On the Record (Hector Gomez)

Where were you born? Mercedes, Texas

Where do you live now? Princeton

How long have you lived there? 12 years

Where do you work? Bureau County Health Department

What is your job title? Fiscal director/assistant administrator

How long have you worked there? 11 years, since May 6, 2006

What advantages are there to your position at the health department?

Working a normal schedule 8-5 Monday to Friday, military friendly employer, and great benefits.

What challenges do you see with your job at the health department? Having to deal with the incompetence of the state of Illinois to pass a balance budget!

How have the finances with the state of Illinois impacted our local health department? We have managed to continue doing the things we do here by being fiscally responsible.

In general, do you think Bureau County residents are healthier or not as healthy as residents from other parts of the state? I believe that we are a healthy county but can still do more to make our residents maintain a healthy lifestyle.

What is the best way parents/grandparents can teach their children/grandchildren good health practices? Start before your children are born by eating right and not smoking and drinking alcohol. Once children are born, continue to introduce good eating habits throughout their life, so they can pass it on to their children.

What do you think is the most significant health problem in Bureau County for adults? Inactivity, which can lead to obesity and other health problems.

What do you think is the most significant health problem in Bureau County for seniors? Isolation and lack of social interaction.

What do you think is the most significant health problem in Bureau County for teens/children? For most is the lack of exercise from all the electronics available to them and isolation from the virtual world.

Has working at the health department affected how you think of your own health? What lifestyle changes have you made for a healthier lifestyle? Working at the health department has not affected the way I think about my health. I spent 27 years in the military and have always maintained a healthy lifestyle.

In the perfect world, the local health department ______ (fill in the blank): Would be the place to go for health related information relating to the public and the place to receive all vaccinations required for school age children. Also all vaccines required by adults to maintain a healthy lifestyle.