Cedar County supervisors approve full-time Environmental Health specialist job description, direct 28E talks with Board of Health

Cedar County supervisors on March 24 approved revisions to the Environmental Health Specialist job description, removed the part-time designation and added physical requirements and flex-hours scheduling, and instructed staff to pursue structural changes for the county’s environmental and zoning functions.

The action follows the voluntary resignation of an Environmental & Zoning administrative assistant and a broader review of how the county delivers mandated versus elective services. HR Attorney Galloway met with supervisors and department heads and recommended negotiating a 28E intergovernmental agreement with the Board of Health to move Environmental Health functions under Public Health. The Board reached consensus to pursue a 28E agreement and to post a request for qualifications for zoning services through the auditor’s office so the county can transition to a contracted model if appropriate.

Supervisor Barnhart moved to approve the revised job description; Supervisor Kaufmann seconded and the motion passed with Supervisor Bixler recorded as absent. The approved description removes the prior part-time designation, adds specified weight-handling requirements and provides for flex hours to accommodate workload and recruitment needs.

County leadership discussed the practical steps the county will take: post a public RFQ for zoning work, post the Environmental & Zoning position for hire so the current director can train any replacement, and ensure mandated services remain covered while evaluation of service models continues. Supervisors also discussed the possibility of shared positions with neighboring counties; no final intergovernmental agreement was approved on March 24.

The Board set no final effective date for organizational changes; staff were directed to return with formal agreements and recruitment materials at a future meeting.