RIVERTON (WNE) — Fremont County still has had no luck getting a local health officer.

Its prior health officer Dr. Brian Gee did not reapply when his term expired July 1, and commissioners noted during a Dec. 1 meeting that interest in the job is low.

“The word is still out in the medical community; we’re soliciting anybody who’s interested,” said Fremont County Commission Chairman Travis Becker. “In all honesty and bluntness, there’s only been one that has shown a little bit of interest,” but not enough, so far, to commit.

Becker said the county even has tried to “sweeten the pot,” by incorporating COVID-19 grants worth about $10,000 over a span of six months employment. 

County health officers make $1,400 a month in stipends ordinarily. Their pre-pandemic duties consisted largely of tracking occurrence of sexually transmitted infections and increasing flood awareness.

Wyoming’s health officers, including Park County Health Officer Dr. Aaron Billin, each received a supplemental $20,000 payment from CARES Act funding earlier this year due to the additional duties they’ve needed to take on during the pandemic.

Fremont County Commissioner Mike Jones said the county pursued a physician with a background in public health, but the doctor’s professionals schedule and the pandemic rigors weren’t compatible.

Now Washakie County, whose commissioners fired their health officer after the latter ordered a mask mandate, has reached out to Fremont County leaders for advice on life without a county health authority.

“Washakie County called me concerned about what was happening . . . and what they were going to do,” said Fremont County Commissioner Larry Allen.  “I told them we were using Dr. [Alexia] Harrist as a sounding board, and I filled them in on what we were doing.” 

Jones said the county engages in a COVID-addressing conference call on Mondays, in which state epidemiologist representatives participate.