(KNZA)--The Brown County Health Department is seeking additional funding from the county for for the first quarter of 2021 to pay for the staff who handle the COVID-19 contact tracing and disease investigations.

Kristina Romine with the Northeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department met with the Brown County Commission via Zoom Monday to request $15,000 from the county to cover January-March.

SPARKS funding is currently covering the cost of the department's three contact tracers, but that funding will end December 31.

Romine said they hope to retain two of the contact tracers, and keep them on staff through the end of June. She said the Health Department could pay their salaries for April-June. Romine estimated the Health Department would still be conducting contact tracing for COVID-19 through that time.

The Commission tabled the request until next Monday to give them time to review the budget.