The Carbon County Commission ratified the appointment of Bradon Bradford as the Health Officer, or Director of the Southeastern Utah District Health Department. The vote took place during the regular commission meeting November 1. A new interlocal agreement among the counties for the Southeastern Utah District Health Board was also discussed.
Bradford has been serving as interim director since David Cunningham’s retirement last March. But, his appointment to the position on a permanent basis was challenged by some Health District Board members from Grand County.
During the commission meeting of September 20, Commissioner Jake Mellor expressed his frustration with the process of trying to hire a new director. He said, “We’ve gone out three times for applicants and each time we’ve gone out, we’ve had a valid applicant. But Grand County refused to accept the one valid applicant we’ve had each of the three times.”
That impasse and what was termed, “personality issues,” prompted the commission to pass a resolution to give notice of Carbon County’s intention to withdraw from the current health district at the end of the year and explore the possibility of creating a new Carbon-Emery Health Department– if the issues could not be worked out. The Emery County Commission passed a similar resolution.
Although the Carbon County resolution has yet to be rescinded, it appears that the counties have worked out their differences. Bradford was offered the permanent position of health officer during a special meeting in Green River October 20, with the support of all three counties involved.
Commissioner Jake Mellor, who sits on the health board, commented, “As representatives from each county met and also had some guidance from the Executive Director of the Association of Local Health Departments for the State of Utah Cameron Mitchell, we have been reviewing a lot of options and making sure that what we’re doing is applicable to Carbon, Emery and Grand County.”
Speaking at the November 1 meeting, Bradford said, “This is an opportunity I have been working for and looking forward to for a number of years, knowing that our workforce has been aging and transitioning and knowing that there’s a lot of work to be done in public health in our community. We regularly are ranked near the bottom of the barrel in the State of Utah in terms of health outcomes.”
Bradford said he has been reviewing the interlocal agreement among Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties and comparing it to other health districts across the state. He is now working to finalize the rewriting of some aspects of the agreement with respect to the makeup of the board, and who is recruited to the board, “in a way that will satisfy the Commissions of Carbon and Emery County, and the Council of Grand County.”
Bradford noted, “We’ve hired a lot of people in the last two months and are getting our training in order and making sure that our health department meets the community performance standards set forth by the state, and possibly within the next five years becoming an accredited health department.”
The commission, convened as the Carbon County Municipal Building Authority, also voted to convey the health department building to the health district. Deputy County Attorney Christian Bryner said the conveyance should have been done several years ago but, “escaped our checklist of something we need to do.” He explained the Municipal Building Authority took over the building in 1990 to obtain a bond for renovations. That was paid off in 2012 and conveying the building back to the health department had been overlooked until now.
Three health district counties agree at last: appoint Bradon Bradford permanent director
Bradon Bradford