New signage unveiled at LCHD
Logan County Health District officials reported on changes for the Logan County Women, Infants and Children program at their Wednesday afternoon meeting, with WIC to move fully under the operation of the Logan County Job & Family Services, beginning Oct. 1.
In October 2021, WIC moved from the health district’s office to the Logan County Job & Family Services building, 1 Hunter Place, Suite B, the former AcuSport building, to offer clients with the option of a convenient “one-stop” location for receiving services and in a more spacious facility. The health district’s 310 S. Main St. offices had become cramped with all of the programs housed there, officials previously noted.
While the WIC program physically moved last fall, the program grant was still administered by the health district for a one-year trial period. Now that trial period is coming to a close, and Christina Bramlage, LCHD director of business operations, said Logan County WIC’s move to the new location has been quite successful.
“Logan County WIC now has a participation rate that is among the top three in the state — that has been great to see,” she said.
While the WIC grant will now be administered by the Logan County Job and Family Services, Logan County Health Commissioner Travis Irvan said the health district wanted to find a way to thank the WIC employees for their dedicated service. He noted that they will be named employees of the month in October.
“We want to highlight and express our appreciation to the WIC staff. They will still be carrying on in their important public health role, just under a different agency.”
Also this month, the LCHD’s employee of the month is public health nurse Ashley Kunkel, with Irvan highlighting her work to conduct childhood immunization clinics during back-to-school time in August.
During the nursing report, Nursing Director Kelly Reaver said the health district just received its first shipment of the monkeypox vaccine, which will soon be available to the public and with guidelines to be announced. Irvan stated that monkeypox is “not going away statewide, so we are glad to have the vaccine available.”
Also during the last week, the health district installed its new metal LED sign along Main Street. The sign replaces a former digital sign, with one side that was not functioning correctly and would have been costly to repair because of its age.
“The LED sign will light up at night, and since it’s metal, would be very durable and should last us for a long time,” Irvan said at a previous meeting.
During the environmental health report, Environmental Health Director Tim Smith said the health district has nearly completed all of its initial enrollments for the Sewage Operation and Maintenance program. Third and final notices will be sent Oct. 3 to property owners in the last township, Jefferson Township. The program has been rolled out gradually to each of the townships in Logan County during the last three years.
In addition, the board approved the first of three required readings for an amendment to the mobile food license fee for the 2023 food licensing period. Based on cost methodology showing added expenses to the health district, the amendment would increase the local portion of the mobile food licensing annual fee to $90, Smith explained.
A public hearing and second reading for the amendment is planned for the next regular board of health meeting — 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12.
In other action, the board,
• accepted the resignation of Bailey Elkins, public information officer/emergency preparedness coordinator, effective Sept. 21;
• authorized Bramlage to open an account with Liberty National Bank for the LCHD to continue to be able to take credit card payments for services rendered;
• approved the advertising of a new position for a part-time grant coordinator/fiscal assistant, with the position to be covered under a workforce grant; and
• approved the 2023 budget.