11/6/14 Health district to look at internal options after failure of .75 mill levy

  • By Nick Sabo
  • November 6, 2014
  • 374
                        
SUMMARY: Failure of levy leaves many options, but health commissioner says he doesn't "like any of them". The Holmes County Health District will not go after tax dollars again to bolster its bottom line after the failure of a .75 mill levy Tuesday, and will instead look at internal options. Holmes County Health Commissioner Dr. D.J. McFadden said the third levy attempt by the health district will likely be its last. “I’m not prepared to talk about a health levy right now,” McFadden said. “The door has closed on taxes, now we need to look at everything else.” The levy was voted down with 3,081 votes for and 3,540 votes against. The levy would have raised approximately $650,000 for the health district, which has seen its ability to operate compromised by state budget cuts. The hope was that the levy would allow the health district to continue to operate as a stand-alone, local entity. The levy was endorsed by the Holmes County Commissioners as a way to preserve local control over services. Speaking after the levy’s defeat, commissioners said they will continue to support the health district as best they can. However, commissioner Joe Miller noted that they can’t give the health district the level of monetary assistance the levy would have provided. McFadden said the future direction of the health district will be discussed in meetings with the board of health. The key question before the health board will be whether to continue to pursue accreditation, McFadden said. Accreditation will be required of all Ohio health districts if they are to receive state funding. McFadden said the only option he sees is to pursue accreditation; however, he does not see how the district can with their current finances. Cuts to programming and services will also be discussed, McFadden said. The board will also examine options for shared services with other health districts. Currently, the only shared services the health district has is its own employees serving other counties. The health district’s epidemiologist also provides services to Medina and Wayne counties, and McFadden is contracted for services with Carroll County. Another option is consolidation, joining up with a larger health district to and creating a regional entity. McFadden said he is unaware of any contiguous health districts that may be interested in consolidation at this time. McFadden said he is not happy with the decisions that have to be made. “There are lots of options and I don’t like any of them,” McFadden said. “I don’t have the luxury of doing what I like.”


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