Columbiana County Health Board to seek levy again

LISBON - The Columbiana County Health Board approved the first step to secure the cancer clinic levy for another 10 years, with three options being checked for the amount of money they'll generate.

The options include renewing the existing .2-mill levy, replacing the existing .2-mill levy which would increase the funding by basing it on today's property values or replacing the existing .2-mill levy and adding one-tenth of a mill to make it a .3-mill levy based on today's property values.

The latter two options would increase the money generated to fight cancer and cost taxpayers more money on their property bills.

Wes Vins, administrator/acting health commissioner for the county health district, said they're sending all three resolutions to county commissioners to have the county auditor's office certify the monetary amounts the options can potentially generate, then the health board will have to decide which option to seek on the November ballot and return it to the commissioners for their approval to be forwarded to the county Board of Elections.

The existing levy generates between $190,000 and $200,000 per year, used by the health department for cancer prevention clinics, such as pap tests, pelvic examinations and mammograms for women, prostate cancer blood tests for men and skin cancer checks for both.

Vins said the idea behind the three options for the levy is to find out what they can generate.

"We're going to provide whatever level of service the people want," he said.

Nursing Director Barb Knee told the board 190 men showed up for appointments Tuesday for the free PSA blood tests which screen for prostate cancer, which was an increase from the 167 tested last year.

The health department uses grant money from the Susan G. Komen organization to cover costs of mammograms for low-income women who don't reside in the general health district, such as residents of Salem, East Palestine and East Liverpool.

Knee said they received an anonymous monetary donation recently to cover the costs of pap tests and pelvic examinations for those same women who aren't covered by the levy.

They charge $20 for women who reside outside of the health district for those services, but now they'll have money to help the women who can't afford it. The charge covers the lab fees only.

"There's no reason for any woman in the county to go without a pap test, a pelvic or a mammogram," Knee said.

During the meeting, the board members met Dr. Iram Ahmed, who performs the pelvic examinations and pap tests.

In other business, the board increased some fees in an effort to break even for some costs the department had been absorbing previously.

A re-inspection fee of $35 will be charged in all areas if the health department has to return to a site a second time, such as if they come for an inspection and no one's there or they're not ready.

A charge had previously been levied in cases related to real estate transfers, but now the charge will be used in all cases, including septic installations, wells and plumbing.

The board also approved a 100 percent fine for non-permitted jobs where an installer fails to secure a permit before beginning work.

For example, if a plumbing permit was going to cost $50, the cost would be double if it was discovered a permit wasn't secured.

The board agreed to increase the cost of a water test to $60 from $35. Vins originally asked them to raise it to $50, but board vice chairman Shawn Apple questioned whether it should be raised more in order to break even.

He suggested the $60 figure and the rest of the board agreed. Of the $60, $45 will go to the health department, with $15 covering the lab cost.

The board agreed to charge 25 cents per copy for any copies made, with the exception of someone securing personal records or homeowner information.

Vins originally asked for 10 cents, but board members felt the charge could be a little higher.

Mary Ann Greier can be reached at mgreier@salemnews.net