ALPENA — Chelsea Engle, District Health Department No. 4 nursing director, has been promoted to Administrative Health Officer for the health department.

Engle succeeds Denise Bryan who held the position before her as well as Lloyd Peltier who held an Interim Administrative Health Officer after Bryan’s contract was terminated by DHD4.

In September, the DHD4 Health Board voted to terminate their contract with District Health Department No. 2, of which Bryan was also its Administrative Health Officer.

Lucille Bray, Alpena County commissioner and DHD4 health board member, told The News in September that the health board discovered that Bryan was not meeting her contractual obligations, per DHD4’s contract with DHD2.

Bray elaborated that the termination of the contract should not reflect poorly upon DHD2 and the services they provide.

Lloyd Peltier, previous health board chair, succeeded Bryan as Interim Administrative Health Officer until the department could hire a replacement for Bryan.

Peltier told board members in September that it was in the best interest of the health department to not have a shared Administrative Health Officer with another health department.

“I think one thing that this board needs to stay away from is a shared health officer … that’s been a complete failure,” Peltier added.

Shifts in leadership at the health department have occurred simultaneously since the department first reported in June that $700,000 had been taken back by the state. By September, the health department revealed that the actual total of money taken back by the state was $1.2 million.

Engle told The News that her goals for the health department are to reach financial stability and to create a “positive and collaborative atmosphere for staff and community engagement.”

“The promotion has sowed the seeds for a culture of growth here at DHD4,” Engle said. “We’re focusing on obtaining additional grant funding so we can expand the services available and our reach.”

Engle said that she believes public health is an “unsung hero” and that the health department provides services that benefit the community as a whole.

“Health department services help to ensure a clean pool when you swim locally and safe food when you go out to eat,” she said. “Our services help feed young families through WIC, make needed connections to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and offer STI and lead testing. The department also provides immunizations, hearing and vision checks for school entry, and more at little or no cost depending on ability to pay.”

The health department is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m in Alpena, Cheboygan, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties. Offices are fully staffed with registered nurses, support staff, and sanitarians.

Community members can follow the health department for updates on Facebook and Instagram or access more information at dhd4.org.

“Our goal is to ensure everyone in our community has access to the health resources they need,” Engle said.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.