Proposed legislation puts health department at risk

At the April 26 meeting of New Philadelphia City Council, Mayor Day invited city health commissioner Vickie Ionno to speak about the effect Ohio House Bill 110 would have on the city’s ability to maintain its independent health department if the bill passes the Senate.

Ionno said she was only made aware of the bill a week ago by the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners.

“House Bill 110 was written to abolish all city health departments with less than 50,000 residents in their jurisdiction,” Ionno said.

Ionno said a feasibility study will be required no later than 18 months after the official announcement of the census results.

“We are, I guess, dumbfounded right now because we didn’t expect this while we’re dealing with a global pandemic,” Ionno said. “That’s why I need everyone’s help to reach out to our lawmakers. We have never worked harder in our lives than we have this last year.”

Ionno said the health department receives $3,200 in state subsidies per year. “That’s somewhere around 30 cents per capita. It is a punch in the gut with as hard as we’ve worked this year, and we don’t plan on giving up,” she said.

Dana Fischio, the health department’s accreditation coordinator, also addressed council. “Over the last several years, the health department has hosted public health interns. I’m one of them. If the local boards of health and local health departments are abolished, these learning opportunities will disappear.”

Rob Maurer responded to Ionno’s report of receiving $3,200 from the state each year. “Tell the state they can keep their 3,200 bucks, and we’ll control our own health department.”

John Zucal said, “I think this is the ultimate slap in the face by the state legislature to even go down this path in the middle of a pandemic. This is an attack on small municipal government and our ability to have local control.”

Kelly Ricklic told Ionno the safety, health and services committee planned to present a resolution that night to protect the health department from being closed by the state.

“What you have provided, you do make a difference in people’s lives. If you save one person’s life, the city health department is validated for me,” Ricklic said.

Cheryl Ramos said the state could keep their money. “We want to control our own health department. It’s so important to have local control and local accountability. I don’t want to see that eliminated.”

Marvin Fete said losing control over the local health department would carry serious ramifications. “If we lose our local HD, we’ll have no control over whether or not our own Tuscora Park stays open. We’ll have no control over whether or not our stadium stays open. That’s why I am outraged that Columbus would consider something like this in the middle of a pandemic.”

Council President Don Kemp thanked Ionno and her staff for all they do. “It’s great your staff wanted to come to council and support you. I would venture to say I’m not sure who sponsored HB 110, but I’m sure it wasn’t a set of small-town people. We are doing everything we can to support you.”

Mayor Day said the proposal was part of the budget bill, and it shouldn’t be. “I’m really, really disappointed in our state representatives for not giving us a heads-up on this. It shows they need to be more engaged with their constituents. It’s all about taking away local control, and it’s time for us to take a stand and fight back.”