PUBLIC HEALTH
The Jones County’s Board of Health met perhaps for its final time until moving back into its newly renovated building.
The Sept. 20 meeting was called to order by Vice Chairman Leslie Coleman in the absence of its chairman, Ed Barbee, who continues to recover from surgery.
Morris Hutcheson with the North Central Health District gave an update on the renovation of the Health Department building at 114 Forest Street. He said there was a contractors’ meeting earlier that afternoon, and they had been making progress.
Hutcheson said the building was dried in, and work had begun on heating and air conditioning units. He said they were finishing the electric and plumbing, doors were being hung and floors installed.
Hutcheson said it was estimated the building would be certified for occupancy next month.
“Staff is ready to get back in the building,” he said.
He added that work on the parking lot and landscaping is last on the list.
“The building is looking really good, and I think it will serve Jones County for many years to come,” Hutcheson said.
Reports
With no new business on the agenda, the first report was presented by Environmental Specialist Margaret Graham. She said routine inspections of county restaurant facilities were steady. The specialist said complaints were down, and animal bites were up as is usual for summer months.
She said the department does an average of 100 inspections per year.
“Mostly it’s been business as usual,” Graham concluded.
Nursing Director Sherry Bryant said she was excited about moving back into the health department building. She said Jones County has a new nurse practitioner and two nurses, one that just passed her boards.
“We plan on having flu and COVID vaccine days in the next couple of months,” she said.
Bryant reminded board members that she co-manages the Monroe County Health Department.
“Our numbers have dropped here, but I feel they will come back when we move back into our building,” she said.
Sylvia Woodford with the NCHD gave the finance report for Jones County. She said the report was as of Aug. 31, which is 17 percent of the year. Woodford said the new budget is in place, and the 2022 audit was underway.
She said total revenues were $242,004 and total expenditures $272,369.
The total cash in the bank was $353,914.
The next quarterly meeting of the Jones County Board of Health is scheduled Dec. 6.
