received $2,816," Sharp said, explaining the county signed a 28E agreement to receive the funds and that radon kits would be distributed late summer to early fall.
Sharp also reported opioid-grant activity for FY26: Community Memorial was awarded $2,545 and used $2,089.76, while Pathways was awarded $31,744 and had spent $12,446 as of April. Sharp said she had not yet received an update from Pathways on anticipated use of the remaining award.
On staffing, Sharp said the county's public health nurse left May 1 for higher pay elsewhere and that county public-health nursing cannot compete with clinical pay. She described plans to pursue an MOU with local clinics to provide required vaccinations and to explore hiring a public-health specialist focused on health education and prevention. "I sent [an MOU] to Darius to look over," Sharp said, noting legal review and local provider outreach would follow.
Sharp flagged the state’s public-health service alignment schedule: the state will issue RFPs beginning in August, request letters of intent shortly afterward and expects applications in October, with notices of intent to award in December and contracts effective Jan. 1, 2027. She said the state-funded lead entity will coordinate district planning and manage funding for its district.
Why it matters: The grant dollars, opioid spending and staffing shifts affect local public-health services and county preparedness. The state alignment effort could change local governance and funding flows beginning in 2027.
What’s next: Sharp will host a meeting of local public-health providers on June 4 to gauge interest in applying to be a lead entity and will continue to pursue MOUs with local medical providers for vaccination services.
