By CHARLES BOOTHE, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
GREEN VALLEY — Fallout from the posting of a sign last week on the doors of the Mercer County Health Department stating the facility was closed continues as the department’s administrator has been given extra directives to follow related to policy.
Members of the department’s board of directors met in an emergency meeting Monday and, after an executive session, told administrator Susan Kadar that any policy decision like placing the sign, which gave the impression the clinic was closed to the public all together, must now be approved the board.
The sign was posted on March 24, then after complaints replaced the next day with clarifications that the department is open but with the inner door locked for screening of those entering.
The board also gave Kadar other directives including changing the process of releasing information to the media, making sure one phone number is staffed and dedicated to coronavirus (Covid-19) questions, requiring Kadar to attend regional and state meetings, improving personal relationships with local leaders and writing a job description for the creation of a new deputy administrator post which will be filled in-house in about two weeks to ease Kadar’s workload.