Chapter 6.04
COUNTY HEALTH DISTRICT
Sections:
6.04.010 Membership – Appointment – Term – Compensation – Reimbursement of Expenses.
6.04.030 Health Officer Appointment.
6.04.035 Executive Director Appointment.
6.04.070 Food Permit Transfer.
6.04.010 Membership – Appointment – Term – Compensation – Reimbursement of Expenses.
(1) The district Board of Health of the Yakima Health District shall consist of the following ten members, each of whom shall have one vote:
(a) Three members of the Board of County Commissioners;
(b) Two elected officials of the cities and towns within Yakima County to be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to represent the collective interests of all cities within Yakima County; and
(c) Four citizens of the United States who are residents of Yakima County, with an interest in public health. Citizen members of the board are to be interviewed and selected by the Board of Health, then appointed by a majority vote of the Board of County Commissioners. Terms shall be staggered and shall be for four years; a citizen may serve no more than two consecutive four-year terms. Citizen members shall be selected from the following categories as equally as possible, unless candidates cannot be found from one of the three categories:
(i) Representing public health, health care facilities, or providers, who is practicing or employed in Yakima County and is a medical ethicist; epidemiologist; experienced in environmental public health, such as a registered sanitarian; community health worker; holder of a master’s degree or higher in public health or equivalent; employee of a hospital located within Yakima County; or any of the following providers holding an active or retired license in good standing: physician or osteopathic physician, advanced registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant or osteopathic physician assistant, registered nurse, dentist, naturopath, or pharmacist.
(ii) Representing consumers of public health who has self-identified as having faced significant health inequities or having lived experiences with public health-related programs.
(iii) Representing community stakeholders who represent the following types of organizations located in Yakima County: community-based organization or nonprofit that works with populations experiencing health inequities in Yakima County; the business community; or the environmental public health regulated community;
(d) One tribal member who is a resident of Yakima County, selected by the American Indian Health Commission.
(2) Elected officials shall be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Consecutive terms are allowed, but in no event may a member serve beyond the term of the elective office which qualifies him or her to serve on the board of health. An elected official may serve no more than four consecutive two-year terms. Elected officials are appointed after the following steps have been completed:
(a) The Yakima Health District has made the cities and towns in Yakima County aware of a vacant position by written notification and request for qualified candidates;
(b) Interested candidates have submitted letters of qualification and interest within 30 days of the announcement that the position is vacant;
(c) The Yakima Health District forwards all applications to the Board of County Commissioners;
(d) The Board of County Commissioners may interview the applicants.
(3) Citizen members shall be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners after the following steps have been completed:
(a) The Yakima Health District provides notice to potential applicants to apply for vacancies. The notice should be made in public places including, but not limited to, the newspaper of record, work with local community organizations to distribute vacancy notices, post vacancy announcements in all geographic regions by the local board of health, make the vacancy announcement in any language upon request, and comply with applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law No. 101-336 and RCW chapter 49.60;
(b) Interested candidates have submitted letters of qualification and interest within 30 days of the announcement that the position is vacant;
(c) The Yakima Health District forwards all applications to the Yakima Board of Health. The Board of Health will ask a standard set of questions, although follow-up questions may be asked if necessary to clarify understanding. The recruitment process must be consistent with applicable provisions of RCW chapter 42.30;
(d) The Board of Health selects, whenever possible, a minimum of two candidates per vacant position from Section (1)(c), above, indicating which category/categories they are eligible to fill to the Board of County Commissioners;
(e) The Board of County Commissioners may interview the candidates if they so choose before making their final selection.
(f) Citizen members of the Board of Health are voting members of the local board of health except as it pertains to any decision related to the setting or modification of permit, licensing, and application fees.
(4) The Yakima County Coroner shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Board of Health. The Coroner shall not have voting privileges, shall not be included in the count when determining the number needed for a quorum and shall not be counted when determining if a quorum is present.
(5) For purposes of this Section, “elected official” shall include an official appointed to an elected position.
(6) All Board of Health committees shall include a member of The Board of Yakima County Commissioners.
(7) No member shall receive compensation from the Yakima County Health District for serving as a member of the board of health.
