(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, this (Tuesday) morning, approved the appointment of Morgan Lewellen, of Red Oak, as County Safety Coordinator. Morgan is a dispatcher with Montgomery County Communications, and was one of three applicants for the position that was vacated by the resignation of Beth Peterson, who also serves as the Election Clerk in the County Auditor’s Office. All three applicants were interviewed on Monday.

Currently the Safety Coordinator job description estimates roughly five hours of work, per week. A Safety Coordinator basically serves as the person responsible for planning, implementing and overseeing the County employee’ safety at work. Their main duty is to ensure that the county is in compliance and adheres to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines to to reduce work-related injuries.

In other business, Public Health Administrator Samantha Beeson updated the Board on Covid Health. She said since the onset of the pandemic, Montgomery County has had 2,375 cases processed. There are 41 cases in the past 14 days, 17 cases over the past seven-days, and three cases over the last three days. The total vaccinated population is 55.5-percent.

The community level of Covid-19 in Montgomery County is high based on cases and hospitalizations, according to the most recent update from the C.D.C. Beesen said “Covid is still here.” She said they are still recommending if a person is sick to stay home. She added the CDC has released new guidance with regard to persons who have tested positive for COVID-19.

In other Public Health news, Beeson said they are working the schools in the County to make sure all incoming Kindergarten through seventh through 12^th grade students are up-to-date on all their immunizations. It’s a State Law students must be immunized prior to the start of school. To-date, there have been no reported cases of MonkeyPox in the County.

And, Samantha Beeson said there are blood pressure clinics every Friday throughout the County, at no charge. That information is available on the Montgomery County Public Health’s Facebook page and in various publications.