Health board holds closed session to talk about picking director

The Craven County Board of Health met in executive session Monday to talk about choosing a health director for the county.

Wanda Sandele, county health director for 16 years, announced in May she plans to retire in December and the board has been interviewing candidates to fill the post.

Sandele has distinguished herself in her field, including service as past president of the 85-member North Carolina Local Health Directors Association, and her work has singled out the county as a frequent place to try new ideas for both state and federal health-related pilot programs.

The health board is not expected to announce its choice until the county commissioners decide the salary for the post.

The Board of Health selects the candidate but the commissioners determine the salary under guidelines set by the North Carolina State Personnel Act. The yearly pay grade for the position is $80,104 to $162,022.

The commissioners were aware of Sandele's intention as they planned their 2009 budget for department, which is mostly state-funded and has 145 employees.

At that time, Commissioners Chairman Jason Jones said he wanted to make certain a salary was set before anyone was hired to avoid problems Pamlico County experienced in filling its health director's post.

The search committee to fill the post was headed by the Health Board chairman, Dr. Robert Monterio.