Story submitted by James Master, The Pilot News Managing Editor
Marshall County Health Department Public Health Nurse Sandy Dunfee introduced herself to the County Commissioners during Monday’s meeting. Dunfee has been working for the county about two years. When Lisa Letsinger resigned, Dunfee transitioned into that position.
“I’m here today to talk about the Co Ag Grant that we had asked permission to apply for,” Dunfee said. The MCHD had sought permission from both the County Council and the County Commissioners to apply for the Crisis Co Ag and Supplemental Workforce in School Grant. The grant would have helped employ a contract employee to assist with positive COVID-19 cases, contact tracing, testing, and quarantine processes. The commissioners approved the request, but the council’s motion to approve the request died for a lack of a second.
“I think there was some confusion, maybe, with the grant,” said Dunfee.
She went on to say that the grant was presented to the MCHD in September as a way to work with the seven school districts in the county. The grant, explained by Dunfee, asks that the MCHD work with the schools to provide COVID-19 testing which is something that the department has already been doing.
“It was nothing that was mandated to us by the state. It was something Dr. Holm felt was important to keep the schools open,” said Dunfee.
Another part of the grant would have the MCHD offer immunizations to the schools in the county twice a year. “Again, we were already doing that,” she said.
Commissioner Kevin Overmyer said that during the prior County Council meeting there was talk about those being mandates. Overmyer then stated that when the pandemic started and an emergency was declared in Marshall County the three commissioners, Council President (at that time) Judy Stone, County Council Member (at that time) Penny Lukenbill had meetings multiple times a week. He then said that every meeting, the two council members would tell the commissioners that if they needed the funds, they would have it.
Overmyer then noted that at the beginning of every year, the County Council appoints members as liaisons to various boards.
Overmyer asked Dunfee if the MCHD has a council appointed liaison.
“I was made aware of that recently. I did not know we had a liaison because I’ve never met Mr. Harman,” Dunfee said, referencing Council President Tim Harman.
“Mr. Harman was appointed the liaison at the beginning of 2021, and he has not contacted you or the Health Department about anything about this grant?” Overmyer asked.
“Correct,” Dunfee replied.
Overmyer then brought up some of the concerns that Council Member Jesse Bohannon had expressed in regard to a $3 million grant application denied by the Elkhart County Council.
According to the minutes of the Sept. 11 meeting of the Elkhart County Council, the council did deny permission to apply for the CDC-Community Health Worker Grant which totaled $995,698.
“This isn’t the same grant,” Overmyer said.
“Correct. In fact, this Co Ag grant, Elkhart County accepted this grant,” said Dunfee. According to Dunfee Starke, St. Joseph, Kosciusko, and Fulton counties accepted the grant.
“I asked Sandy to come in to clarify some of this stuff because I just felt it was a slap in the Health Department’s face from the County Council that they would not support you folks,” Overmyer said.
Dunfee agreed with Overmyer saying she felt “blindsided” by the council’s action.
“Mr. Clevenger went through that grant and there is no mention of mandating vaccinations or mandating mask wearing,” Overmyer said.
Commissioner Mike Burroughs asked Dunfee if he was correct in that, starting in March the MCHD would have to perform its own contact tracing. Dunfee said that was accurate. Burroughs then asked if the MCHD has the staff currently to handle that additional workload.
“We don’t,” she replied.
Burroughs then asked Dunfee if the MCHD would have to go before the County Council for additional funding to hire employees to handle that additional workload.
“We absolutely would have to do that,” Dunfee said.
Overmyer encouraged Dunfee to return to the County Council in January and ask them to reconsider.
