City Council to Discuss Health Inspector, Meet with UW President During Work Session

The City of Laramie will take a look at the future of the city health inspector position during their work session tomorrow night.

Laramie Mayor Andrea Summerville said the City Council will meet with the Laramie Board of Health to discuss how to keep the health inspector position and the fee schedule that will make it possible.

“The Board of Health has been doing the first round of trying to figure out what that looks like and so that will be the discussion tomorrow night,” Summerville said. “As well as what does a fee schedule look like for sustainment, what does that job look like and are we being realistic in trying to keep the health inspector here as a local position.”

City Manager Janine Jordan said that during the City Council’s budget session, the council amended the budget to include a health inspector as a part-time, benefited position. The position was contingent upon adopting fees to retain the position. She said the Board of Health has reviewed a preliminary fee schedule. She said the council will need to approve a fee schedule before the city can hire a permanent employee to the position.

Summerville said the position of health inspector is unique in Laramie, because the position and functions of health inspector are actually a state function.

“In most other places in Wyoming, that is carried out by a state employee or in agreement with the county,” She said. “So we are in a little unique in that the city conducts those functions here.”

Summerville said the position came under scrutiny recently because of the tight budget faced by the city.

“Of course in budget times, we are always looking at the core mission,” “Are we spending our money on what we have to be spending our money on to meet state statue requirements. Unfortunately the health inspector position falls in that area where it’s not something the city has to do.”

The city could give up the position and ask the state to take over those duties, but Summerville said the community has been vocal about wanting to keep the position locally.

“The city has been trying to work towards that goal,” Summerville said. “How do we keep our health inspector employed here locally by the city of Laramie within the current budget constraints that we have?”

University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols will also attend the work session tomorrow to give the City Council updates on the university. Summerville said the meeting is a periodic one between the city and the university president and help the city and the university better coordinate.

The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers and is open to the public.