Governor Matt Mead has selected Casper City Manager Tom Forslund to head up the Wyoming Department of Health.  Current Wyoming Health Department Director, Brent Sherrard, will move to the Governor's office as an advisor.

Forslund says the Governor was looking for an administrator with a strong budget background.  Mead will have that in Forslund who says he wants the change and he's excited by the challenge the job will offer.

"Just as a side note,  I'm coming up in two weeks on my 25th anniversary with the City of Casper so it seemed like an opportune time to try a different challenge and I decided to give it a shot."

Forslund will continue to work for the City of Casper for the next 60 days before heading to Cheyenne to start the job.  He says he's leaving the City in excellent financial shape and feels good about that...

"The one percent just passed and is in place for the next four years and we have an excellent city staff, excellent managers in each of the departments,  so I feel real good about what I'm leaving behind. I think my successor will feel very lucky to go into such a great job."

Forlund will takeover from Dr. Brent Sherrard who's served as both director of the health department and Wyoming's chief medical officer for the past several years.

Mead says he hasn't made any decision yet on the prospect of splitting up the department so finance and health care decisions can be made by separate entities.

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