Allegany County health officer resigns

Dec. 12—CUMBERLAND — Less than six months after being hired, the Allegany County health officer has resigned.

County officials in July announced the hire of Dr. Junie Delizo.

It was the first time in nearly nine years that the Allegany County's health officer had a medical degree.

On Tuesday, Allegany County Administrator Jason Bennett said state officials had provided information on the status of the health officer position.

"Dr. Junie Delizo has resigned from the Allegany County Health Department," the correspondence stated.

Delizo could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Now, county officials will once again try to fill the position.

"As we have done before, Allegany County will work in conjunction with the State of Maryland to begin the search for a permanent replacement," Bennett said via email. "At this point, I anticipate that search process beginning either late this month or early in January."

Search

Following a nationwide search, Delizo was appointed to the position over the summer.

"Dr. Delizo brings over 25 years of public health experience to Allegany County, including expertise in epidemiology, emergency preparedness, and public health administration," a county press release stated at the time.

Delizo had served as medical officer at President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in the Philippines, the release stated and added that during the pandemic, Delizo worked as an epidemiologist for the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

"He comes to Allegany County from his most recent appointment as deputy director of public health for the Lackawanna County Department of Health and Human Services in Pennsylvania," it stated.

Delizo earned bachelor and medical degrees from Saint Louis University in Baguio City, Philippines, according to the release.

"He also holds a master of public health in international health and epidemiology and a graduate certificate in vaccine science and policy from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health," the release stated.

In October, Delizo was introduced to Cumberland's mayor and City Council at a public meeting.

At that time, he said he was eager to work with local officials.

"You have an amazing health department," Delizo said.

Interim

According to information the state provided Bennett, Gena Spear will be interim health officer.

"For the past three years, Gena has served as the director of administrative services for ACHD managing the day-to-day operations and overseeing finance, human resources, information technology, medical transportation, billing and collections, and building services," the correspondence stated. "She has 27 years of experience working in public service with the last 23 years working in the MDH system in various supervisory and management roles."

Difficulties

According to Cumberland Times-News reports, Dr. Sue Raver retired as the county's health officer in January 2015 after more than a decade in the position.

Raver's deputy, Pat Panuska, became acting health officer the following May.

"By state law, the health officer must be a medical doctor," the newspaper reported in 2016 and added that a local search for a candidate lasted roughly a year. "However, after no doctors applied to the position at the health department, officials were forced to lower the qualification requirements to allow candidates who hold a master's degree in public health administration."

Later that year, Allegany County commissioners suggested to the Maryland Department of Health that Jenelle Mayer fill the position.

She held a master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University and had worked as the Allegany County Health Department's director of community health from 2013 to 2016, and community transformation grant coordinator from 2012 to 2013.

The state approved Mayer's appointment the following month.

COVID

In March 2020 as COVID-19 made its way into most of the state, Mayer addressed the county's lack of a single documented case of the disease.

"This doesn't mean that the virus isn't present in our community," she said at the time. "Community members should take precautions and practice social distancing to prevent the spread of disease."

Throughout the pandemic, Mayer regularly recommended the Allegany County Board of Education practice science-based precautions to protect students and staff from COVID-19.

Resigned

In late February 2022, Allegany County had the highest COVID-19 daily and seven-day moving average virus case rates in Maryland.

At that time, the Allegany County Board of Health voted at a meeting to end quarantine for school students with close exposure to COVID-19, despite Mayer's objection.

The health board consisted of the three Allegany County commissioners, and Mayer as the only member with a public health background.

In September, Mayer resigned as county health officer and said she and her family planned to relocate to North Carolina.

"I have been with the Allegany County Health Department for 10 years, six as health officer, and I am going to miss the kind, dedicated staff at ACHD," she said at the time. "ACHD staff are a wonderful group of people and they work hard every day to provide vital public health programs and services for county residents."

Soon after, county commissioners and Maryland Secretary of Health Dennis R. Schrader appointed Margaret Wright, a registered nurse, as acting health officer for the county.

Wright began her nursing career in 1987 as an oncology nurse at Memorial Hospital with an associate's degree in nursing from Allegany College of Maryland, the health department said at the time.

Wright had extensive clinical and program management experience and had spent the majority of her career in public health with a focus on programs for very young children and older adults, the health department said.

Retirement

Bob Stephens, who has been with the Garrett County Health Department for 23 years, plans to retire effective May 1.

For the past seven years he served as Garrett's health officer, according to garretthealth.org.

Last month, Stephens received the annual Outstanding Rural Health Achievement Award from the Maryland Rural Health Association, according to a press release.

Teresa McMinn is a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com.