May the board of county commissioners eliminate the office of local health director?

No. A state law prohibits county commissioners from abolishing an office established or required by law. [1] State laws establish the office of local health director[2] and require the appointment of an individual to serve in that role.[3]

In one type of public health agency – a consolidated human services agency – some or all of the responsibilities of the local health director may be assumed by other individuals. If a county creates a consolidated human services agency, the county manager must appoint a consolidated human services director with the consent of the consolidated human services board.[4] The consolidated human services director must then appoint an individual who meets the statutory education and experience requirements for a local health director (see question 4). By statute, the consolidated human services director acquires the powers and duties of a local health director.[5] He or she may exercise those powers and duties directly or may delegate most of them to the appointee who meets health director qualifications, or to other agency employees.