The Jefferson County Health Department officially has a new leader – Steve Sikes.
After about two months of contract discussions, the Health Department’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously Nov. 25 to approve a finalized contract with Sikes, the agency’s new executive director.
In September, the Health Department’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to act on the Personnel Committee’s recommendation to offer Sikes the job, and while he had been serving as the interim director, he didn’t officially take over as executive director until the contract was finalized last week.
“Congratulations, Mr. Director,” Pigg said to Sikes, who had been the deputy director of agency operations before being promoted to interim director on Feb. 27, replacing Kelley Vollmar who resigned on Feb. 19.
Vollmar, who had been director since November 2015, was paid $141,000 as executive director.
Sikes, 54, of Fredericktown will be paid $130,055 to head up the agency, said Jennifer Pinkley, deputy director of agency administration.
Sikes had been paid $103,343.51 as deputy director of agency operations and then was paid a prorated salary of $120,000 a year as interim director.
He has been with the Health Department since 2002 and was promoted to environmental supervisor in 2012 and to operations manager in 2016. He was promoted in 2021 to deputy director of agency operations, overseeing agency operations, including information technology, facility operations, community services, health education, environmental services and public health preparedness.
“I have been in public health for over 30 years in various job positions and locations,” Sikes said.
“Becoming the executive director has to be by far the most exciting opportunity. Leading a department with so many great employees is very humbling. It is a position that can be extremely challenging, but I feel confident in our team to continue providing great public health services.”
Sikes took over as the interim director as the department was tackling big projects, such as the monthslong, grant-funded compensation/job description study and the construction of a new office in Hillsboro, which is scheduled to be completed in April.
“Luckily, I have been part of these projects from the beginning, so I am not starting new,” he said. “These projects required a significant amount of staff time, especially from our administrative team. We are now seeing the results of all this hard work, which is very rewarding. The new building is the largest project I have ever been involved with. It is exciting to see it come together.”
The compensation study was approved by the board on Oct. 30. Officials said as a result, 59 percent of staff received a pay raise on Nov. 16 while 29 percent of the staff had already received a raise in 2023.
When the compensation study was approved, officials announced they planned to eliminate the second unfilled deputy director position. Pinkley is the only deputy director at this time.
Sikes said Pinkley was among the employees to receive a pay increase following the compensation/job description study.
Pinkley said at the beginning of 2024, her salary was $103,343.51, but her pay was temporarily increased to $113,343.51 while she took on additional responsibilities during Sike’s interim leadership. Her current salary, including the raise based on the compensation study, is now $105,735.
“At this time, we are going with only one deputy director instead of two,” Sikes said Nov. 26. “I have some ideas on possible changes, but I want to complete these large projects and get into our new building before making any major changes.”
He said he intends to carry on the excellent public health services provided by the Health Department, which employs about 75 staff members.
“JCHD has a wonderful reputation among the other health departments in the state,” Sikes said. “We have a regularly active Board of Trustees who are supportive of the staff and services we provide. I am standing on the shoulders of past directors who have guided JCHD to the place we are now, and I want to continue advancing public health in Jefferson County.”
Last spring, Sikes received the Missouri Environmental Health Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
Prior to joining the Jefferson County Health Department, Sikes, a Southeast Missouri State University graduate, worked for the Stoddard County Health Department, the Cape Girardeau County Health Department and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Sikes lives on the family’s cattle farm with his wife and three children.