Glouco health officer takes third job

Annmarie Ruiz has been handed a third card. The Gloucester County health officer, who doubles as Salem County's, will now also report to Atlantic City.

Ruiz - charged with enforcing health and sanitation policies and restaurant inspections, and coordinating responses to public health issues - will now split her time among the jurisdictions under a shared-services agreement approved this week by Gloucester County.

Atlantic City will pay Gloucester County $2,470 a month until the end of the year - an amount that will increase 2 percent at the start of 2016. The contract is until Dec. 31, 2016.

Gloucester and Salem Counties agreed in 2014 to a five-year contract to share a health officer. Salem County now pays $72,680 annually, which covers half of Ruiz's $94,111 salary and benefits, Gloucester County spokeswoman Debra Sellitto said in an e-mail. Gloucester County and Atlantic City will now split the other half.

The change "doesn't diminish the health officer's role in any respect," Gloucester County administrator Chad Bruner said this week.

The deal will save the distressed resort about $125,000 annually, business administrator Arch Liston said. The city's previous health officer, Ron Cash, retired in December, he said. The Health and Human Services Department is currently overseen by the director of licensing and inspections, a structure that will remain.

Liston credited State Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D., Gloucester) and his office for suggesting a shared service and putting city officials in touch with Gloucester County. Though the city had conversations with Atlantic County about sharing the position, the arrangement "couldn't be worked out," Liston said, saying the county "couldn't meet our needs."

Ruiz will have an office in Atlantic City, but her hours are still being determined, Liston said. "It depends on what the demands are and what our needs are," he said.