Health board, water line project focus of discussion

The Ironton City Council will have a special meeting tonight at 6 p.m. to discuss, and possibly vote on, three new appointments to the Ironton Health Board.

Three board members, Jennifer Willis, TJ Young and Dr. Steve Merkel quit in protest on May 10, after city council voted unanimously to merge the Ironton Health Department with the Lawrence County Health Department.

There needs to be an Ironton Health Board to sign off on merger agreements.

The State of Ohio has been pushing for county and city health departments to merge into one department for several years. The Ironton Health Department was working towards getting necessary accreditation, but Vice Mayor Rich Blankenship said at the May 10 meeting that the council had received letters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Department of Health.

“They state that the City of Ironton Health Department food service license had been revoked,” he said, adding that he had talked to people at the two state agencies and he was assured that the city health department would not get the accreditation they were seeking.

The Ironton Health Department was created in 1876.

It is estimated that the merger could be completed within the next two months. The Ironton Health Department would continue its services until the merger is completed.

The council’s public utility committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the Quincy Street water line project.

The meetings will be in council chambers on the third floor of the Ironton City Center.