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Washington County Commission receives update on health department

MARIETTA — Commissioners heard about the state of the county health department during Thursday’s meeting and said they were pleased with the progress.

Washington County Health Commissioner Dick Wittberg presented the annual report for 2016 and revealed that the general fund balance is on a slow incline, up to $135,000 in 2016 from $120,000 at the end of 2015. This is after the department basically started from scratch after 2012.

“In 2012 we had no money because there were some administrative changes,” Wittberg said. “The fiscal health is improving and I think the commissioners are pleased and proud of the improvements. But we have some big expenses in the future.”

Washington County’s rankings slipped in 2016 as far as population health, but it is still the healthiest county in Appalachia, a distinction that Wittberg said is due to established community programs.

“We have been successful because of the various people in the community who have worked for years on different things like the bike trails and the community gardens,” he said.

Among the future expenses for the health department is a mandatory state accreditation for 2020, something that will be required of health departments in all 88 counties.

“The idea is to provide uniform service across the state, which I understand,” Wittberg said. “But it is going to cost us $11,000 in fees every three years and (being accredited) hasn’t exactly shown to improve public health.”

The Washington County Health Department spent close to $20,000 on accreditation-related activities in 2016 and expects the number to go up slightly for 2017, according to the annual report.

Among the expenses are $20,000 for an accreditation coordinator and $4,000 for staff time spent on accreditation. The projected cost for 2018 is between $35,000 and $40,000.

Wittberg also spoke to the commissioners about new efforts the department will try to implement this year at the county level, including subjects like a needle exchange program and raising the age to buy tobacco to 21. The health department expects to try to work with county commissioners and mayors.

In other business:

* Marcus McCartney, agriculture and natural resources educator with The Ohio State University Washington County Extension Office, told commissioners that the county is one of the worst in the state as far as the number of stink bugs in the area and he anticipates that this year will be just as bad. He said they were looking for a full-time 4-H camp director and a new youth gardening initiative will be starting up at the Boys & Girls Club.

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