Three women, each a resident of Vermillion County, are among applicants for the position of Vermillion County health officer, said Judy Howard, president of the Vermillion County Board of Health.
The board is accepting applications until Jan. 26, Howard said, with the health board slated to meet in an executive session Feb. 1 to interview prospective candidates.
Howard said the board of health will then set a public meeting later in February to select its nomination, with that candidate presented to the Vermillion County Board of Commissioners for approval.
Since October, Vermillion County health officials have been working to nominate a new health officer following the resignation of Dr. John Albrecht.
The county health board initially chose Dr. Laurie Valera for the post, but her nomination was rejected in November by county commissioners. Reasons ranged from the candidate not living in Vermillion County to stances on COVID-19 vaccinations.
Previously, county commissioners simply certified a nominee from the county health board. However, Jon Spurr, attorney for the board, told commissioners a change in state law now requires the county commissioners, the legislative branch of county government, to approve a candidate submitted by the Board of Health.
A controversial decision
Valera's rejection spurred comments on social media and even a November letter from the mayor of Clinton criticizing that action.
Howard told the Tribune-Star on Thursday she thought Dr. Valera was the best candidate, vetted by the health board — which is primarily comprised of medical personnel.
"But Dr. Valara is out," Howard said, as under a new state law, if a candidate is rejected twice by county commissioners, that candidate is not eligible for consideration. Commissioners rejected Valara in meetings Oct. 26 and Nov. 9, Spurr noted in a commissioners meeting.
Since then, the health board hired Terre Haute attorney James McDonald to assist in the process of selecting a new health officer.
McDonald, in a Jan. 4 commissioner meeting, asked commissioners what qualifications they seek, such as residency, gender, medical affiliation, age, knowledge or interaction with the community.
Commissioner Britton Luther said he would like to see a scorecard on each candidate on how they respond to questions from the, as well as how each health board member viewed a candidate's response.
Britton Luther said he also wanted to review resumes of candidates and be able to question a final candidate in a commissioner meeting.
This month commissioners instructed the county attorney "to send a letter to the board of health asking them to fulfill their statutory duties, otherwise the commissioners will take appropriate action," according to a Jan. 10 special meeting memoranda signed by the board.
Soon after, the county health department, in a Facebook job listing, posted a new health officer must be a licensed physician and "is not required to live in the county but it is preferred. He or she shall have had experience or some training in public health practices," the job listing stated.
Duties include "overseeing all daily operations and staff of the county's health department; keep records of death and birth certificates; oversee septic permits and food permits/inspecting; act as a medical advisor/coordinator in the event of a county disaster ... and develop and implement public health policies," the listing stated.
Howard said the previous health officer — Dr. Albrecht — has been helping out, largely by phone, on issues that require a health officer.
"It has really upset a lot of things. We need a medical person and physician for all kinds of things, death certificates and to sign off for the vaccines. Our past medical director did agree that until we can find someone, he would help us out with that. He has retired and has moved," Howard said.
"We are hoping this [next selected candidate] completes this and [it's not dragged] out any further. It has got the public involved, at least in commenting about it," Howard said. "We are expecting it to get resolved and I think it will."
Commissioner R.J. Dunavan told the Tribune-Star on Friday he could not immediately comment. A telephone message was also left Friday for Commissioner President Tim Yocum seeking comment.
Past meetings
The issue of getting a new health officer can be seen in a review of past meetings and what commissioners are considering.
In its Nov. 9 meeting, Dunavan said he didn't know Valera. Luther said she didn't live in Vermillion County. Luther later asked the health board to return with another recommendation for health officer.
Saying he was concerned about potential mandates, Yocum voiced concern on Valera's position on COVID for recommending vaccinations.
"I know from a medical standpoint we have always respected the health department and their recommendation," Yocum said during the meeting. "I worry about things happening in the future that would bring the commissioners into conflict with the health department as far as overreach maybe, as far as shutting down businesses and doing things like that. I don't know that answer," Yocum said.
