Board approves commendations, a grant application and a new human services informatics position

At its meeting the Washington County Board approved a set of routine and personnel resolutions.

Resolutions included a commendation for John Cashin recognizing 25 years of service as a corrections officer, a grant application to the Sand County Foundation (Farmers & Landowner Fund) and the routine annual voiding of stale checks. All three measures passed unanimously.

The board also approved Resolution 65 to authorize a human services informatics administrator position in the information technology department. Julie (staff) explained the position had been on departmental wish lists, that the county’s recent electronic health record implementation increased revenue capture, and that a portion of the position’s cost would be covered by a vacated, budgeted position. "A portion of the cost of this position is coming from an existing budgeted position, based on a retirement," staff told the board, and the county will use opioid settlement funds for part of the next biennium costs with a plan to fold the role into the regular budget thereafter. Supervisors asked that the human services committee track and report the position’s return on investment after implementation.

Votes: calls for electronic votes were conducted; the clerk recorded unanimous passage for the items requiring simple majority and unanimous passage where two‑thirds was required.