2 new board members introduced
Logan County District Board of Health members honored the retirement of 37-year employee of the health district at their Wednesday afternoon, April 12, and also welcomed two new health board members.
Environmental Health Director Tim Smith is retiring from his position, effective April 28. Safety and Sanitation Coordinator Matt Stonerock was named as his replacement at last month’s meeting.
Smith said he was hired in at the health department as a sanitarian, and was promoted to his current position in late 2017 following the retirement of former Environmental Health Director Craig Kauffman.
Logan County Health Commissioner Travis Irvan recognized Smith’s retirement and “outstanding service” with a resolution at the end of the meeting, noting that Smith began his career at the health district on Feb. 10, 1986, after his mother clipped out the job posting from the newspaper and encouraged him to apply.
“Tim has earned the admiration and respect of his colleagues for his dedication, enthusiasm, professionalism, red-pen usage, sense of humor and hard work.
“The health district takes great pleasure in recognizing the achievements of Mr. Smith and expresses its gratitude for the invaluable contributions he has made in the community. We extended our heartfelt wishes to Tim for continued success, happiness and good health in the years to come.”
Board President Dr. Grant Varian also extended his congratulations to Smith.
“I think you’ve done a tremendous job. It’s always been interesting,” he said. “I appreciate your long service to our community.”
The health district hosts a retirement party for Smith, slated for 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, April 24, at the health district conference room, 310 S. Main St.
Relating to the new board of health members, Irvan introduced Krista Oldiges, who also serves at the Logan County Board of Developmental Disabilities executive director, and Kathy Smith, Community Health & Wellness Partners chief operating officer.
Both Oldiges and Ms. Smith were appointed to the board by the Logan County Health District Advisory Council during their recent meeting.
Oldiges is serving a five-year term, filling Bob Harrison’s seat following his retirement from the board. Ms. Smith fills the unexpired four-year term of board member Kristen Wish, who recently submitted her resignation.
During the community health update, Director of Community Outreach Megan Bailey announced that the health district has been awarded the Integrated Harm Reduction Grants she had applied for, which involves a year one grant totaling $30,000 in a shortened term from April 1 through Sept. 29, 2023, and then a year two grant totaling $127,000 for a term beginning Oct. 1 through Sept. 29, 2024.
Through the grant program, the health district will be able to continue offering the naloxone program and also new harm reduction opportunities, including initiating a safe syringe exchange program, and making safe sex kits available, along with HIV and syphilis testing and counseling.
Irvan noted that the Ohio Department of Health declared Logan County and several other rural counties in the state to be in a syphilis outbreak in the fall.
“We’re already on pace to eclipse last year’s numbers,” he said, with several cases reported so far in 2023.
Also during the meeting, members accepted the resignation of Justin Noble, IT administrator, effective Friday, April 21.
Related to Noble’s departure, the board approved a move to contract with Clarity Technology Solutions as a master service provider for IT services. The health commissioner said the contract will provide the agency with a cost savings, noting that the contract would be an estimated $30,000, compared to hiring an in-house entry level IT position, at approximately $38,000.
During the health commissioner comments, Irvan provided the board with some of the statistics from the Logan County overdose fatality review board that was conducted last week. In 2022, there were 12 overdose deaths reported in the county, with 92 percent of the deaths were in males and 8 percent were female.
He noted that 75 percent of the individuals had fentanyl linked to their cause of death. Heroin was not linked to any of the deaths, a significant change from just several years ago.
In other action, the board:
• were informed of the hire of environmental health sanitarian-in-training Isaac Fouts, who will take over Stonerock’s inspectional duties in the southeast area of the county;
• approved a well variance request for Luke and Amy Langford of Kettering, for their property at 7809 Maple St., Russells Point; and the extension of a well variance request for James A. Greten, 9889 Fairview Ave., Lakeview; and
• approved position changes to the public information officer/emergency preparedness coordinator position, splitting the previously shared duties into two separate positions because of the increased job requirements, and approved the potential hire of a new public information officer; along the potential hire of a new environmental health clerical specialist.
The next meeting is 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 10.