By Sheila Corson
The Chronicle

     OKANOGAN – With an unexpected resignation of an employee, Okanogan County Public Health officials are looking at ways to return a portion of the $40,000 in savings to employees through furlough replacement and increasing the medical cap.
     Administrative Coordinator Ella Robbins said the agency does not plan on filling the position vacated by an environmental health employee this year, so she suggested several ways to use the funds at a March 9 board meeting.
     Robbins suggested the board consider furlough replacement time to cover losses. All 21 employees gave 40 furlough hours from September to December 2009. The replacement time would give paid leave to staff members.
     Robbins also suggested raising the medical cap that had been lowered this last year in budget cuts. That way, it would cover life insurance, more medical costs and some dental. To raise the cap by $25 for the rest of the year would take $4,725.
     She also suggested $5,000 go into the health district’s reserve, and the remaining funds staying in the account to provide a cushion.
     The board did not approve of furlough replacement time, since it would be like giving staff wages they didn’t earn, board members said.
     Board member and county Commissioner Mary Lou Peterson said everyone in the county had to take cuts and more may be coming. She said she was OK with raising the medical cap, but reimbursing for furloughs did not sound like the right thing.
     Instead, most of the savings should go into the reserve account, Peterson said.
     “Just because we have it doesn’t mean we spend it,” Peterson said.
     The board did not make any decisions, but will get firmer details on various options and possibly make a decision at the April 13 meeting.