County Department of Public Health Administrator Given Coronavirus Bonus

One of the resolutions passed at the most recent McHenry County Board meeting concerns a bonus to Department of Health Administrator Melilssa Adamson.

It reads in part

WHEREAS, in June of 2021, in recognition of their tireless efforts, long hours, and significant contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Health recommended a one-time recognition pay be awarded to qualifying employees for exceptional service to McHenry County; and

Melissa Adamson

WHEREAS, the Public Health Administrator was not included in the recognition pay and the Board of Health has determined that the Public Health Administrator should also receive recognition pay for her exemplary leadership during the pandemic; and

WHEREAS, this one-time recognition pay does not impact the Public Health Administrators’ ability to qualify for annual merit increases; and

WHEREAS, this proposal has been developed in consultation with the President of the Board of Health and County Administrator; and

WHEREAS, this proposal has been reviewed and recommended by the Board of Health to allow up to $9,358.40 be added to the Department’s FY2021 personnel budget.

WHEREAS , signed into law on March 11, 2021, The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) provides $350 billion in additional funding for state and local governments; and

WHEREAS , the intent of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 legislation is designed to address the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and economic recovery; and

WHEREAS , Sections 602(c)(1) and 603(c)(1) of the ARP Act of 2021 provide that funds may be used: b) to respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers; and

  • WHEREAS , the County will receive $59,781,491.00 in ARPA funds, set up Special Revenue Fund 221, and must obligate these grant funds by December 31, 2024, and, spend by December 31, 2026, and any unexpended funds must be returned to the U.S. Department of the Treasury; and
  • NOW, THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED, that an appropriation in the amount of $9,358.40 for FY2021 is authorized in the Department of Health budget…

McHenry Board member Jeff Schwartz (mistakenly wrote it was Jeff Thorsen before) was the only one who questioned the expenditure.


Comments

County Department of Public Health Administrator Given Coronavirus Bonus — 11 Comments

  1. Even if this vax hoaxer was really great, I’d be opposed to the bonus.

    She’s a public SERVANT with gold plated pension and health care, eye care, dental, life, disability care. She signed on to provide service, just like firemen or cops.

    If by some anti miracle the firemen are called for a 5 alarm fire every day, would the get gravy train bonuses?

    But she wasn’t that great… she’s pushing the vax on toddlers and calling for punishments for the unvaxxed.

    She can go to hell.

    An alarmist, she should be canned.

    She can get a job as a bagger st Jewel.

  2. I’m inclined to agree with Koziol (at least in part) and totally with Thorsen’s vote.

    We signed up for notices from the health department as soon as that facility was announced.

    What did we get?

    a couple of emails telling us, in essence, that certain places were offering the vaccine and to call them for more information.

    IOW, nothing that was actually getting us signed up.

    FWIW, in every case, there were no openings at the sites to which the health department referred us.

    I was contact by my health care system (Mercy) and quickly received both vaccinations.

    My wife, OTOH, decided to contact the Boone County Health Department.

    Here results were spectacular.

    They did not ask (nor did she tell while making her appointment) that she was a McHenry County resident.

    She quickly got an appointment and even after she was fully vaccinated she continued to receive almost weekly emails advising her of other opportunities being available for vaccine appointments should she know of others that needed them.

    It was probably two months later that McHenry County got their act together and actually started scheduling appointments in McHenry.

    This is just another case of “we’ve got all this “free” money that we HAVE to spend” so let’s spend it.

    More bullshit from our spend crazy politicians who spend, spend, spend!

  3. A bonus for all the mutually contradicting Calvinball guidelines, based on pulled-from-the-ass pseudoscience.

    You gotta admire that Public Sector sense of humor.

  4. It is very easy to spend OPM.

    The problem is there is no OPM left, we are deficit spending already.

    She is on a salary and if she works 30 hours a week, does she send money back??

    I agree she probably worked hard last year, but that’s what we paid her for.

  5. NO! Jeff Thorsen only objected because it wasn’t being distributed among the health department staff !

    Along with this shameless administrator, he wanted the money split up among her and her dept. to give them bonuses when this is their job.

    Get it?

  6. Govt. rewarding Govt. It’s a scam with our tax dollars and the Republicans in this county are just as bad as the Democrats with spending other people’s money, recklessly.

    I’m sick of it!

    When are the County Republicans going to start recruiting Republicans who act like Republicans to replace all those Republicans who act/vote like Democrat’s ?

  7. People do not remember that it was nearly impossible for McHenry County seniors (the documented highest risk group) to get a first or second vaccine shot during the first months of vaccine availability.

    However, McHenry County Health dept. arranged for a hassle-free vaccination event at Woodstock D200 for all school employees of any age.

    Shameful decision.

  8. Thorsen isn’t the conservative he used to be. Something went south. A lot like Tirio.

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