Clallam County proposes personnel changes and first‑quarter payroll sweep; commissioners ask for clearer department outreach

Health and Human Services staff proposed replacing an unfilled Public Health Nurse (range 64) with a Medical Assistant (range 56) to improve recruitment prospects and save salary costs while preserving core services. Staff said the medical assistant would perform immunizations, point‑of‑care tests, contact investigations and coordination with pharmacies and schools, while nurses focus on complex clinical cases. Commissioners asked whether grant funding (FPHS or other sources) would support the position and requested the finance team reconcile schedule A funding entries before formal approval.

Finance staff also presented a new first‑quarter payroll underspend sweep that would transfer $440,068 back to the general fund to reflect vacancies and lower payroll outlays in Q1. Commissioners expressed concern about changing assumed underspend practices without proactive outreach to departments and with potential seasonality or overtime fluctuations. Finance said overtime was conservatively treated as if spent in period 12 and that departments with high overtime use (e.g., juvenile services) were excluded from captured underspend. Commissioners directed finance to increase direct communication with department fiscal leads, provide clear methodology and consider board‑level messaging to explain the new practice.

No formal personnel actions or budget appropriations were completed during the work session; staff will return with clarified funding sources and refined calculations.