Health Dept. purchases OK'd

Facing a deadline to spend money to battle bioterrorism or lose it, officials from the Jay County Health Department got the OK to purchase more than $21,000 in equipment this morning.

The big ticket item will be a 10,000 watt natural gas generator that will be installed at the Jay County Courthouse Annex. The generator will allow the health department to continue functioning even if the electrical supply system is down. The cost for the unit, to be purchased from Mercer County Electric, is $15,515 installed.

Also on the list of purchases for the health department will be two laptop computers, a projector to do PowerPoint presentations, a digital camera and a Palm Pilot personal digital assistant.

Jay County health nurse Linda Smith and environmentalist/administrator Dave Houck discussed the purchases with the commissioners, who made Houck the purchasing agent for the generator and Smith the purchasing agent for the office equipment.

Smith bristled when Commissioner Milo Miller Jr. suggested the health department could use a projector purchased last year by Jay County Emergency Management Agency, saying each department needed its own and that the money had to be spent or sent back.

“Do you want to spend this money or send it back to the (Centers for Disease Control)?” Smith asked.

After the commissioners approved the purchases, Smith and Houck, asked how effective the current grant system is in combating bioterrorism, said they weren’t sure. Both said the system isn’t perfect, but agreed that counties should purchase needed equipment rather than send the money back.

Also this morning, the commissioners gave permission for a local car club to hold car shows around the courthouse in May and October.

The Arch Bridge Kroozers plan to hold shows on Saturday, May 22 and Saturday, Oct. 2 on West Main and Commerce streets. The club already has permission from the city to close down Main Street between Meridian and Ship streets and Commerce between Main and Walnut streets.

Club officer Dave Frasher said the club will again pay overtime for a courthouse custodian so that the courthouse may remain open from 4 to 9 p.m. during the shows.

The commissioners also gave Frasher permission to use a newly-purchased county property at 215 W. Main Street for a display by collectors of classic Ford Flat Head engines.

The building, currently the home of Hanni Bros. Plumbing and Heating, formerly housed several Ford dealerships. The club would like to use the portion of the building facing Main Street that was used as a display room.

“I think we’ll have quite a show,” Frasher said.[[In-content Ad]]