July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Health position supported (8/16/04)
Grant will pay for public health coordinator
The first step has been taken in creating a new position of public health coordinator within the Jay County Health Department.
The grant-funded full-time position, which will carry a variety of duties in planning and minimizing the effects of public health emergencies — including possible incidents of bio-terrorism — was given approval this morning by Jay County Commissioners.
Members of the Jay County Council must also give consent.
Dr. Stephen Myron, who serves as the county health officer, told the commissioners that increasing demands from state and federal health authorities are taxing his staff.
“Bio-terrorism is taking up a lot of our department’s time,” Myron said. “While this is for bio-terrorism, this is an opportunity to become better prepared ... to handle any mass disaster.”
The total grant is a little more than $63,000, with the salary not to exceed $50,000. In Jay County, the salary, if the position is approved, will be set through a review process controlled by the council.
A job description, which has already been prepared by the Indiana State Department of Health, will be submitted to the county’s pay plan consultant. A review and comparison will be done to determine a pay grade and salary.
Commissioners Mike Leonhard, Milo Miller Jr. and Gary Theurer agreed to support the grant-funded position after Myron said the Jay County Board of Health would end the position if the grant funding was stopped.
Among the duties of the position would be to work with the state health department on a variety of issues; to help prepare and implement emergency plans; and to participate in local emergency response efforts.
Also this morning, the commissioners agreed to support the formation of a committee to study the issue of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) by the local health department and a zoning advisory board.
Both the Jay County Planning Commission and the local health board had discussed creating such a committee in the past week. Myron said today he discussed a cooperative effort over the weekend with Jim Zimmerman, president of the planning commission.
Myron said the health department could coordinate and support the committee, which he envisions including a member of the planning commission, a member of the county board of zoning appeals, at least two representatives from the health department, an Indiana Conservation officer, two citizens, two confined feeding operators, a commissioner and the director of the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department.
“We’re going to have to do something to grab the bull by the horns,” Leonhard said.
An outline about the scope of the committee’s work prepared by Myron includes an examination of current state/county rules regarding CAFOs; a look at the value to the local economy in terms of income, jobs and taxes; an exploration of increased educational efforts to avoid potential problems; and an investigation into further local regulation and rules.[[In-content Ad]]
The grant-funded full-time position, which will carry a variety of duties in planning and minimizing the effects of public health emergencies — including possible incidents of bio-terrorism — was given approval this morning by Jay County Commissioners.
Members of the Jay County Council must also give consent.
Dr. Stephen Myron, who serves as the county health officer, told the commissioners that increasing demands from state and federal health authorities are taxing his staff.
“Bio-terrorism is taking up a lot of our department’s time,” Myron said. “While this is for bio-terrorism, this is an opportunity to become better prepared ... to handle any mass disaster.”
The total grant is a little more than $63,000, with the salary not to exceed $50,000. In Jay County, the salary, if the position is approved, will be set through a review process controlled by the council.
A job description, which has already been prepared by the Indiana State Department of Health, will be submitted to the county’s pay plan consultant. A review and comparison will be done to determine a pay grade and salary.
Commissioners Mike Leonhard, Milo Miller Jr. and Gary Theurer agreed to support the grant-funded position after Myron said the Jay County Board of Health would end the position if the grant funding was stopped.
Among the duties of the position would be to work with the state health department on a variety of issues; to help prepare and implement emergency plans; and to participate in local emergency response efforts.
Also this morning, the commissioners agreed to support the formation of a committee to study the issue of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) by the local health department and a zoning advisory board.
Both the Jay County Planning Commission and the local health board had discussed creating such a committee in the past week. Myron said today he discussed a cooperative effort over the weekend with Jim Zimmerman, president of the planning commission.
Myron said the health department could coordinate and support the committee, which he envisions including a member of the planning commission, a member of the county board of zoning appeals, at least two representatives from the health department, an Indiana Conservation officer, two citizens, two confined feeding operators, a commissioner and the director of the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department.
“We’re going to have to do something to grab the bull by the horns,” Leonhard said.
An outline about the scope of the committee’s work prepared by Myron includes an examination of current state/county rules regarding CAFOs; a look at the value to the local economy in terms of income, jobs and taxes; an exploration of increased educational efforts to avoid potential problems; and an investigation into further local regulation and rules.[[In-content Ad]]
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