Panhandle Health District

                                                            8500 N. Atlas Road         Hayden, Idaho  83835

www.phd1.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            Date:     July 29, 2010                 

Contact:                                                                              Released by: Jeanne Bock, Director                     

Cynthia Taggart

Public Information Officer

(208) 415-5108

(208) 818-7288 (cell)

                                                                                New Trustee Elected to Board of Health

Hayden – County commissioners in the five northern counties voted Thursday to elect Bonner County Commissioner Cornel Rasor to serve on the Panhandle Health District (PHD) Board of Health.

              Rasor, a Sandpoint resident for 41 years, has served on the Bonner County Board of Commissioners for two years. He manages the Army Surplus Store in Sandpoint. He is the chairman of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee. He and his wife, Kim, of 34 years have three grown children and 11 grandchildren.

              “I’m appreciative of the opportunity to work closer with Bonner County and have one of the sitting commissioners on the board,” Jeanne Bock, PHD Director, said. “I think the direct relationship will strengthen the support for public health.”

              Rasor will replace Dale Van Stone, a Bonner County farmer who has served on the Board of Health since 1997. Rasor said Bonner County commissioners decided in May to follow advice from the Idaho Association of Counties that commissioners serve on boards for the best representation for their counties.

              “This change is no reflection on the job that Dale has done. He’s been wonderful,” Rasor said. “I will try to bring the needs of Bonner County citizens to the attention of the Panhandle Health District from the government perspective.”

              The PHD Board of Health has seven trustees from the five northern counties – two each from Kootenai and Bonner counties and one each from Benewah, Boundary and Shoshone counties. Board of Health trustees are elected to the position by commissioners from all five counties and serve five-year terms.

              Rasor will serve the two years remaining on Van Stone’s term and face re-election in 2012.