The second quarterly meeting of 2022 for the Jones County Board of Health included updates of the COVID statistics for the county and the upcoming renovation of the building housing the agency.
The June 22 meeting was called to order by the board’s new chairman, Ed Barbee. Environmental Specialist Margaret Graham announced that the new food service fee schedule was approved by the Jones County Board of Commissioners at its June 21 meeting, and the new fees would now be in effect.
Sylvia Woodford with the North Central Health District presented board members with the 2023 budget for the Jones County Health Department in the amount of $800,698. The budget expenditures included additional expenses expected due to the upcoming renovations that increased the budget over the previous year by $145,000.
The cash assets for the health department total $1,351,574, which includes cash in the bank and a CD in the amount of $533,136.
The board unanimously approved the 2023 budget as presented.
Graham presented the Environmental Health report. She reported the county has 52 restaurants, and inspections have been steady. She said all fees had been paid by the end of January.
The submitted report for January through March showed 35 food service inspections, 16 new well permits, six wells tested, 24 new septic permits and 25 septic repair permits.
The report by NCHD Director Dr. Renee Haynes was read by Nursing Director Sherry Bryant. The report stated that the number of confirmed COVID cases in Georgia was 2,021,181. The number of hospitalizations was 115,079, and the number of deaths attributed to COVID is 31,952.
Thirty-six cases were reported in Jones County in the past two weeks, and the total number of cases reported in the county is 3,808.
The percentage of people in Jones County who have received at least one dose of the vaccine is 50.1, and the percentage of those who are fully vaccinated is 44.2.
Bryant said she has performed home visits for those who are not able to get out. She also reported that as of July 1, Jones County will have a Nurse Practitioner on staff, and the department plans to utilize her and offer more services.
Morris Hutcheson said the architects are working on specifications for the building renovation, which will be presented to the county when completed. He said he is working with the Jones County School System for a relocation site for the health department during the renovations.
The Jones County Health Department was approved for a $1 million Community Block Development Grant in January to renovate the existing building and the construction of an 1,800-square-foot addition.
The renovation is anticipated to take up to a year.
The financial report for the period ending May 31, presented by Woodford, was the last of the meeting. She said the total revenues year to date were $685,059 and total expenditures $594,064. Total cash in the bank as of April 30 was $828,343. The report represented 92 percent of the fiscal year.
With no more business and no public comments, the meeting was adjourned. The next quarterly meeting is scheduled Sept. 7.
