La Plata County has once again found itself with a singular finalist for the position of public health director after one of its two candidates dropped out of consideration.
Tara Hardy, the director of the Silver Thread Public Health District serving Hinsdale and Mineral counties, withdrew her application.
Mike Byrns, the assistant director of health at the Rhode Island Department of Health in Providence, is the sole remaining candidate. To complicate matters, Byrns has informed the county that he is a finalist for another position.
The La Plata County Public Health Department announced Wednesday afternoon that the Board of Health would hold an executive session and special meeting Friday to discuss next steps.
In a background section of an agenda request, County Attorney Sheryl Rogers outlined that the BOH has three options.
The board could pursue Byrns as the singular finalist, although Rogers noted that it may need to make “some modifications to the timeline or cancel the planned interview by a leadership group of employees and/or the public meet and greet.”
The second option would be to revisit the existing pool of 34 applicants, or the other two semifinalists, although Rogers warned that “this may not be the best alternative” because the recruitment process began in November 2023.
The third option would be to start the recruitment process over again.
This is not the first time La Plata County Public Health has found itself in this position.
The county first tried to hire a permanent director last spring. One finalist for the position withdrew from consideration last June, and the Board of County Commissioners opted to hire an interim director.
LPCPH has operated under the leadership of Interim Director Theresa Anselmo since August. Anselmo did not apply for the permanent position.
Friday’s special meeting will follow the executive session scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. The public may attend in person in the Larkspur Room at the LPCPH building, 281 Sawyer Drive, or online at bit.ly/3UeeUVU.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
