On Jan. 15, the Central Nevada Health District (CNHD) Board of Health held a meeting to discuss structural changes, funding, and leadership reorganization. The board reappointed Ken Tedford as chair for 2026. They also appointed Don Witten to serve as vice chair. Additionally, the board corrected conflicting language in their bylaws and clarified that board members serve two-year terms, removing prior references to one-year terms.
The board considered removing the administrator doctor position and reorganizing the leadership structure. Previously, the board had approved structure two, which combined an administrator and a doctor into a single position. However, when this was presented to the Churchill County Board of Commissioners, concerns were raised about cost, as about 64 percent of the salary would have to be paid by the county initially. Because of this, the Board of Health recommended structure one, which establishes a clear administrative structure with specific leadership roles. A motion was made to approve an updated organizational chart, utilizing structure one and removing the administrator doctor position, which was approved.
The board reviewed a proposed adjustment to the administrator’s pay scale following changes to the organizational structure. The administrator pay scale was approved at Grade 85, which increased from Grade 77. This change, intended to improve recruitment after unsuccessful hiring attempts, was approved unanimously.
The board also proposed an expedited hiring process for the CNHD administrator. This authorized the chair to oversee advertising and screening, conduct interviews, negotiate and hire a top candidate up to step 10, and return the final selection to the board for ratification. Chair Ken Tedford noted that the streamlined approach is intended to avoid delays, following previous hiring efforts that were unsuccessful and left the position vacant for nearly a year. The motion passed unanimously, with the goal of bringing a candidate forward by the next meeting or sooner.
The board ratified a $10,400 grant for chronic disease prevention and management programs. The grant is intended to provide outreach and education within communities regarding chronic disease and disease investigation. They also ratified a subaward grant of $43,006 from the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public and Behavioral Health, to CNHD to expand youth development in Mineral, Churchill, Eureka, and Pershing counties.
The board reviewed a grant-funded agreement with KPS3 to create a public health data dashboard. The dashboard will display outbreaks, trends, and case data. Funding ends Jan. 31, so this requires immediate launch. The agreement was approved for $30,000. They also reviewed a contract with KPS3 to redesign the CNHD website, including a full redesign and one year of maintenance. Improvements will include accessibility, online applications, dashboards, and service navigation. The $72,925 agreement was approved unanimously.
Security upgrades for CNHD’s annex building were reviewed, and the board approved $59,307.24 for the purchase of security equipment. This includes cameras, mag locks, and remote monitoring. It is 100% grant funded through SB 118.
Fiscal Officer Shasta Garrison provided a Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Report highlighting year-to-date financials. This showed $822,619.88 in revenue collected, or about 31 percent of the budgeted amount, and just over $840,000 in expenditures, or roughly 34 percent, placing the district slightly under budget midyear. Garrison noted that revenue figures are expected to increase significantly as additional county assessments and grant payments are received.
Under staff reports, Tedd McDonald, M.D., announced that the current respiratory virus season has been more severe than expected, driven by Influenza A, with 360 confirmed cases, 23 hospitalizations, and one fatality. He also warned of rising measles cases nationally and regionally, noting a recent case in Reno.
Board members expressed concern over declining vaccination rates and discussed growing public doubt following the COVID-19 pandemic. McDonald noted that Nevada will not adopt recent CDC recommendations to reduce vaccine schedules and is instead finalizing policies to strengthen shared clinical decision-making and documentation.
The board emphasized the need for clearer, shorter, and more accessible public health messaging through social media, dashboards, and a redesigned website to better reach families and improve community understanding.
The next meeting was scheduled for March 19, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
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