WASHINGTON

The Washington County Supervisors Tuesday unanimously acknowledged Jenifer Roberts as the new Administrator for the Washington County Health Department, also approving a wage change from $37 hourly to $3,115.38 biweekly, effective July 27. Roberts, previously nursing director for the department, officially was named administrator by the department board July 27.

Following a brief discussion regarding reimbursement from the state Mental Health Agency of Southeast Iowa, the board approved a Memorandum of Understanding (a 28E agreement) with the agency for reimbursement of a portion of employee wages and cost of office operations.

An estimated accounting for services will be submitted to the agency by Bobbie Wulf, Intake and Eligibility Officer for CDS (coordinators of Disability Services). The CDS consists of the 13-county region’s CEO management team, assistant support and service staffs who remain employees of the individual member counties. Reimbursement of wages and benefits will be paid to the county from regional funds.

The approval was 4-0 with an abstention from Jack Seward Jr., who is chairman of the Governing Board of the Mental Health Agency of Southeast Iowa.

Since fiscal 2023, county tax dollars no longer fund the Mental Health and Disabilities Services (MHDS). Instead, counties provide office space for county employee staff working on behalf of the Mental Health Agency of Southeast Iowa with reimbursement paid from regional funds for the employee and office service if requested by the member county.

Office cost is based a $10 per sq. ft. for use of space at the start of the fiscal year, July 1, 2024. This fiscal year’s reimbursement of Washington will be $4,760 for the office and 100% for Wulf’s wage and benefits with a projected salary of $106,144.63 with total benefits estimated at $36,405.

The supervisors also approved appointments to the City of Washington Planning & Zoning Commission of Rhonda Shelman, 5-year term to June 30,2029; Rebecca Bush, Andrew Hora and Karolyn Skubal, all 3 year terms, to June 30, 2027; Ruth Jones, to fill vacancy, to June 30, 2025 on the Washington County Land and Use Planning Commission; and Jeff Goodwin, 5 year term, to June 30, 2029 on the county Board of Adjustment.