HomeMy WebLinkAbout41 21 JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF HEALTH
A RESOLUTION OF THE JEFFERSON
COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH
REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF A Resolution No. 41-21
LOCAL HEALTH OFFICER AND DEPUTY
HEALTH OFFICER
Whereas, RCW 70.05.040 requires the local board of health to "appoint a local health officer
pursuant to RCW 70.05.050", and
Whereas, RCW 70.05.050 states, in part, "The local health officer shall be an experienced
physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in this
state and who is qualified or provisionally qualified in accordance with the standards prescribed
in RCW 70.05.051 through 70.05.055 to hold the office of local health officer.No term of office
shall be established for the local health officer but the local health officer shall not be removed
until after notice is given, and an opportunity for a hearing before the board or official
responsible for his or her appointment under this section as to the reason for his or her removal.
The local health officer shall act as executive secretary to, and administrative officer for the local
board of health and shall also be empowered to employ such technical and other personnel as
approved by the local board of health except where the local board of health has appointed an
administrative officer under RCW 70.05.040." and
Whereas, Washington State and Jefferson County are currently responding to an ongoing public
health emergency caused by the pandemic spread of COVID-19 that requires the uninterrupted
services of a health officer skilled in the public health practice in general and COVID-related
communicable disease control in particular, and
Whereas, Allison Berry, MD, MPH is fully qualified to serve as a county health officer as
prescribed in RCW 70.05.051, has been performing this service with high skill and distinction
for Clallam County since 2018, and has agreed to accept appointment as Jefferson County Health
Officer, and
Whereas, Thomas Locke, MD, MPH, the currently serving Jefferson County Health Officer, has
agreed to continue to serve Jefferson County as a Deputy Health Officer to assist Dr. Berry's
transition and to provide back-up coverage, as necessary, and
Whereas, Health Officer coverage of both Clallam and Jefferson Counties by a single health
officer has a long history, both when the two counties were united as the Olympic Health District
prior to 1977 and from 1996 to 2015 when Dr. Locke served as the health officer for both
Counties, and
615 Sheridan•Castle Hill Center• Port Townsend• WA•98368
(360)385-9400
Whereas,the current decrease in COVID-19 allows an optimal transition period and an
opportunity to prepare for the substantial challenges of supporting full time in-person schooling
for the 2021-22 school year and the likely resurgence of COVID-19 in the Fall and Winter of
2021-22, and
Therefore, be it RESOLVED that Jefferson County Board of Health, under authority granted by
RCW 70.05.045 and RCW 70-05.050 hereby
1) Appoints Allison H. Berry, MD, MPH as Jefferson County Health Officer with an
employment contract to be negotiated and finalized by the appropriate Jefferson County
officials, and
2) Appoints Thomas H. Locke,MD, MPH as Deputy Health Officer for Jefferson County
with continuation of his current contract until such time this service is no longer
necessary.
Approved, Adopted, and Passed this 15th Day of July, 2021
ate Dean, air
nis Stearns, Vice Chair
Heidi Eisenhour, Member
1)(10 474
S . ; esterman Member
reg Bret rton, Member
Kees Kolff, Mem r
Pamela Adams, ember
615 Sheridan• Castle Hill Center• Port Townsend•WA• 98368
(360)385-9400