In light of additional duties she has taken on during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cole County Commission approved a temporary pay increase for Cole County Health Department Director Kristi Campbell.
Campbell's salary will be raised from $86,674 to $100,000 under the measure approved at the regular commission meeting Tuesday. It will stay there through the end of the year if the public health emergency isn't rescinded before then.
Eastern District Commissioner Jeff Hoelscher noted commissioners on Jan. 19 approved a new policy for the county Health Department, establishing provisions to compensate staff for duties for time worked outside of normal duties or working hours.
No such policy was in place when the pandemic started.
Hoelscher said the funds to pay the increase would come from the county's contract with the state to be a regional implementation team for COVID-19. That contract approved by the commission in January was for $128,000. The money can be used to compensate personnel.
The region encompasses 13 counties in Central Missouri: Cole, Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cooper, Gasconade, Howard, Miller, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan and Osage. One of the primary jobs of the team is to assist in coordinating vaccination clinics in these counties.
Hoelscher and his fellow commissioners decided this temporary measure will be in place until the last payroll period in calendar year 2021, which is Dec. 11, or sooner if the public health emergency is rescinded by the governor.