Committee approves new Data Entry Supervisor role at Health Department

The Personnel and Compensation Committee approved creation of one Data Entry Supervisor — Health (Grade 11) at its Feb. 17 meeting, aiming to centralize permit data and state-reportable violations for environmental health programs. The motion, made by Kathy Stegenga and seconded by Virginia Scott, passed with all members present voting in favor.

Lisa K. Lahiff, Deputy Commissioner of Health, said the department has "processed 3,000 applications throughout the year for food services, temporary residences (hotels/motels), temporary food, etc., and this position is the one who manages all the data including violations that need to be reported to the State." Lahiff told the committee the duties reviewed in a desk audit exceed the incumbent Grade 8 classification and that raising the position to Grade 11 aligns formal title with existing responsibilities. She said the new supervisor would directly oversee four positions (one currently unfilled) and would manage mileage and vehicle usage for the Environmental Health Division. Lower-level duties will be reassigned to a newly hired Senior Clerk or distributed among existing staff.

Committee members asked about recruitment and classification. Lahiff said the current promotion stems from a desk audit rather than an external posting; the open Senior Clerk role will be filled from an existing eligibility list that remains valid for up to four years. Multiple members sought to clarify whether the role would touch Medicaid work; Lahiff replied that Medicaid issues are handled by the Department of Social Services and not this position. The motion carried; committee minutes record the item as approved.