NRCHS faces more obstacles

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — The absence of a registered sanitarian for Nobles-Rock Community Health Services led to considerable discussion at the agency’s board meeting on Wednesday.

Board members learned the agency failed to comply with a mandatory 10-day notification to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) when sanitarian Jason Kloss left the agency last month for a full-time position with the still-forming Southwest Health and Human Services (Lincoln, Lyon, Murray and Pipestone) agency.

That notification was to include a plan for how the counties will proceed and meet the public’s need for services related to food, beverage and lodging licensing and inspections.

Kloss also handled nuisance complaints, public health preparedness and led the medical reserve corps for the agency.

NRCHS administrative secretary Barb Bents said the agency has 180 days to fill the registered sanitarian position with qualified staff. If it is unable to do so, MDH will step in and provide the staff for the agency at a cost considerably higher than what the counties previously paid.

Also, MDH requires a minimum five-year agreement for service. In this region, Jackson County contracts with MDH for food, beverage and lodging licensing and inspection.

“The nuisance part of Jason’s job was not part of the delegation agreement,” Bents said. “Even if we contract with the state, we still don’t have anyone to handle the nuisance (work) for us.”

Though agency staff divided up some of the work of the sanitarian, nothing was decided on as to who could do food, beverage and lodging inspections, who could do outbreak investigations, and who could ensure calls and questions from the public are being answered.

Nobles County Commissioner David Benson said with the state’s 180-day deadline, a registered sanitarian would need to be in place by Sept. 28, or have a contract signed with a sanitarian who could provide the necessary services. He recommended the agency advertise for the position immediately.

“My first choice would be that we remain a delegated county (by having its own registered sanitarian on staff or through contract),” Benson said. “We know we’re going to have to have this service.”

Benson suggested the agency advertise for a part-time, temporary registered sanitarian; commissioners from both Nobles and Rock counties will need to approve that request. The agency will also ask Kloss if he could be contracted to provide service for NRCHS in the interim.

Also discussed at length Wednesday was a petition received by the agency from the Bureau of Mediation Services regarding an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union request to “preserve existing conditions and promote a free and fair environment.”

The order pertains to all employees within NRCHS, and requires the county to comply with six specific points:

• Wages, hours and all existing conditions of employment of the employees shall not be changed as of the date of the order (April 8).

• Negotiations shall not be carried on.

• Threats or promises as to changes in wages, hours and conditions of employment are prohibited.

• Employees shall not be questioned by the employer with respect to membership in a labor organization.

• Employees shall not be discriminated against as a result of the filing of the petition.

• The employer shall post the Maintenance of Status Quo order at the work locations of all employees involved.

NRCHS Board Chair Karen Pfeifer said the health board may need to pursue legal advice pertaining to the order and accepted a motion Wednesday to authorize up to $5,000 in agency funds for legal advice as needed.

In other action Wednesday, the board:

• Renewed six interpreter contracts for the agency through the end of this year. Interpreters are paid $20 per hour.

• Approved a contract with We Care Day Care through Dec. 31.

• Approved a contract with the Minnesota Department of Health for a $3,176 grant dedicated to eliminating health disparities. The money is used primarily to fund direct observational therapy for clients with tuberculosis.

Tags: news, nrchs, sanitarian, position, union, petition, meeting