Search for new county health officer slows
A nationwide search for a new county health officer is seemingly on hold but that doesn’t mean the county is necessarily any closer to a permanent replacement for Dr. Pierre Vigilance.
At its July 7 meeting, the County Council confirmed Dr. Gregory Branch, Vigilance’s deputy, to a second 60-day term as acting health officer.
Don Mohler, a spokesman for County Executive Jim Smith, pledged a nationwide candidate search when Vigilance stepped down earlier this year to take over the top doc slot in the Washington, D.C., health department.
Prior to the July 7 council vote, Mohler said that search “has slowed down.”
“I think at this point we’re very pleased with the job and the leadership Dr. Branch has provided,” Mohler said.
So why not make Branch the permanent health officer? Mohler declined to directly answer that question.
“I think given the job that Dr. Branch is doing it seemed prudent to provide him with some more time to think about his future plans,” Mohler said.
Branch will continue as acting director for 60 more days unless he or someone else is named permanently to the position. At the end of the 60-day period, Smith must resubmit Branch’s name to continue as the acting health officer.