New health district effective July 1

The Foster County Commission met in a special meeting with the Foster County Board of Health to discuss the transition of Foster County Public Health into a health district.

During the meeting held on Wednesday, June 7, the public health board requested a resolution which they needed to provide to the state to get the health district up and running.

Public health board member Holly Zieman explained that the state needed a resolution with a date on it to get the ball rolling.

A motion was passed to make July 1, 2023 the effective date to begin the health district.

Commissioner Scott Beumer asked Zieman if the motion with the date included would be sufficient for the state instead of a resolution.

A motion was passed to establish a new health district bank account and transfer $50,000 from the county’s public health account.

It was stated that public health had $319,000 in their account at the time.

Finally, a motion was passed to sell the public health building to the health district for $76,000.

The commission asked Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster if they could sell the building without putting it out on bids.

Brinster replied that since the sale amount is under $100,000, they do not have to put it out on bids and can sell the building to the health district.

It was agreed that public health grant dollars will be moved to the health district account no later than July 31.