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Southwestern District Health says it will hold county funding request steady amid staffing and grant losses
Summary
Southwestern District Health told the Stark County Commission it will hold its 2026 funding request at $1,575,000 despite staff retirements, rising insurance costs and reduced federal grants, while planning modest fee increases and operational changes.
Sherry Adams, executive officer for the Southwestern District Health Unit, told the Stark County Commission that her office will hold its 2026 funding request at $1,575,000 while managing recent staff retirements and reduced federal grant funding.
Adams said the unit has experienced three staff retirements and has lost several federal grants, but is trying to preserve services by cross-training remaining staff, raising a small number of fees and expanding insurance billing. "We are able to do some more reimbursement through insurance," she said.
The unit plans modest fee increases for services such as water-sample testing and will limit other cost increases to avoid overburdening residents. Adams said health insurance costs have risen to roughly $1,900 per person and that the unit is unlikely to provide broad wage increases this year: "We probably will not do raises this year. If we do, it'll be a very small percentage." She also said the unit intends to increase telehealth and remote work to reduce travel and overhead.
Adams described an ongoing plan to hold the county request steady for another year while watching state and federal funding changes: "We just don't know what 2027 brings. So but wait and see." She invited county commissioners and department heads to the joint commission meeting on July 31, noting the health unit needs a quorum from each county to finalize some items.
The commission asked about a former health‑unit building being leased to a church and whether the building might be sold; Adams said the church has been making monthly payments and was working on its tax‑exempt status with the city.
The commission did not vote on additional county funding at the meeting; Adams’ presentation was placed on the agenda for further budget discussions this summer.
Adams closed by encouraging commissioners to attend the July 31 meeting and offering to share the joint meeting Zoom link for those who cannot attend in person.
