Revenue is down this year for the Banks County Health Department.
District 2 Public Health Director Dr. David N. Westfall told Banks County Health Board members on Tuesday, Dec. 9, that total revenues for the health department are down around $7,000.
“We are financially stable,” he said. “We are not looking at any layoffs here.”
This is not true at some of the other health departments in the District 2 region, Westfall said.
Outpatient fees are down and environmental fees are up about $1,600, Westfall added. The increase in environmental fees is due to a change in the rate structure recently.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the monthly health board meeting:
•Westfall asked board vice-chairman Gene Hart to sign the Banks County Health Board on as a signatory for the Campaign For Public Health. Westfall said, “With more and more people losing their jobs, more and more people will be turning to public health departments.” The family planning budget has already been cut, Westfall added.
•Dale Carter presented the environmental health report for September, October and November. Some 28 applications were taken for this period compared to 56 at this time last year. The department also had 14 new permits, 14 re-evaluation permits and four repair permits taken this quarter. Two new subdivisions are pending. The county has 63 food service restaurants, plus seven county facilities, Carter reported.
•Hart said McDonald’s, Highway 441, Banks Crossing, is set to be demolished and re-built. “They will be closing January 1,” Hart said.
•the board welcomed Cathi Durham, Georgia Academy of Family Physicians. Public health has a contract for the academy to help get information out.
•JoAnn Dodd, Banks County Health Department nurse, presented the health department news to the board. Dodd said the pandemic flu exercise in October went well. The department is currently focusing on health checks, 27 were done last month.
