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Resident urges council liaison to health board and raises access concerns for county vaccination services
Summary
A Hobart resident asked the council to appoint a liaison to the health board, criticized responsiveness of the public health officer, and raised concerns about vaccine access, fees and data‑center emissions; councilors and staff clarified vaccine billing and insurance coverage.
During the public‑comment period Barbara Catellis of Hobart asked the Lake County Council to designate a council liaison to the county health board, saying the board meets only quarterly and she wants a council presence at meetings. Catellis criticized the county’s full‑time public health officer for being unresponsive to calls and emails and said the health board staff have been more responsive.
Catellis also asked for a public statement from the health board about toxic emissions from data centers and asserted impacts on respiratory illness; she said she did not receive a statement and is pursuing other avenues. Council members responded with practical information: they noted vaccines remain available through the county health department and typically bill insurance; the chair and staff clarified that retail pharmacies (e.g., CVS, Walgreens) may accept insurance for vaccinations and that county billing practices mean insured residents should not pay out of pocket in many cases.
What’s next: Council members did not immediately appoint a health-board liaison during the meeting; staff indicated vaccine availability and billing policies would be clarified for the public.
