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Board of Health names Melton interim director

By Mike Conley | The McDowell News

Published: July 8, 2009

The district Board of Health appointed Phillip Melton to be the interim health director until a permanent one can be chosen.
The Rutherford-Polk-McDowell District Board of Health held a meeting in Spindale and chose Melton to take over as the interim director. He replaces Buck Wilson, who resigned recently to become the director of the Cumberland County Health Department.
"Mr. Melton, a longtime employee of the district, ably served as interim health director in 2005 after the unexpected death of Health Director Joyce Sluder," said Board Chairman Dr. Iain Fitch.
Melton has been the Health Department's finance officer for more than 10 years.
To provide additional support for Melton and the department, the board has appointed Norman Guthrie, a McDowell County Board of Health representative since 2003 and the Board of Health's chairman from 2006 to 2008, as assistant to the interim health director.
"Mr. Guthrie has extensive management experience and knowledge of the Health Department from his service on the board," said Fitch. "Mr. Guthrie will be assisting Mr. Melton to further represent the department in each of the three counties and to aid Mr. Melton in this very uncertain budgetary environment where state appropriations still have not been decided."
The board also appointed Jennifer Jarrett, the current assistant finance officer, to serve as district interim finance officer during the transition. Jarrett also served as interim finance officer in 2005.
"We are very fortunate to have dedicated, well-trained staff who can step up during times of transition such as this," said Fitch.
Wilson's last day is Friday, July 17. Cumberland County is the home of Fort Bragg and Fayetteville. Wilson announced his resignation on June 16.
The District Board of Health and Home Health Advisory Committee also established a search committee, comprised of representatives from all three counties and chaired by retired Veteran's Hospital Surgical Administrative Officer Don Corry, to plan and to lead the process for selecting a new health director.
The committee's Rutherford County representatives are: Corry, Community Clinic of Rutherford County Executive Director Sandra McGriff and County Commissioner Paul McIntosh. The committee's McDowell County representatives are County Commissioner Barry McPeters and Guthrie, a member of the prior search committee. Polk County representatives on the committee are retired public health dentist Mike Davidson and Polk County Manager Ryan Whitson.
The committee will be working with the Office of the State Health Director to post the requirements for applicants for the Rutherford Polk McDowell district health director in the next few weeks.