RITA COOK / Staff Writer
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ELLIS COUNTY – Dr. Leigh Nordstrom was suggested for reappointed at the recent Ellis County Commissioners Court for another two years.
The appointment to the seat of Ellis County Local Health Authority begins on July 1, 2022 and ends June 30, 2024.
During the COVID outbreak in Ellis County, Nordstrom issued statements reminding residents to follow guidelines as required.
She also updated the county on available ICU bed capacity for COVID during the mid-August outbreak last year and gave guidance on the FDA giving full approval to the Pfizer vaccine for individuals aged 16 and older.
“Dr. Nordstrom has agreed to continue her service in sort of … in navigating the quagmire of public health and we all know what that means today as compared to five years ago, right?” said Ellis County Judge Todd Little. “Covid has accentuated her duties, and we do pay her an hourly rate.
“She does not bill the county unless she works by the hour, and that is part of her contract.”
Nordstrom works with Baylor Scott & White in Ellis County.
With only two commissioners at the July 12 meeting and Little, the item was tabled in part due to Commissioner Paul Perry, pct. 3, suggesting it was time to look for other MD’s in the area who might be interested in the role of the county’s local health authority.
“I appreciate her service, however I think it is time we opened that up and consider other physicians that may or may not be aligned with other hospitals,” Perry said.
“We need a physician, and in my mind the first choice would be someone Dr. Nordstrom may have had at one time a practice here or reside here, and I think it is important that we have people from this community that may not be reflecting concerns of other communities.
“My vote is no.”
Little suggested with several commissioners on vacation, “This is something that is calendar date sensitive, so what we will do is table today’s item and come back in a couple of weeks so the court can weigh in.”
Commissioner Lane Grayson, pct 2, said he just wanted to assure the county was not violating any authority by not having this person in place now.
“This has basically been a data collection and collation job,” Perry said, “data collection and collation does not take an MD.”
Perry added he was interested in finding out if anyone had an interest in taking on the role of local health authority for the county since “when we have reappointed in the past I don’t think we have ever gone to that level.”
The item will be addressed again this week at Ellis County Commissioners Court.
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