New Philadelphia should preserve health department

When I retired from City Council, I decided I would not comment on or get involved in the conflicts or decisions at City Hall.

But when I read the story in The Bargain Hunter, “Financial stress may be headed to New Philadelphia,” published May 2, and the only consideration mentioned in the article was dissolving our health department, I could no longer sit back and ignore what could happen.

I served as council’s representative to the health board for more than 20 years and as finance chairwoman.

This recommendation has always been what I would call supposedly the “easy way out” and a decision that would hurt our citizens and the city as a whole. Not only would the city not have control of the costs, but fewer services also would be provided to the citizens of our community. I might add this is not the first time this suggestion has come up. It seems like every decade this subject is a topic.

Did everyone really look into what our health department provides for our citizens and our city? Try tracking the time and level of services provided by our health department, and you would be surprised at what they accomplish in a year.

You don’t know the value of something until you lose it. Please review all decisions carefully because this action can never be reversed. I also would ask the citizens of New Philadelphia to contact their local council members regarding this issue.

Sandy Cox

Former council-at-large

City of New Philadelphia