PORT ANGELES — Dr. Christopher Frank, Clallam County’s public health officer, was introduced to the public at a county commissioners meeting Tuesday after two months on the job.
Frank, a primary care physician at North Olympic Healthcare Network, formally Family Medicine of Port Angeles, replaced interim health officer Dr. Jeanette Stehr-Green on Sept. 1.
“He’s been just running, running, running ever since then,” Clallam County Health and Human Service Director Iva Burks said.
Frank told commissioners he is excited for the opportunity and hopes to do “good things” in the community.
“I’m looking forward to everything,” said Frank, a Michigan native and graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
“I get about 50 percent congratulations and 50 percent condolences. So we’ll see which side wins.”
Commissioner Mike Chapman asked Frank whether he would keep his primary care practice while handling the duties of health officer.
“I’m hoping to,” Frank said. “I’m trying to figure out how to balance things right now.”
Commissioners had a light agenda for their weekly business meeting.
Board Chairman Jim McEntire was absent because he was serving on the state Board of Natural Resources in Olympia.
Final draft budget
Commissioners Chapman and Bill Peach agreed Tuesday to extend County Administrator Jim Jones’s deadline to complete a final draft budget from Thursday to Nov. 12.
Jones and the county budget director typically have a week and a half to complete the final draft after commissioners meet with individual elected officials and department heads.
Because of an error in the budget calendar, Jones and Budget Director Debi Cook were facing the prospect of completing a final draft budget in just two days.
Commissioners Nov. 17 are expected to call Dec. 1 public hearings on the final draft budget.
“If you need the extra time, take it,” Chapman told Jones.
“First of all, you want a document that’s accurate.
“You’re not changing the public hearing,” Chapman added. “So as long as the public hearing date doesn’t change, I have no problem with you taking an extra week.”
Jones said the extra week will “definitely make it more certain that it will be an accurate document.
“We’ll make sure we do it right,” he said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
