Kitsap County's health board adding non-elected positions
The board that oversees Kitsap County's Public Health District will expand, adding non-elected community members and tribal representatives in a pandemic-era bid by Gov. Jay Inslee to add more community perspectives to the body.
A bill passed by the Legislature in 2021 at the request of Inslee requires equal representation on the health board by elected and non-elected members. There are currently seven on the board: Kitsap's three commissioners and the mayor from each of the four cities.
Starting in September, the board will expand to 10 but include fewer elected officials. Three community members will join two tribal representatives as non-elected members on the board. The electeds will be reduced to five, with just one commissioner sitting on the board along with the mayors or elected representatives of the four cities.
The health board is charged with overseeing the local health officer and administrator and "has the authority to enact local rules and regulations as necessary to preserve, promote, and improve the public health," according to the health district. The board works with health district leadership to set policies and priorities.
The board is seeking applications from community members interested in serving on the board, and the deadline is June 13. Of the community representatives, one must be a physician or public health professional. One must be a "consumer of public health," meaning they've been served by public health programs (such as through nutrition programs or treatment services). And one must be in a category called "community stakeholder groups," with examples being businesses that are regulated through public health agencies, members of the military, or nonprofits that work with populations experiencing "health inequities," according to the legislation.
The terms will typically be four years, with one of the community positions serving two years initially to stagger the terms. Members will be limited to serving two terms, though they can serve one additional term after a break of a year.
Two tribal members — representing the Suquamish and Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribes — will be appointed by the American Indian Health Commission.
Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder, who sits on the board, said the aim of the legislation, adding additional perspectives, is a good thing. But he said the legislation's timeline has been difficult for the health district to achieve as it continues to respond to the pandemic.
"It's been a huge lift to make it happen," Gelder said. "I think more voices are always more important to have, especially if someone has experience getting those public health services, and very important to have tribal representation as well."
"But I wish we could have waited until after the pandemic," he said.
The personnel committee of the current health board will interview applicants, and the health board will make its recommendations to the county commissioners, who will approve the final appointments. The newly appointed members are expected to be present for the health board's monthly meeting in September.
The non-elected members of the board will have the same voting powers as the elected members with the exception of voting on budget matters, Gelder said. State law leaves that up to elected officials. The board members will also be held to the same standards as elected officials when it comes to abiding by the state's public records and open public meetings laws, he said.
The non-elected members will be paid a stipend of $85 for attending each meeting, which Gelder said was an attempt to reduce barriers that potential members may have as a result of having to take time off from work or securing childcare or transportation.
"That was really born out of our desire to have diversity and inclusivity in the membership of who might be able to participate," he said.
The meetings of the health board in fall 2021 were filled with impassioned public comment periods after Kitsap's health officer, Dr. Gib Morrow, raised the possibility of requiring certain businesses to prove patrons' vaccination status and recommending a vaccine mandate for local government workers in the midst of the punishing Delta wave. Members of the public protested outside the Norm Dicks Government Center in Bremerton, where the health district's offices are located, as board members listened for hours to public comments at remote meetings held over Zoom. Board members' inboxes were flooded with emails from the public.
Gelder said that even though the COVID-19 restrictions have passed, there's a chance that another issue facing the health board could attract similar attention.
"I would say there could be some other community health response or pandemic that may require a similar response, and yes, the individuals appointed will need to be prepared to have that kind of interaction with the public," he said.
For more information and to apply, visit https://kitsappublichealth.org/about/board_expansion.php.
Kimberly Rubenstein is the local news editor of the Kitsap Sun. She can be reached at kimberly.rubenstein@kitsapsun.com or 360-792-5263. Support coverage of local news by signing up today for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Kitsap County's health board adding non-elected positions
