LISBON — Columbiana County Health Commissioner Dr. Wes Vins talked about property taxes with District Advisory Council members during their annual meeting Monday, explaining what services could be affected if there’s a loss of that income.

He identified infectious disease investigations, nuisance complaints, emergency preparedness, staff time and supplies for the vaccines for children program, and other areas of the county health district operation that aren’t fully funded.

“These are the programs that potentially could be impacted by the loss of property tax,” Vins said.

He explained that 18% of the county health district’s budget comes from inside property tax millage, which is calculated through a formula from the county auditor’s office. He said the amount is about $414,000 and has been that total for quite a few years.

“I recognize and credit the health department staff for their hard work every day to keep us efficient and help us to keep our costs down,” Vins said.

Also supported by property taxes is the district’s cancer clinic at the health department, which offers screenings for skin cancer, lung cancer, Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) tests for prostate cancer, mammograms, pap tests and pelvic examinations. According to Vins, proceeds from the cancer clinic levy represent 10 to 12% of the health district budget.

The .2-mill, 10-year levy was last approved by voters in 2019 and generates $237,500 per year. The cancer clinic actually started in 1965 as a service of the health department through a grant, but that funding disappeared and then the health department tried to keep it going on its own. In the fall of 1979, voters agreed to the .2-mill, 10-year levy and have continued to support it ever since.

The district also depends on grants and fees and Vins said some grants and programs are not fully funded and some are unfunded. For example, the nursing division investigated 1,100 cases of infectious diseases last year. Those investigations aren’t one and done either. Personnel may have to contact not only the person affected, but anyone else they were around who might by impacted.

With the Vaccines for Children program, the district receives the vaccines at no cost, but that doesn’t cover staff time or supplies. Nuisance complaints can include animal bites and trash investigations, which could also include court hearings and filings. The Complex Medical Health program and Emergency Preparedness programs aren’t fully funded. He also noted there could be a potential impact to the district administration, such as copier costs, IT, cyber security, utilities and even state audit costs.

Vins said patient navigation is a big part of the cancer clinic, with patients who need referrals having questions and needing assistance to get the referral. The program means a lot to the community and to the staff.

“We’ve been able to help families through some difficult times,” he said.

The cancer clinic is all about early detection, which Vins said is the key. Not everyone’s insurance covers skin cancer screenings. He used the PSA test as an example, noting it’s free, it’s local and takes just 6 minutes. The lung cancer screenings have been under-utilized, but he said they are available to residents through an eligibility screening process. He’s also looking at options for colon cancer screenings, with a goal to implement the screenings by the end of the year.

Anyone interested in the cancer clinic screenings can contact the health department at 330-424-0272 for more information.

During the District Advisory Council meeting, members re-elected Fairfield Township Trustee Bob Hum as chairman, Lisbon Mayor Peter Wilson as secretary and reappointed Dr. Kimberly Jackson to the health board for another five-year term.

The district advisory council is comprised of township trustees, village officials and city officials served by the Columbiana County Health District, which does not include the cities of Salem or East Liverpool since they have their own health departments.

Hum said Jackson was the only person who submitted a letter of interest to be appointed to the five-year term on the five-member board. He read the letter aloud and said it really sounds like she’s enjoying her time on the board. In her letter requesting reappointment to a new term, Jackson, who is a board certified family medicine physician, talked about her experience with the board and the community, saying she’s been able to “add my medical expertise and insight regarding disease prevention, patient education and access to care and vaccines in the community.” She talked about those being areas she’s very passionate about.

“The days I’ve volunteered to do skin cancer screenings and received feedback from patients stating that their skin cancer or other health diagnosis was identified early, has truly been a highlight of my medical career. These interactions will always be remembered and appreciated,” she wrote.

Hum found the fact that she’s volunteering remarkable and said that’s a big deal.

Madison Township Trustee Duane Nickell asked if a board member has to live in the county. According to Vins, he didn’t know if there was anything in the bylaws, noting that it’s by state statute. The Ohio Revised Code doesn’t mention anything about residency. There has to be a physician on the board, so she fills that role. Nickell said he was just curious.

Vins also talked about the health district’s annual report, technology changes, flyers for the car seat and cribs program, the East Palestine extended water sampling program, the community health assessment and access to care regarding kids who don’t have health insurance. He said during a recent health board meeting that the district has flyers regarding coverage for children through Medicaid.