BREMERTON — Other news from the Kitsap Public Health Board’s Nov. 3 meeting:
Clean audits
Kitsap Public Health District passed two of the three parts of its 2025 state audit with no findings, Administrator Yolanda Fong said. Those were the financial statement audit and the federal grant compliance audit, which reviewed COVID-19 funding and Medicaid match funding. Results of the third part, the accountability audit, are still pending.
Statewide award for Kitsap staffer
Kelsey Steadman, a program manager in the district’s Community Health division, received the Washington State Public Health Association’s Public Health Excellence Award. Fong said the award recognizes a public health professional for excellence in practice, and nominees are put forward by their peers.
Fong also recognized Dana Katula, manager of the district’s Pollution Identification and Correction program, who helped lead this year’s joint conference of the state public health and environmental health associations. More than 500 people attended.
New board member
Paisley Gallagher attended her first meeting in the board’s consumer of public health seat. The board nominated her for the four-year term and Kitsap County commissioners appointed her. “I look forward to the insight and understanding, as they kind of say, behind the curtain,” Gallagher said.
Benefits plan updated
The board adopted Resolution 2026-09 without opposition,, which restates the district’s flexible benefits, or cafeteria, plan. The plan lets employees pay for some insurance with pre-tax dollars. Fong said a legal review updated the language to match current law. The board last acted on the plan in 1994, and employees will see no change, she said.
Navy health care and a third carrier
Health Officer Dr. Herbie Duber said he and district staff recently met with leaders of Naval Hospital Bremerton, who want to improve access to care for service members, their families and the wider community. He said the facility is going through a lengthy process to change its name to reflect that it is a clinic, not a hospital.
Board member Stephen Kutz said the Navy has “totally backed off on supporting the retirees,” many of whom settled in the area expecting continued access to care. Duber said Navy leaders know about the issue but have limited power to change it locally.
Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler said Naval Base Kitsap’s commanding officer told the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council’s board retreat that a third aircraft carrier is expected in the area within five years. That would mean about 2,500 more active-duty personnel than the region now serves, Wheeler said. “If we’re having trouble meeting demand currently, it’s going to go up,” he said.
Chair Christine Rolfes asked to invite Naval Hospital Bremerton leaders to present at a future meeting.
Coming up
At its Dec. 1 meeting the board is scheduled to adopt the 2027 budget and hold a public hearing on proposed fee increases. Rolfes said the board will also hold an executive session on the administrator’s performance evaluation and contract.
Leave a Reply