County health officer to retire after 29 years

 By Michael Tucker, staff writer

Stephanie Nelson won't have too much packing up to do when her retirement comes around Sept. 1. Her office is unadorned and somewhat Spartan.

'I'm a minimalist,' she said looking around her office Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Gallatin City-County Health Department veteran announced her official retirement. She said she will pursue other interests during her free time.

'I don't really know what I'm going to do, but I do know what I'm not going to do,' she said.

Nelson has headed the health department since the fall of 1997 and has been with the department for nearly 29 years. After spending a good chunk of her life in health care, Nelson said it's time to call it quits.

'I'm just amazed at how many individuals in the community I've worked with over the years are retiring, and so, just add me to the list,' she said.

During her tenure, Nelson combined the entire health department under one roof in the old Martel building on Mendenhall Street, kitty corner from the County Courthouse. The county purchased the building about three years ago and it now houses environmental health, nursing and immunization facilities and administrative offices.

She also assisted in bringing the department 'into the 21st Century,' Nelson said. Health officials have digitized a library of files for easy access rather than digging through binder after binder for bits of information.

'It's really been a long-term goal of the department,' she said.

Working with City-County Board of Health, Nelson has helped spearhead efforts to study air quality as well as ground water quality. The department compiled and mapped all of the public water and wastewater facilities to get a handle on what exists out in the county. A similar study targeting septic systems is also underway.

'It's been a real privilege to work with such a forward- thinking board and wanting answers to some of the hard questions,' she said.

County Commissioner and health board member Bill Murdock said Nelson put everything into her job. As a board member, Murdock said he would like someone similar to fill her shoes, as well as having 'excellent communication and public-relations skills.'

'She's been an ardent advocate of public health,' he said. 'She's worn her heart on her sleeve on public health concerns and been a workaholic to that end.'