Hocking County health commissioner reviews programs, budget and names successor

Hocking County Health Commissioner Doug Fisher told the Board of Hocking County Commissioners on Jan. 8 that the county health department operates a roughly $5,000,000 annual budget, runs a range of nursing and environmental programs from immunizations and WIC to food-service inspections and septic-system repair programs, and will be led by administrator Jamie Carroll when he retires effective June 1.

Fisher said the department is a combined general health district governed by a separate Board of Health and largely funded through a 10-year operational levy. "We have about a $5,000,000 annual budget," Fisher said. He told the commissioners the levy was last renewed in 2018 and will be back before voters in 2028.

Why it matters: Fisher framed the department's finances and staffing as central to county public-health stability and emergency readiness. He warned of two public-health concerns the department is monitoring closely: reduced school-age immunization rates and an apparent increase in tick-borne diseases.

Fisher outlined core programs and staff. Emily Norris, director of nursing, oversees immunizations, tobacco-cessation programs, STD and TB surveillance and the department's WIC program. Kevin Smith is the environmental health director; Nikki Hankison is the WIC director; Chance Graham was identified as an environmental health specialist who works on septic repairs and related grants. Fisher said the department's staff level is currently 19.

On immunizations, Fisher said the department has seen "a decrease in in our school age immunizations" since the COVID-19 period and expressed concern that lower coverage could increase the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases locally. When asked whether lower rates were due to funding or personal choice, Emily Norris replied, "For multiple reasons. Yeah." Fisher added that the department is working with schools and the hospital on the issue.

Fisher described one environmental grant the department uses as the WPCLF, which he identified as a program for repairing and replacing septic systems for lower-income residents. He said the county has brought in close to $2,000,000 through that program "over a short amount of time." He also described a recent opportunity from the county solid-waste district: Jamie Carroll said the solid-waste district has asked the health department to write a grant of up to $100,000 for cleanup of illegal dump sites, including funding for gates and signs; the grant application deadline is in February.

Fisher described the health department's property and governance: the office at 350 State Route 664 is county-owned and leased to the department; a separate property at 1360 Third Street was purchased by the Board of Health and is intended for storage, security and possible future expansion. He said the Board of Health meets monthly and that Ohio law requires a minimum five-member board.

Fisher told commissioners he will retire June 1 and that Jamie Carroll, the department administrator, will be his successor. "Jamie Carroll will be the new next health commissioner because I retire, the 1st of June," Fisher said. He said Carroll meets Ohio's educational requirement for a county health commissioner (a master's degree or higher) and that the board looked internally before selecting her. Carroll also summarized the solid-waste grant, saying the program is "up to a hundred thousand dollars" and that the funds would help townships and the sheriff's office remove tires, couches and other illegal-dump materials.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve the meeting agenda — approved (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to table the minutes — approved (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to allow county staff (Troy) to take the truck with a malfunctioning salt spreader to Grove City installer for troubleshooting and repair — approved (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to purchase a new walk-behind snow blower — approved (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to rescind the previously planned courthouse closure for a day of remembrance (noted in light of the governor's guidance that state offices remain open) and keep offices open the following day — approved (voice vote: "Aye"). - Motion to update a previously passed resolution (correcting signature line for Stacy Gabriel) — directed to be updated; motion references a prior vote already taken and only the ministerial correction remains.

What commissioners asked and next steps: Commissioners asked about levy funding versus in-county millage and how board members are appointed. Fisher explained the district advisory council process and said the advisory council — which includes elected officials from municipalities and townships — nominates board members following the Revised Code. He asked commissioners to continue supporting the department's levy and to alert staff about illegal-dump sites for the solid-waste grant application.

Ending: Fisher said the department considers local partners across first responders, schools and the hospital to be part of a broader public-health system and said the department is financially stable so long as levy support continues. The commissioners recessed for an executive session later in the morning to discuss a potential property purchase or sale related to a proposed jail facility; no action on that matter was reported in the public portion of the meeting.