Howard said the health board "had an executive meeting and invited [commissioners] to it and none of them attended," to learn about the prospective health officer.
However, since then Yocum met with Howard and some other health department officials.
"He listened. No conclusions were met, but at least he talked with us. We sat down and talked for a few minutes," Howard told the Tribune-Star. "We did not hear from the other two."
Referring to Luther, Howard said it is not a requirement for a health commissioner to live in the county, just as it's not required for city police officers to live in a city in which they work.
Howard said Valera told health board members she would recommend, not mandate, vaccinations. "That is a big difference," she said.
Doctor comments
Valera on Saturday told the Tribune-Star she thinks the commissioners' decision centered on COVID-19, gender and race.
"I think it is all prejudice," Valera said. "I think it is the COVID. I believe in COVID and I believe in vaccination, and I believe the majority of the commissioners don't. I believe in masking and I work in the hospital and I see this day in and day out. They think the heath officer's job is all about COVID, and it is not.
"There are other things that the county heath officer does, with birth and death certificates, all health education of schools and restaurant inspections. They wanted to concentrate on the COVID and I get that, but it will not change my stand on the illness. This is two years out already, and I am still dealing with it and still putting people on ventilators," Valera said.
"In my honest opinion, I think it's prejudicial," she said. "I am a female and they wanted a male alpha. They wanted to be someone not of color, and I am of color. I am of Asian and Filipino descent. Also, they want to use the fact that I am not from Vermillion County," she said.
"Well, I am not from Vermillion County in residence, but I have worked in Vermillion County for the last 10 to 12 years. I have worked in Cayuga and in Clinton ... and I have recruited so many doctors to work in this county," Valera said. "If that is not enough, then it is not going to be," she said.
Criticism sparked
That meeting also stirred several responses from the community.
John Michael Major served on the Vermillion County Council from 2018 to 2020, elected in a party caucus to fill the seat of Jill West, who was appointed by Gov. Eric Holcomb to the Vermillion County Circuit Court.
Major told the Tribune-Star in November he was disappointed in the decision, saying he thinks commissioners are looking for a candidate that "shares their view on COVID-19 and I believe their view on COVID-19, [which] is they don't believe in masks, don't believe in vaccinations, they just think it is a political football.
"I don't know why they would play political football with public health," he said.
In response to Valera living in Vigo County, Major said commissioners have appointed others who do not live in the county. He referenced Joe Ellis, who serves on the Newport Chemical Depot Reuse Authority, which oversees The Vermillion Rise Mega Park. Ellis lives in Illinois.
That reference was also made by Clinton Mayor Jack Gilfoy Jr. in a Nov. 12 letter emailed to county commissioners.
"Apparently you have forgotten that you appointed Joe Ellis, who doesn't live in Indiana let alone Vermillion County to serve on a board. You seem to make up the rules as you go along," Gilfoy said in his letter.
Gilfoy said he was disappointed commissioners did not support the county health board's choice "for the health officer position with the most qualified individual because you choose to make this political and you want someone who mirrors your opinions regarding COVID protocols or lack thereof," Gilfoy wrote.
"The health and welfare of the citizens of this county should be your utmost concern, which it is clearly not. You were elected to represent the citizens of Vermillion County; all citizens, not just your chosen few. You are setting some very dangerous precedents for this county, and as an elected official myself the best solution for the chaos you have created is for each of you to resign your position immediately," Gilfoy wrote.
Gilroy told the Tribune-Star he "sent the letter because "I am the mayor of the only city in the county, and we have one third of the [county] population here," Gilroy said. "I felt commissioners had made a mistake ... and I felt it was time I say something. I stick by that letter today, and I just hope that they realize they should listen to the board that they appointed. They are all health officials and know what the issues now are with COVID or with anything," he said.
© 2024 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.