NEW PLANS MADE PUBLIC
Health Board Meets


Director Brown                               Chair McLaughlin

    Clay County Board of health held their quarterly meeting Nov 4 beginning at 4pm. County Medical Director Lela Patel participated via a cell phone.  The agency operates for the most part, under the radar and without much in the way of controversy.
   There was a time several years ago when then Medical Director Jim Boggs extorted, there ain't medicine going around here. He was right. Back then the Health Dept sucked in Federal and State funds and did little else.
 That's changed some in the last five years. Here are some for instances from the Nov 4th meeting
 Director Angela Brown had been looking into a mental health program for the county but costs are prohibitive.
 On a second front, Brown was considering going back to school for a second Masters to handle OB GYM services. Turns out, her Alma Mater doesn't allow for  a second Masters certification. With thought in mind, a mid wifery service is now being considered. For that training, Brown would start classes next Fall with a cost of $17,000.00.
  Boardster Amanda Shelton offered an alternative.
  Instead of coughing up $17000 for medical training, why not just hire an already trained person. Makes good sense and that appears to be what is being considered now.
  There was a time not so long ago, that county teen birth rates were the highest in the state. During this meeting, no one knew the current rates but felt, sense there are fewer people in the county now, the rate would be lower.
  Discussion turned to recent news reports of heroine and other drugs being used in "vaping" products. Most recently, on national news reports, word came of deaths attributed to such after manufacturing, on the street addition of the drugs. Amanda Shelton felt vaping by high school students was at epidemic levels now.
  the Clay Health Dept receives a bunch of grants for various program enhancements like substance abuse prevention and healthy living growth. In the  way of grant updates, there wasn't much.
  For instance, the agency received some kind of grant to set up a Frisbee toss course out at Clay County Park. Director Brown hopes to secure additional grant funds to add signs and such for the course.

  Across the road from the Health Dept building and behind their parking lot over there, there is a hillside which they hope to convert to something usable and less ugly. Five years ago, some other group cleaned off that hill side and tried to set up some kind of memorial area. That didn't pan and the stubble soon turned back a full grown brush pile.
  In the last little bit, the brush has been removed (See pic above) which revealed a walking path half way up the hillside. According to Brown, plans include putting picnic table up there for lunch time use.
  Auditing is now in progress at the Clayberry Health Dept.
  Finally, the Health Dept is required to have three months of operation funds on hand at all times. That adds up to a bunch of $$$. Currently those funds are held in Clay County Bank. Their CD's amount to around $350 per month in earnings. The HEalth Dept is looking into an investment firm that may allow them to reap higher returns. No decision made during this meeting.
  It was another ho hum public meeting without anything in the way of sparks or eyebrow raisers.
  Next meeting of the Health Board comes on Feb 3rd at 4pm    AW