2016-07-05 BOCC Update Health Memo to unfreeze ESH position 7-16LEWIS COUNTY
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MEMO
July 5, 2016
To: Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)
Steve Walton, Budget Director
From: Danette York, Public Health & Social Services Director
RE: Request to Unfreeze Environmental Health Specialist Position
360 NW North Street
Chehalis WA 98532
In 2010, Steve Garrett retired from Lewis County. Steve was the Solid/Hazardous Waste
Environmental Health Specialist (EHS). Since Steve's retirement that position has been
frozen and the work has been divided among two EHS positions and two Code Enforcement
positions.
During the budget process in 2015 planning for the 2016 budget year, I requested you
consider unfreezing this position. However, at the time it was unclear whether or not the
Department of Ecology solid waste grants would continue. So, you asked me to come back
with a proposal and request once I learned the status of those grants. We have been
notified by Ecology that both the CPG and SHA grants are continuing to be funded.
Therefore, at this time I am requesting to unfreeze the position and hire 1 FTE EHS to
perform the duties of Solid, Hazardous, and Biosolids Waste programs. The estimated cost
breakdown follows on the next page:
Daciette D. York, M.R11., C.P.H. Director
0 36t�.74E1.1223 F 38ft.7*dtt.Y972 rtiO 3ir0.74tt,1480
Raxebel fforad, M.D., M,P.11. Health Officer
SHA, CPG, Permits
Trans Alta Permit
Biosolids Permits
Pools/Spas
Current Expense Needed
New CE needed to add 1 FTE
Current Environmental
Revenue
618,276.00
618,276.00
Current Environmental
Expenditures
930,341.00
312,065.00
Benefits for unfreezing and hiring this position include:
Potential Environmental
Revenue
618,276.00
790.00
631,566.00
Proposed Environmental
Expenditures
1,005,341.00
373,775.00
• Department of Ecology grants (CPG and SHA) are fully utilized and work required by
statute is complete
• Subject matter expert on staff for solid waste, hazardous waste and Biosolids (all
land application material) - includes recyclers who currently may be under
"exempt" status but may really need to be permitted
• Take Ecology "Delegation of Authority" back- formalize relationship and provide
more input for Ecology related matters (specifically Biosolids)
• Take annual TransAlta permit/inspection back from Ecology - there is also potential
for future permitting at IPAT we do not want Ecology to take from us
• Take Pools/Spas program annual permitting and inspections back from State
Department of Health (DOH)
• Allows for succession planning and cross training for other programs
My proposal is to hire the EHS position to begin work in September 2016 in order to begin
training and deletion process so we can fully implement the rev i e program eater
January 2017.
Thank you for your consideration.