San Juan County Board of Health recruiting for two non-elected board members

||| FROM KYRA JAHANFAR for SJC BOARD OF HEALTH |||

San Juan County Board of Health is actively recruiting for two new non-elected board members to serve four-year terms. These positions will become available in September 2022 with the retirement of two members that have served for over 10 years.

A recent change in State and County Code expands the Board of Health membership criteria to include a diversity of public health expertise and lived experience. We are recruiting individuals from the following categories:

• Public health, health care facilities, and/or health care provider;
• Consumer of public health (i.e., having lived experiences with public health related programs or self-identified as having faced significant health inequities); and
• Other community stakeholders, including:
  o Community-based or nonprofit organization;
  o Active, reserve, or retired armed services member;
  o Business community member; and
  o Environmental public health regulated community member (e.g., food service establishment operator, water system operator, on-site sewage system
  professional, etc.).

The Board of Health has responsibility over all matters pertaining to the preservation of the life and health of the people of San Juan County. The Board is the governing body for San Juan County Health & Community Services and is responsible for adopting local health-related ordinances and resolutions. The Board is comprised of eight-members, consisting of the three Council members, one Town of Friday Harbor representative, and four non-elected members.

The Board generally meets on the third Wednesday of each month, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Member terms are four-years in length. Eligible applicants must be registered San Juan County voters. Individuals looking to serve their community, representing one of the focus areas listed above, are encouraged to apply. The San Juan County Board of Health application form is available on the Board of Health webpage.

For general questions regarding the Board of Health or the application process, please contact the Health & Community Services Director, Mark Tompkins, at markt@sanjuanco.com or 360-370-7517.