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Since the Kosciusko County Board of Health meets only once every three months, the board approved the estimated 2001 budget for the health department Wednesday.
The budget still must be approved by the Kosciusko County Council in August at the budget hearings. The health board's next meeting isn't until Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.
The general fund budget's only change is with the salaries and wages. Changes in salaries and wages for all 13 health department employees will increase the budget by $54,520.80. The total general fund budget, if approved, will be $551,891.80 in 2001. The budget for 2000 was $497,371.
The health maintenance fund estimated budget for 2001 will be $56,000.
The prenatal fund estimated 2001 budget is $57,151.70. The large portion of the prenatal fund budget includes $32,567.70 for the prenatal care coordinator and $12,884 for the part-time nurse.
Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver said the state of Indiana recently adopted a new food code. One of the major changes of the law requires a food establishment that serves and prepares food to the public on site to have one person on the premises who has passed a course in food-borne illness prevention.
Weaver said a local course will be offered sometime this fall. Technically, businesses are supposed to have such a person on premises now, but because time is needed for implementation, it will probably be a year before the new code is enforced.
In other business, there have been some changes to the health department staffing. J. Kirby Thompson is the new deputy administrator. He is primarily in charge of the septic tank program. Also, Kay Lahey, who was the head secretary for the department, is the new food inspector. The department also has two student summer interns.
Board members include Wymond Wilson, Karen Boling, Dennis Woodward, Robert Knudsen, John W. Jones, Thomas E. Howard and Joan Darr.
