Commissioners Hire Individuals To Assist With Vaccinations
Roosevelt County commissioners have approved the hiring of two former employees to assist with COVID vaccinations. The decision came during the weekly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
The nursing department requested that Bonnie Wemmer and Karla Thompson be hired as temporary part-time employees to administer the vaccinations. Commissioner Duane Nygaard made the motion to approve the recommendation. Commissioner Gary Macdonald seconded the motion, and it was approved.
“We had two people and now it will be four,” Commissioner Gordon Oelkers said.
Commissioners said they will use CARES Act funds will cover the wages.
“This is a nice step here,” Nygaard said.
Roosevelt County Health Department will be utilizing an appointment system for COVID vaccine distribution throughout the county. Beginning Thursday, Jan. 14, individuals in Phase 1B are invited to contact the health department to secure a place on a list.
Either of the following methods can be used: Call the Health Department at 653-6223 or 653-6124; Go to the Roosevelt County Health Department Facebook page and click on the COVID Vaccine Sign-up Link; Information for the list will include name, contact information, Phase criteria and place of residence in Roosevelt County. Individuals on the Phase 1b vaccination list will be contacted and given an appointment date and time in the community in which they reside or choose to be vaccinated. At this time, events are planned to take place at the Roosevelt County Conference Room in Wolf Point, the Poplar High School gymnasium and the Culbertson Armory. Commissioners have also hired Linda Jeffries to the health department as a temporary part-time employee for contact tracing.
Under unfinished business, commissioners discussed purchasing five radios for the sheriff’s office. The $30,350 cost will be covered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Operation Stonegarden Grant Program, but those funds won’t be available until July.
“The grant’s been approved,” Oelkers noted.
Nygaard made a motion to approve the purchase. Macdonald seconded the motion.
“The sheriff called me,” Macdonald said. “He’s in desperate need for new radios.”
Macdonald said parts aren’t available to repair older radios.
The commissioner approved the motion to purchase the radios by transferring CARES Act funds into the sheriff’s office account.
