Eight years and one pandemic later, Washington County’s Public Health Director gave masked-on hugs Wednesday as she spent her last day at work before starting her position as director for Johnson County.

A farewell reception was held for Danielle Pettit-Majewski Wednesday afternoon on the fifth floor of Federation Bank, where county department heads, friends, and community members wished her good luck for her career move. Pettit-Majewski describes how it felt finishing her last day with Washington County, “Bittersweet, it’s been great to see people and to get to have an opportunity to chat with people that I’ve been able to partner with over the years and work with over the years so it’s, like I said, bittersweet.”

As Iowa’s public health departments continue to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, and Washington County faces a possible change of venue as Federation Bank is moving to the former US Bank next year, Pettit-Majewski gives optimism for the department she is departing, “Well, I think, number one, the only thing that we can count on is change. And I think too, especially after COVID all of the local health departments are a little battered and so I think there are a lot of opportunities on the horizon. Obviously challenges which is just normal but I have absolute faith in the staff and the board of health to plug through and to make good work of what comes next.”

The Washington County Board of Health approved to hire Jefferson County Public Health Administrator Christine Estle as an interim director while they are currently accepting applications for the position.