The Grand County government will hire several key sites to help navigate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery from the problematic fire in the east over the coming months.
Director of Public Health Brene Belew-LaDue announced her resignation earlier this month with her last day on January 15th. Just weeks before the transition, the health department is working with the incumbent county manager to develop leadership plans.
With the county working through the COVID-19 pandemic, public health medical director Darcy Selenke told county commissioners Tuesday that an internal candidate is “working.”
“The most important thing is that we have a perfect transition,” Selenke said. “We can’t pass at any time without a public health director because it would jeopardize the ability to enact that five-star program.”
The five-star program created by state health officials could provide county businesses with an opportunity to increase their capacity.
Grand County requested the program Friday, but Selenke said the state would not move forward because of the current Grand Country case rate.
Grand has seen COVID-19 cases decline with the county’s two-week count below 100 new cases for the first time in more than a month. However, the county rate equals 600 cases per 100,000 residents and meets the requirements to obtain the state’s red level, although county restrictions are considered “orange” on the state’s COVID dial. .
Selenke said the state wants all county metrics in the orange zone before moving on. If cases continue to decline to a rate of less than 350 per 100,000 residents, a five-star local program could begin to allow approved companies to increase capacity to the yellow level.
On Tuesday, commissioners also approved a contract with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to hire a recovery manager. This two-year full-time position in the county will help lead the local Troublesome Fire recovery efforts.
DOLA will cover $ 154,065 for the salary and benefits associated with the two-year position and the county will contribute an additional $ 51,355. The recovery manager will inform the emergency manager. Under the contract with DOLA, someone will be hired on site within 45 days of the contract’s effective date.
Grand is also looking for a communications director after Alexis Kimbrough was promoted from county communications coordinator to deputy director of emergency management earlier this year.
The county will publish both jobs in the coming months after completing job descriptions.
County commissioners appointed county deputy director Ed Moyer as acting county manager on Dec. 8 and will likely continue until early 2021.
Commissioners have made no immediate move to hire a new county manager.