County Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday to accept state public health funding, though the amount was uncertain as of their meeting Tuesday.
County Attorney Ed Ormsby, in reading parts of the resolution, said the Indiana legislature passed Senate Enrolled Act 4-2023 and House Enrolled Act 1001-2023 “to provide additional funding to Indiana counties to improve every Hoosier’s access to the core public health services that help them to improve their health and well-being.”
To receive the funding, the county is required to opt-in to the receipt of the funding, via resolution. The acceptance of the funding, according to the resolution, does not transfer any county authority in operating the local health department to the state department in return for funding.
The resolution also states that the board supports initiatives that sustain and maintain core public health services at the county level with local input and flexibility to meet the needs and standards of the community, commits to the county’s right to self-direct acknowledges and resolves that by the county opting in and accepting the funding, the county retains authority and control of the health department, the county opts-in to accept the funding and the resolution shall be in full force and effect as of the resolution’s adoption.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said, “I know this is something that I’ve kind of took point on, as we’ve walked through the whole process down at the statehouse and then, recently, a couple of meetings and webinars and such. But, the state made a historic investment on health funding and want to help mitigate long-term health costs and increase the health and wellness of the residents of Indiana.”
He said he attended the last Kosciusko County Health Board meeting and they unanimously approved the county opting-in to the state funding.
“As the resolution does state, the county does not lose control of our local health department, so we’re not giving up any control, as well as the county can opt-out at any time if they feel the program is not providing benefits to our residents here,” Groninger said.
He said the funding is broken up into a couple different buckets, with 40% of the funding to be used on historical, core health services like restrooms, septic systems, building inspections and other things the health department historically has already done; and 60% to be spent on new core health services like crime, disease prevention, student health, tobacco prevention, etc.
On the county being required provide about a 20% match to the additional dollars, Groninger said the county does have the match and “that is roughly within budget of what we’re currently matching with our general fund tax dollars in the health department, so it’s not like it’s going to take additional local tax dollars to be able to receive this funding.”
He said the amount the county will be receiving is still uncertain as the state doesn’t know how many counties will choose to opt-in. Over 60 of Indiana’s 92 counties have opted in so far. Over the next two to three years, the county could receive a total of anywhere from $2.7 to $3.7 million.
“There would be some reduction in some current funding that we’re getting from the state with the health department, so not all of these dollars are new. Some of it will have to be used to fund some things that are already being funded with other dollars,” Groninger said, adding that an advisory council will be established to help give recommendations to the health board on how best to invest the additional dollars to make the biggest impact on the community.
The state will require a report on how the dollars are making an impact on the community.
“This is a large investment into the health and wellness of the residents of Kosciusko County that will have a lasting impact for generations to come. I’m excited to make the motion to approve K-County to opt-in to the new state health funding,” Groninger said.
Commissioner Bob Conley seconded the motion and it was approved 3-0.
The county now also has a cybersecurity and technology committee after the commissioners approved the formation of it Tuesday.
Eric Sorensen, county systems administration, talked to the commissioners about the formation of the committee. He said in the past year or so the county implemented many changes.
“With Bob and Paul retiring, we thought now would be a good time to increase communication with key stakeholders,” Sorensen said.
He drafted a document that states the goal of the cybersecurity and technology committee is to “keep key stakeholders in the loop of current and future technology projects. This committee will meet quarterly or as needed to discuss technology matters.”
The committee will include members of different county departments, with the ultimate goal to help the IT department better serve the county and its stakeholders, he said.
After reviewing a list of objectives, Sorensen said the proposed committee members would be Systems Administrator Bob Momeyer, County Administrator Marsha McSherry, Commissioner Cary Groninger, County Councilwoman Kimberly Cates, Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Chris McKeand, County Clerk Ann Torpy, Emergency Management Director Kip Shuter and himself.
Groninger said the county had a cybersecurity assessment done with Purdue and Indiana University. The IT staff and others supplied much of the information for the assessment.
“I was in kind of a review meeting a couple weeks ago. And one of their top initiatives that they really wanted to see was the establishment of this committee just so there’s that communication from top to bottom and everybody knows what’s going on in the county, what we’re doing to try to better protect ourselves and shore up our compliances a little bit,” Groninger said.
He said the report was really good, but in today’s world the county really needs to be on its guard and the formation of the committee was a step toward improving that. He made the motion to approve the committee and his motion passed unanimously.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved an ordinance renaming a portion of Main Street in Atwood back to Old Road 30 at the request of the Warsaw Post Office. The portion of the road is about 406 feet from CR 650W west to where CR 200N T’s in.
Lee Taylor, from the county’s Area Plan Commission, who presented the Post Office’s request said the reason for the renaming was, “because they have eliminated the Atwood Post Office and there’s some problems with delivery.”
• Approved a quote for $13,184.74 from Professional Food Equipment Services for the emergency repair to the walk-in cooler in the jail. The evaporater and condensing unit on the cooler had to be replaced.
• Approved a redaction services and support agreement with CSI, as requested by County Recorder Deb Wright. The agreement is for $7,735. CSI will look through and redacts people’s social security numbers in county records held by the recorder’s office.
• Reviewed the sheriff’s commissary report for January to June 2023, as presented by Sheriff Jim Smith.
• Announced their next meeting is at 9 a.m. Aug. 15.