LISBON — The Columbiana County Health District Board held its first reading to adopt increased 2025 fees for pools, campgrounds and tattoo studios, during its meeting on Wednesday.

Health Commissioner Dr. Wes Vins and Environmental Director Laura Fauss both explained last month that the cost methodology used to calculate the pool, campground and tattoo, along with the food license fees, are based on the time put into the programs by staff members, actual overhead costs and the number of licenses. The figures for 2025 are based on 2023 numbers.

The board also held its second reading of the new food license fees. Three readings are required for passage, along with the holding of a public hearing before the third. The proposed new fees for food service establishments are a reduction from last year, but board member Dave Rose still expressed concern that they were too steep for some struggling businesses — specifically what he called “mom-and-pop places.”

“Going by the rules, I know we can’t give any breaks but some of these smaller places are barely making it and why do they have to pay as much as McDonald’s,” he said.

Fauss explained that the district’s hands are tied by state guidelines and protocols but said that the current system does differentiate between small and bigger franchises.

“There are different categories in the food fees. There is a commercial under 25,000 square feet and a commercial under 25,000 square feet, that’s the kitchen area and in those there are four different risk levels,” Fauss said. “If a kitchen isn’t going to hot-hold foods like soup, there’s going to be a lower risk level and that means a cheaper license because we don’t spend as much time expecting them. It all boils down to the amount of time we are in the facility expecting it. That’s all built in. Other than that, there really isn’t much allowed in the state rule flexibility wise.”

Rose suggested that the fees be revenue-based rather than determined by the size of the business space.

Fauss said that when the state rules are up for comment that is a suggestion the health district can definitely submit.

Under the new proposed food fees commercial under 25,000 square feet, risk level 1, will decrease from $286 to $200.76, risk level 2, from $323 to $229.93, risk level 3, from $620 to $446.81, risk level 4, from $786 to $559.84; commercial 25,000 square feet and over, risk level 1, from $415 to $303.45, risk level 2, from $437 to $320.95, from risk level 3, from $1,556 to $1,213.63, risk level 4, from $1,649 to $1,288.31

The mobile fee is expected to increase from $105 to $133.34. Temporary event fees increased from $54 to $124.64.

In other matters, Health Services Administrator Amanda Amato reminded the board that the Columbiana County Health District will host a drive-thru vaccination clinic for both high dose, for those 65 years or older, and regular dose flu vaccine (Flulaval or High-dose, Fluzone) as well as the newly released COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer/Comiranty) Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Columbiana County Vaccination Complex (CCVC) at the Columbiana County Fairgrounds.

Vaccinations will be provided to those who register and are 18 years of age and older. To reserve a vaccine, residents are asked to call 234-564-7888. If the line is busy, individuals are encouraged to wait a bit and call back.

Amato also said that walk-in vaccination clinics for COVID and/or flu will also be held Monday at the Salineville Kiwanis Club from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and St. Jude church in Columbiana from 1 to 3 p.m. No pre-registration is needed for those clinics.

“The clinics are more about convenience for residents,” Vins said. “We still provide vaccines here. They can come here if they missed the clinic or were out of town. They can still contact us and still get it. The clinics are really about folks with mobility issues.”

The board also approved new fees for private-pay flu vaccines, setting the new cost at $30 for low-dose and $60 for high-dose, citing rising prices for the health district to purchase the vaccines. Vins stressed that low-income residents will still be able to receive discounted or free vaccines. The new fees are for private-pay patients who do not have insurance but higher incomes.

Fauss reported that informational postcards were mailed out regarding the Hanoverton sewer project and Ohio Administrative Code 3701-29-06 that requires all homes to connect to the sanitary sewer once it is accessible. The department is tasked with the enforcement of connection, which requires permits from both the health district and county engineer’s office, as well as enforcement concerning the abandonment of existing septic systems. Currently, the health department does not have funding available to assist with the connection fees, but possible funding sources are available at odh.ohio.gov.

Fauss also reported the Northeast Ohio Environmental Health Association Conference was held on Tuesday and Wednesday where herself and Vins gave a presentation on the local-health perspective in the wake of last year’s Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine.

Fauss was named Outstanding Sanitarian of the Year at the conference. Vins was given the opportunity to present Fauss with the award.

“It is certainly well-deserved for all of Laura’s hard work,” Vins said. “It was very clear that our colleagues in the room respect her work and her professionalism.”

Also at the meeting:

— The board approved October monthly expenses totaling $64,568.

— The board thanked United Local for its Bike and Hike Fundraiser that donated $764 to benefit the cancer clinic.

— The board accepted and approved a revised agreement with Salem Regional Medical Center (SRMC) regarding lung scans. Only the language was revised at the request of SRMC for clarification reasons as the agreement terms itself remained the same.

— Amato commended the department’s nursing staff for all “their hard work” after a nursing restructure in July, adding that “everyone has done really well in their new roles.”

— The board updated the food policy to modernize language and update the forms employees use during food inspections.

— Vins discussed the Community Health Assessment and Community Survey, encouraging community participation with the goal of 1,000 residents taking part. The assessment is held every three years as part of accreditation and a chance to assess the status of community health. The report from the data collected should be ready to be presented in May. In a related item, the board approved Vins request to enter into an agreement with Lake County’s data analysis team to “crunch the numbers, do comparisons and associations and sort the data by zip codes or demographics and pull out big themes or what needs to be looked at in the community.” The East Liverpool and Salem City Health Departments are also parties in the agreement.

— Vins asked and received permission for the health district to continue on its “accreditation path.”

— The board changed the date of the December board meeting from Dec. 18 to Dec. 11. The board will next meet Nov. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

selverd@mojonews.com