Health board to review contracts
By MARY ANN GREIERLISBON - The Columbiana County Health Board will review all of its contracts with other entities, including Salem, to bring them in line with the services being provided.
Health Board Chairman and Medical Director Dr. Jack Amato suggested the review Wednesday in light of a recent situation involving the contract and services for the city of Salem, which relies on the county for health services.
Reportedly, Salem City Auditor James Armeni made comments to an East Liverpool city official which criticized Salem's contract with the county health department and questioned the amount of services actually provided for the $28,000 fee.
In reaction to the alleged comments, Amato issued a press release last week outlining the services provided by the health department and criticizing Armeni's comments.
The two men finally spoke to each other this week and Amato said they're on the same page. He said the contract, which expires next year, doesn't reflect what's happening now with the services, pointing to a clause which required a nurse at the Salem location two days per week for immunizations.
Since then, Amato said the days were decreased due to a decline in visits and the fact that doctors could receive the free vaccine and administer it in their offices. Salem residents receive nursing services at the Lisbon location besides all the other services a county health district offers.
Board vice chairman Shawn Apple noted the contract in question was a 10-year contract and he didn't think that was necessary. He said contracts should be for no longer than two or three years and updated on a regular basis.
In an update on the smoking ban program, Morehead said the state offered a plan for fund enforcement at a rate of $70 per case, with the health board receiving 90 percent of the fine money. The board had already turned the program back over to the state and the state accepted.
Morehead said he wanted a chance to look at the state's offer, but he still didn't think the program would be worth taking back. He said the total amount of reimbursement would probably be limited to a certain amount.
The board took no action on a variance requested by Robert Simms, of 47503 Bell School Road, East Liverpool, to install a tank and pump to transport waste from a double wide trailer to an existing septic system installed in a home in 2006. They instead requested an alternative be found instead of hooking another home to an existing system.
"Normally speaking, we only grant these in hardships. What's the hardship?" Amato asked.
He noted the state code says not to have two dwellings on one property related to the sharing of a septic system. In hardship cases, such as caring for elderly parents, the board makes an exception. In this case, the double wide would only be used a few months out of the year.
Apple questioned what happens years later when one of the dwellings is sold and then the other dwelling is sold and they're left with two houses on one septic system. He said that's when problems occur.
"I don't like this situation," he said.
In other action, the board approved the following orders and one variance:
Michael Angelo, 4251 Leetonia Road, Leetonia, order to repair failing septic system
Dianne Daugherty, 2457 Woodbine St., East Liverpool, order to repair failing septic system
Jonathan and Jennifer Ludwig, 14971 Old Fredericktown Road, East Liverpool, order to repair failing septic system
Sam and Beth French, 89 W. Main St., Salineville, order to clean up accumulation of garbage on property
Trenia Gransee, 47239 state Route 558, New Waterford, variance for well located too close to the house and septic tank. The rules require a distance of 10 feet from a house and 50 feet from a septic tank. The well will be located 6 feet from the house and 40 feet from the septic tank.
Mary Ann Greier can be reached at mgreier@salemnews.net
