Dolores County Board of Health votes to hire new public health director, sets starting salary at $47,250

The Dolores County Board of Health voted March 16 to hire a candidate for public health director and set a starting salary of $47,250, the board chairman said in a motion that carried unanimously.

The chair moved to hire the candidate named in the meeting and later made a separate motion to set the salary at $47,250, Grade 7 with a step-forward; the motion was seconded and approved. Commissioner Almond moved to approve the March 2 meeting minutes earlier in the session.

Board members discussed the advertised salary range and how the county's step schedule will affect future increases. A staff speaker described the Grade 7 scale and step increments during the discussion; the board noted step increases occur at regular intervals and that the salary schedule’s top step is presently the maximum unless the county adjusts the entire schedule for cost-of-living changes.

Commissioner Almond reminded the board that $25,000 was removed from the environmental-health line item, and cautioned that combining director responsibilities with ongoing environmental-health duties will increase meeting time and staff workload. A staff member said the county will carry out an initial survey for Dolores County Public Health to guide priorities for the coming years.

The board completed the personnel motions and adjourned; members indicated they will await final language in Montezuma County’s proposed intergovernmental agreement before the county finalizes related operational details.

Notes on transcript naming: the motion to hire named the candidate as “Julie Bridal” in the meeting record. Later remarks in the transcript refer to the candidate as “Ms. Caible.” The transcript contains inconsistent renderings of the candidate’s name; the board action recorded in this article reflects the name as spoken during the hiring motion and the salary motion set by the board on March 16, 2026.