MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Now that the dust has settled – or should I say dirt – Shelby County has a new health department director. Dr. Michelle Taylor, a Memphis native, is set to take over the department August 2nd – and it could not come at a more important time.
COVID cases are climbing – and the health department stumbled early on in managing the vaccine rollout. That led to the resignation of former director Alisa Haushalter and resulted in heated criticism of county Mayor Lee Harris.
For a moment, it appeared Dr. Taylor’s nomination would also be mired in controversy – after a panel that interviewed both finalists for the job, recommended against hiring either of them. The tempest created hard feelings between Harris and county commissioner Mark Billingsley – who says the mayor misled commissioners and the public about who released the interviewing panel’s report.
But Monday, everyone came together to do the right thing. The commissioners confirmed Taylor by a 13 to nothing vote. And Billingsley apologized that she was caught up in a political dispute.
The unanimous commission vote means Taylor’s background makes her qualified for the job. No, it won’t be easy, but neither is getting a getting a master’s in public administration from Harvard – and a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins.
The bottom line is, Dr. Taylor already knows this health department and she knows Memphis. With the community’s support, she will do just fine. And that’s my point of view.