Clark Hired as County Deputy Director of Health & Environment
Russ Baldwin | Jul 11, 2013 | Comments 0
The Prowers County Commissioners approved the hiring of R.N. Tammi Clark as the Deputy Director for the County’s Health and Environment Department. Clark will begin her duties on Monday, July 15. She has been a Prowers County resident for almost 30 years and has been in the medical field for almost 20 years, having been employed as head nurse for the RE-2 School District and has served for the Lamar Area Hospice as well. “I’m going to find the time to still assist with some on call, weekend duties at Hospice,” Clark explained, as the commissioners confirmed her hiring. She added, “I love those people and understand how stressful their work can be, so I still want to contribute when I can.” Clark said she will need to become reacquainted with the rules and regulations of public health guidelines, but she’s looking forward to making some positive changes in the future. A meet and greet reception for Clark will be held Monday, July 15 at 8:30am at the Prowers County Annex.
A search is continuing for an Executive Director of the County Health and Environment Department, but Commissioner Chairman, Joe Marble, said priority right now is being given to the search for a replacement for Linda Fairbairn, Executive Director of the County Department of Social Services. Fairbairn announced she would be retiring from her position by the end of the year. There had been some thought that her position could be combined with a director of the county health department, but it’s currently on the back-burner. Marble said three candidates for the D.S.S. director position will be interviewed on Friday, July 19.
A 12-stop bus route has been planned to transport the 1,000-plus bike riders who will converge in Lamar during the Pedal the Plains event, September 20-21. Kim Fornier, Lamar Partnership Incorporated Board Member, met with the Commissioners and Darren Glover of PATS to solidify the agreement for at least one PATS bus and driver for the bicyclists. That transportation provision was one of the stipulations for approving Lamar as one of the three host cities for this year’s ride. The commissioners affirmed they will supply a bus and driver for the first day of the event between noon and 9pm on the 20th and from 5am to 9am on the 21st just prior to the group’s departure for La Junta. The bus will make periodic swings among the restaurants, shopping areas and motels in Lamar through the two days.
Staffon Warn, Prowers County Rural Fire Chief, reviewed quarterly operations figures with the commissioners, detailing the Holly Gym fire on Wednesday evening for them. Warn said there were 52 calls for the past quarter which included 12 tree fires, some grass fires and about a dozen motor vehicle accidents. Regarding fires, he noted a growing problem with rubberneckers who showed up at the Arkansas River bottom fire earlier this season and during the fire in Holly. “We’re seeing a problem where these people are getting in the way of our operations,” he said. Warn explained that the airport road leading out to the river bottom fire had vehicles lining both sides of the two-lane county road, and one person was singled out for impersonating a fire responder and once identified will be subject to legal action. He said the Holly Gym fire was very similar, with motorists stopping their cars in the middle of the street for a looksee. “We’re going to have a problem when we have to move our equipment around their vehicles to action against a fire, or we could see trouble if we have to move our crews and equipment for a quickly moving fire and we’re blocked in,” he added. Warn said a recent Shell grant will provide $4,500 in funds that will purchase some used extrication equipment so the department will have two sets. He also briefed the commissioners on the probable creation of a pension board for volunteer fire fighters and is coordinating development with City Administrator, John Sutherland.
By Russ Baldwin
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