Health Board Approves Urgent Hire to Combat Staffing Crisis

In a recent meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved the hiring of Farnaz Noori, a diagnostic imaging technologist, by waiving the 180-day sit-out period typically required for new hires. This decision was made to address a critical staffing need in the health services department, particularly in mammography, which has faced recruitment challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Noori's temporary appointment will last from July 8, 2024, to June 7, 2025.

Helena Marti, a representative from the health services department, emphasized the importance of Noori's role in providing essential breast cancer screening services. Marti noted that the department has struggled to recruit qualified personnel and that Noori's willingness to return was an opportunity that needed to be seized quickly to prevent her from being recruited by other entities.

The board unanimously approved the motion to hire Noori after a brief public comment period, which yielded no responses.

Additionally, the board discussed the fiscal year 2024-25 tentative report on community service area EM1 and the enhanced countywide emergency medical service system. EMS Director Marshall Bennett presented the report, which included proposed assessment rates for emergency services. The rates, unchanged from the previous year, are set at $3.94 for single-family residences in San Ramon Valley and $10 for the rest of the county. The board opened a public hearing on the report, which also received no public comments, and subsequently adopted the assessment unanimously.

The meeting concluded with acknowledgments of long-serving staff members, highlighting the board's appreciation for their dedication to community service.