Convinced the Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health Department's personnel resources are being stretched beyond their limits, Bismarck commissioners agreed that some additions need to be made.

City commissioners held their monthly strategic planning meeting at the newly renovated Public Health Center. Public health has 35 employees, 13 who are full-time, overseeing 21 programs. While Burleigh County does contribue financially to the health department, its personnel are considered city employees.

Paula Flanders, director of public health, cited the need for a full-time dietitian on staff and increasing two part-time positions to full-time.

Flanders also said the department needs for a grant writer, since those duties are now taken on by administration. Because of time restraints, many grants are not pursued, and many more are not realized because of the lack of time for research.

Commissioners praised Flanders and the department for what they provide the city's residents, but shared concerns that Flanders and other administrators are being stretched too thin, not only managing the operation but also running programs because of personnel vacancies, vacations and sick time.

Mayor John Warford questioned Flanders on how much grant money might be missed because there wasn't enough time dedicated to grant writing. Flanders guessed about $100,000 might be missed. Finance Director Sheila Hillman said a full-time grant writer would probably cost about $50,000 annually and the department also would probably need a part-time grant administrator to keep up with the additional paperwork generated.

At the commission's request, staff estimated Flanders puts in up to 80 hours a week for the department. Flanders said the addition of a dietitian could free up as much as 20 percent of her time since she is currently handling most of those duties.

"There is no staffing excess here and they have no flexibility when it comes to vacations, training or sick leave,"city Human Resources Director Charles Klein said. "When those things come up management fills in and does the work. The program is right up against the wall now. If there is a vacancy, that is a critical issue."

Klein added that since administrative staff has to devote time to programs they can't manage efficiency. "The key here is to get sufficient staffing which will help them move away from the day-to-day operations and hopefully build efficiency through management,"he said.

Commissioner Sandi Tabor expressed concern that department plans were looking at program expansions. She said the department should concentrate on its core programs. Tabor also worried that projected city growth will strain the health department's resources, and she said that a staffing study will go a long way to determine what the city needs to do in all the various city departments.

"Freeing up existing staff to address core programs doesn't address the city's growth,"Commissioner Connie Sprynczynatyk said. "We're talking about back fill now, just shoring up and providing for existing programs. This department is seeing the same things as other departments. How many more employees are going to be needed to deal with the growth we're seeing?"

Warford said freeing up administration should allow them to write more grants, because he's concerned many grant dollars are being missed.

Flanders suggested that a full-time person be hired to both grant write and administer the grants. But Klein said finding one person with these abilities will be extremely difficult since the duties are so different.

Flanders said many of the part-time staffers were putting in a lot of extra hours. Commissioners said turning some of the part-time positions to full time wouldn't have much impact on the salary budget, since overtime was being paid. The largest impact will be providing full-time benefits.

The commissioners present, Tabor, Sprynczynatyk, Bryce Hill and Warford, came to the consensus that four part-time positions should be increased to full-time; a full-time dietitian should be hired; and a part-time grants administrator hired for 2006. Since these positions aren't in the budget, amendments to the budget will have to be made.

Hillman was asked to put together the fiscal impacts which will be presented at the commission's Nov. 22 meeting.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)