2013 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 11 - Public Health, Housing, Environment
Chapter 431 - State and Local Administration and Enforcement of Health Laws
Section 431.418 - Local public health administrator; health officer; duties; salary.

(1) Each district board of health shall appoint a qualified public health administrator to supervise the activities of the district in accordance with law. Each county governing body in a county that has created a county board of health under ORS 431.412 shall appoint a qualified public health administrator to supervise the activities of the county health department in accordance with law. In making such appointment, the district or county board of health shall consider standards for selection of administrators prescribed by the Oregon Health Authority.

(2) When the public health administrator is a physician licensed by the Oregon Medical Board, the administrator shall serve as health officer for the district or county board of health. When the public health administrator is not a physician licensed by the Oregon Medical Board, the administrator will employ or otherwise contract for services with a health officer who shall be a licensed physician and who will perform those specific medical responsibilities requiring the services of a physician and shall be responsible to the public health administrator for the medical and paramedical aspects of the health programs.

(3) The public health administrator shall:

(a) Serve as the executive secretary of the district or county health board, act as the administrator of the district or county health department and supervise the officers and employees appointed under paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(b) Appoint with the approval of the health board, administrators, medical officers, public health nurses, environmental health specialists and such other employees as are necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the office.

(c) Provide the board at appropriate intervals information concerning the activities of the county health department and submit an annual budget for the approval of the county governing body except that, in the case of the district public health administrator, the budget shall be submitted to the governing bodies of the participating counties for approval.

(d) Act as the agent of the Oregon Health Authority in enforcing state public health laws and rules of the authority, including such sanitary inspection of hospitals and related institutions as may be requested by the authority.

(e) Perform such other duties as may be required by law.

(4) The public health administrator shall serve until removed by the appointing board. The public health administrator shall engage in no occupation which conflicts with official duties and shall devote sufficient time to duties as public health administrator as may be necessary to fulfill the requirements of subsection (3) of this section. However, if the board of health is not created under ORS 431.412, it may, with the approval of the Director of the Oregon Health Authority, require less than full-time service of the public health administrator.

(5) The public health administrator shall receive a salary fixed by the appointing board and shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of duties. [1961 c.610 §7; 1973 c.829 §24; 1977 c.582 §29; 1981 c.127 §2; 1993 c.26 §1; 2003 c.14 §242; 2003 c.547 §112; 2009 c.595 §564]