PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Department of Public Health has entered into a personnel-sharing agreement with Kitsap County to fill a position that has been vacant for nearly three years.
Stuart Whitford, who has worked as the Kitsap County’s pollution management program for 17 years, was named Jefferson County environmental health director in early August.
“We have a lot of partnerships with Kitsap and Clallam counties,” said Jefferson County Public Health Department Director Jean Baldwin.
“We face the same issues, so there is a lot of overlap.”
Whitford remains a full-time employee for Kitsap County, which pays him an annual salary of $80,000 annually.
His hours for Jefferson County will be billed at a rate of $88.50 an hour.
Over a six-month period, Jefferson County will pay Kitsap County approximately $41,000 for Whitford, Baldwin said.
Under the new agreement, Whitford will spend alternate weeks in Jefferson County, where he will supervise a staff of 14.
When he is in Kitsap County, the Jefferson County staff will handle the load as they have done for the past several years, Baldwin said.
Whitford expects the alternate-week system to be more efficient than changing offices daily, because if he is in a single location for a whole week he can stay more focused.
He added, however, that “we will see how this works and whether we have to change it.”
Whitford lives in Poulsbo and will commute to Port Townsend for his weeks on duty.
Baldwin said the contract is a good deal for the county.
“With Stuart, we get someone to carry our pager and respond to issues 24/7,” she said.
“During the contract period, he will evaluate our systems and tell us what we need to do to keep them going.
“At the end of the contract, if we want to continue the arrangement, we will be able to renegotiate at a lower rate.”
Baldwin said the county has a similar arrangement with Dr. Tom Locke, who functions as Jefferson County’s Chief Medical Officer in tandem with his performance of the same duties in Clallam County.
Under this arrangement, Jefferson County pays Locke about $38,000 a year, Baldwin said.
The environmental health director position has been open since late 2007.
The opening has been advertised several times since then, but the county has been unable to find a candidate with the necessary technical skills specific to the region, Baldwin said.
“We needed someone who understood Puget Sound and has a knowledge of the local regulations and statutes,” Baldwin said.
Funding also has been inconsistent, and was withdrawn in the middle of a previous training process, she said.
The environmental health department is responsible for maintaining and enforcing regulations regarding soil, air, water and food quality.
This includes restaurant inspections, shellfish quality septic system inspections, and water quality issues among other duties.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.