PORT ANGELES – Clallam County is considering more than 300-thousand dollars in increased spending in the health and human services department to address the local COVID-19 response.

Included in the proposal is hiring three new full-time positions, increasing the pay for the health officer, and allocating more hours and pay from current health department staff to COVID-19 response.

The personnel changes amount to 285-thousand dollars. The county is considering another 18-thousand dollars in supplies, lab services and advertising.

The county would hire an additional public health nurse, another public health worker and a COVID-19 information coordinator. Duties of current staff would shift to service as an outbreak response coordinator, additional work in environmental health and a coordinator for the shelter.

The proposed changes would last from June through the end of the year.