Clay County approves 0.6 FTE WIC registered dietitian to address high caseloads

The Clay County Board of Commissioners approved the addition of a 0.6 full-time equivalent registered dietitian in the county WIC program, a move staff said will reduce workload pressure and improve program sustainability.

Jessica, who presented the proposal on behalf of public health, said Clay County averaged 1,488 WIC appointments per month in 2025. She compared that to Becker County (635 appointments per month, 2 FTEs) and Otter Tail County (1,181 appointments per month, 3.25 FTEs), noting Clay County’s workload per appointment is substantially higher.

Jessica said the position would be classified at grade 17 and requested at 24 hours per week. She reported the county has approval to fund 50% of the position through a CDC infrastructure grant available through Dec. 31, 2027, which would cover half of salary and benefits through the remainder of 2026 and all of 2027. After accounting for grant funding, staff estimated the net annual impact to the public health budget for 2026 would be $12,904.

Commissioners emphasized the staffing pressure on current employees and supported the 0.6 appointment as a budget-neutral step given recent savings and to avoid excessive overtime. Commissioner Campbell moved to approve the position with backfill if needed; Commissioner Ebinger seconded and the voice vote carried.

The board’s action allows public health to recruit the 0.6 FTE dietitian and to apply CDC grant funds while monitoring program revenue and staffing levels; staff said additional revenue is not anticipated to offset the cost.