Health officer outlines 2024 accomplishments and GIS plan; department growth driven by grants

Health Officer Brian Wilkie presented the Sanilac County Health Department’s 2024 annual report, telling the board that much of the department’s budget growth reflects pass‑through and grant funding rather than recurring county revenue. “We do not have a gold mine,” Wilkie said, noting the department has scaled operations while remaining a lean agency of roughly 24 employees. He highlighted WIC and maternal‑health work, disease investigation changes since the COVID period and a sharp increase in environmental‑health activity.

Wilkie also described a planned transition to an electronic environmental‑health system (FetchBH) that will integrate inspection records with GIS, allowing public look‑ups of septic, well and food‑service inspection histories once implemented. Commissioners asked whether public access could be monetized; Wilkie said the records are public information but that some jurisdictions charge for access. The board accepted the annual report by motion and voiced support for the department’s planned technology rollout and continued partnerships with agencies such as the Drug Task Force.

The presentation included program metrics (for example, 653 prevention sessions performed by a prevention educator in 2024) and explanations for year‑to‑year variance (telephone‑based services during COVID increased participation in some programs, while later policy changes reduced it). Wilkie said the department will return with a demonstration of the FetchBH system when ready.