Los Angeles County Names Public Health Director
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted 3-2 to appoint Jonathan Fielding director of the new county Department of Public Health, the Los Angeles Daily News reports (Anderson, Los Angeles Daily News, 8/23). In appointing Fielding, who currently serves as the county health officer, the board opted to forego a nationwide search to fill the position (Los Angeles Times, 8/23).
Supervisors earlier this summer approved the creation of the public health department to address disease control and bioterrorism preparedness.
Supervisors next week will vote on Fielding's salary of about $260,000 annually. If that salary is approved, Fielding would be the second highest-paid county official after the director of the county Department of Health Services (Los Angeles Daily News, 8/23).