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Mullins: An honor to serve

Since there is a slight lull in letters to the editor between campaigns, I thought I could fit this one in.

Several months ago, I resigned from the Pitkin County Board of Health due to shifting priorities and a challenging new schedule. For the past nine years, I had served first as a member of the city of Aspen Board of Health, then as the city of Aspen representative to the Pitkin County Board of Health, and then as an alternate to that board.

Throughout that time, there have been enormous changes in how the city and county approach public health. Eight years ago, the Board of Health transitioned from two separate boards — city board of health (made up of the City Council) and a county board of health (made up of the Board of County Commissioners) — to one board of health (the Board of County Commissioners and a City Council member).



In 2016, after extensive research and recommendations from a public-health consultant, the board transitioned to an experiential-based member board, with a representative from the City Council and one from the Board of County Commissioners.

We then hired Pitkin County’s first public-health director in 2017, Karen Koenemann, who was followed by our second and another exceptional public-health director, Jordana Sabella, in 2021.




Luckily, we were well prepared for the advent of COVID-19. The work the Board of Health did during COVID was outstanding, and the Board of Health and the public-health director continue to competently guide the community through public health events.

Thank you to our Board of Health — restructuring through the transitions — outstanding board members, and hardworking staff who continue to provide an invaluable service to our community. It was an honor to serve on the board.

Ann Mullins

Aspen