(8) When the Board of Health is initially expanded to ten members, a new chair shall be elected to serve the remainder of that year. Thereafter, at the first meeting of each year of the district Board of Health, a chair shall be elected to serve for a period of one year.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Ord. 3-2000 § 1, 2000: Ord. 1-1996 § 1, 1996: Vol. W p. 342 (part), 1950).
6.04.020 Fund Established.
A fund to be designated as district health fund shall be established by the treasurer of Yakima County, Washington, who shall be the treasurer and custodian thereof, and in which said fund shall be placed all moneys received by the health district from any source and out of which shall be expended all moneys disbursed by the health district, in accordance with law.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Vol. W p. 342 (part), 1950).
6.04.030 Health Officer Appointment.
A qualified physician, trained and experienced in public health, is appointed district Health Officer of the health district. In the event of a vacancy in the Health Officer position, a new Health Officer shall be appointed by the Board of Health after all of the following steps have been completed:
(1) The Yakima Health District has made the public aware of the vacancy by promoting and seeking qualified candidates;
(2) Interested candidates have submitted letters of qualification and interest within 30 days of the announcement that the position is vacant;
(3) The nominating committee has reviewed the submitted letters, conducted interviews and has nominated candidates to the Board of Health for consideration;
(4) The Board of Health has reviewed the submitted letters and interviewed the nominated persons; and
(5) The Board of Health, by a majority vote, has selected a candidate to serve as the Health Officer of the health district.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Vol. W p. 342 §1, 1950).
6.04.035 Executive Director Appointment.
An Executive Director of the health district is appointed. The Executive Director shall act as executive secretary and administrative officer for Board of Health, and shall be responsible for administering the operations of the Board including such other administrative duties required by the Board of Health, except for duties assigned to the Health Officer as enumerated in RCW 70.05.070 and other applicable state law.
In the event of a vacancy in the Executive Director position, a new Executive Director shall be appointed by the Board of Health after all of the following steps have been completed:
(1) The Yakima Health District has made the public aware of the vacancy by promoting and seeking qualified candidates;
(2) Interested candidates have submitted letters of qualification and interest within 30 days of the announcement that the position is vacant;
(3) The nominating committee has reviewed the submitted letters, conducted interviews and has nominated candidates to the Board of Health for consideration;
(4) The Board of Health has reviewed the submitted letters and interviewed the nominated persons; and
(5) The Board of Health, by a majority vote, has selected a candidate to serve as the Executive Director of the health district.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021).
6.04.040 Payroll.
Monthly payrolls of the health district may hereafter be certified for payment upon approval of the chairperson of the board of health, or such other member of the board of health as designated in the chairperson’s absence.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Vol. W p. 342 §2, 1950).
6.04.050 Claims Payment.
All claims against the health district shall be paid only upon approval of the executive director of the health district and a majority of the members of the board of health.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Vol. W. p. 342 §4, 1950. Formerly 6.04.060).
6.04.060 Meetings.
Regular meetings of the district board of health shall hereafter be held at the hour of 8:30 am, upon the last Wednesday of each month, excepting when said day may fall upon a holiday, the regular meeting shall be held upon the day preceding; special meetings of the district board of health may be called at any time on order of the chairperson of the board of health, or at the request of any members thereof.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Vol. W p. 342 §5, 1950. Formerly 6.04.070).
6.04.070 Food Permit Transfer.
The maintenance and administration of the issuance and collection of food permits are transferred to the Yakima Health District.
To effectuate said transfer, books of receipts, applications, and permits are transferred from the possession of the board of county commissioners to the possession of Yakima Health District.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Vol. VI p. 428 (part), 1961. Formerly 6.04.080).
6.04.080 Budget Adoption.
Adoption of the annual budget of the health district shall require the presence of a quorum of members of the board of health and shall require the concurrence of a majority of those members present, and two-thirds of the county commissioners.
(Ord. 3-2022 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1-2021 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2-2018 § 1 (part), 2018: Ord. 3-2000 § 2, 2000: Ord. 1-1996 § 2, 1996. Formerly 6.04.090).