Olympia City Councilman Clark Gilman appointed to Thurston County Board of Health

 At a meeting on Dec. 17, the Olympia City Council appointed Councilman Clark Gilman to represent the city on the Thurston County Board of Health.  

Washington state is divided into 35 local health jurisdictions (LHJs), the local government entities responsible for public health within their respective counties or regions. The Thurston County Public Health and Services and Social Services Department is the LHJ serving Thurston County.  

State law describes local boards of health, as the governing boards for LHJs across the state. 

The Thurston County Board of Health is comprised of the five Thurston County Board of County Commissioners, a tribal representative, five Thurston County community members, and an elected city official appointed by each of the county's cities — Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater and Yelm — on a rotating two-year basis.  

According to Mayor Dontae Payne, the two-year term of Councilmember Robin Vazquez, Lacey's representative on the county's BOH, expired on Dec. 31.

"It is Olympia's turn to nominate a representative to serve on the Board of Health," Payne said.

The Olympia City Council nominated and appointed Gilman.

"I accept the nomination and look forward to discussing so many vaccinations over the next two years," Gilman said.

The Board of Health oversees efforts to improve the public's health by providing leadership that shapes the department's approach to public health policies and programs.