Clallam board makes offer for new health officer

Published 12:01 am Thursday, May 21, 2015

PORT ANGELES — Dr. Christopher Frank has been offered the post of Clallam County health officer.

The Clallam County Board of Health voted unanimously Tuesday to offer to Frank the job currently held by interim health officer Jeannette Stehr-Green, who has filled it since the resignation late last year of Dr. Tom Locke.

Frank, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a native of Michigan, practices at Family Medicine of Port Angeles and serves one day a week in the emergency department of Forks Community Hospital.

The offer to Frank will be tendered through the Clallam County Human Resources Department.

Clallam County commissioners, who fill three seats on the seven-member board of health, must ratify the hiring.

Frank has said he would continue his private practice while filling the part-time health officer position.

The health officer advises the board of health, county commissioners and the county Health and Human Services Department on physical and environmental health issues.

Stehr-Green has filled the job since Locke — who continues to serve as Jefferson County health officer — resigned to take a position with the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe’s health department.

A start date for Frank has not been decided pending processing of his application, said Iva Burks, health and human services director.

About 30 citizens and county employees met Frank at a May 14 open house in the Clallam County Courthouse.

Their reaction to him as a possible health officer was positive, Burks said.