(Photo Source: Unsplash).
A measure that would have brought five new state-funded public health positions at the Cortland County Health Department was struck down by the county legislature Thursday.
Legislators voted 9-8 against the measure for four public health fellow positions and one public health fellow coordinator. The positions would be funded at $849,912 through a New York State Public Health Corps (NYSPHC) grant provided by Health Research, Inc. (HRI). HRI is a not-for-profit corporation affiliated with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).
The NYSPHC program was started during former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration. It aims to address staffing shortages at local public health departments in the age of COVID-19, according to Cortland County Health Department Public Health Director Nicole Anjeski.
The four public health fellow positions were proposed to have an hourly rate between $22.4261 and $28.2445 per hour, with benefits. Employment for these positions was set to expire on July 31, 2023.
The coordinator position would also end at the end of July 2023. It would have had an hourly rate range between $27.7991 and $35.0115 per hour.
In dissent, legislator Kelly Preston (LD10) called the program a mandate. Anjeski clarified it would not be an accurate term to use.
“Just listening to (Anjeski), this is going to put a strain on county employees because they have to train these individuals, if we even get individuals to apply,” Preston said.
Legislator Ann Homer (D-LD7) spoke against turning down the funding. She also called the project a funded mandate.
“(Implementing the program) will be a challenge. We don’t know if we are going to get candidates or not,” Homer said. “The odds are we are not going to get people because they are temporary positions. If we turn down grant funding for this, the state does not look highly at turning down grant funding. It could jeopardize getting additional funding. We don’t want to send the wrong message to the state.”
Anjeski noted civil service requirements for local health employees could complicate things for the department.
“The state wanted to bring more people into our workforce,” Anjeski said. “They did not really think about the civil service issues that come with that.”
Anjeski added she is confident the staff would do a good job training the public health fellows if the resolution had been approved. She noted that beyond the training, the county health department would have had to create temporary positions for the public health fellows. These positions would not have permanent state funding, Anjeski noted.
“In the end it would be great to have more help at the health department,” she said. “But I cannot really speak to how easily this program would have been implemented.”
Anjeski said the NYSDOH is currently holding conversations regarding a potential extension to the program beyond 2023.
“I don’t know if that would come with any more money or how long it would be extended for,” she said. Anjeski added the program and a potential extension have been difficult to understand.
