Board of health holds organizational meeting

Mike Balmer was present as the newest member of the Jasper County Board of Health at its Thursday meeting. This is his first time on the board, after being with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years, serving as sheriff for 13 years. He is also a medical examiner and investigator for the county.

The election of officers also took place with no changes being made from last year. Margo Voshell will continue as chair of the board with Jackie Sparks serving as vice chair and Dr. Zack Alexander maintaining his secretary position.

Dennis Simon presented changes the Jasper County Board of Supervisors gave the county boards, in reference to dealing with any personnel issues in the workplace. With the change, concerns with attendance and performance issues could first go through the chair of the board before being brought to the supervisors. Termination of the position is the exception that would still need to go to the supervisors.

“For example, if someone is having poor attendance and the supervisor is recognizing this, I (the chair) can have that conversation that day or the next day and take care of it as opposed to waiting a month,” Voshell said.

The chair will still have the ability to contact the board of supervisors if the concerns persist, advice is needed or further action needs to be taken. The board of health approved the resolution brought by the supervisors.

Iowa Department of Public Health representative Heather Bombei spoke to the board about the allocation of funds that are received from the state each year. In previous years, the board has stayed consistent with money going toward foot clinics and blood pressure checks, but she suggested reviewing the county needs rather than more individualized needs. A look at the community health needs assessment that Skiff did two years ago could give the board an opportunity to see what some of the health priorities are to help give a better idea of what the needs are in Jasper County.

Katie Bee, prevention specialist with Employee and Family Resources, concluded the meeting with a presentation of new material she will be offering to businesses about gambling addiction.

“We are taking all of the guess work out of policy work people because we are really going to be ramping up and encouraging businesses to include a gambling component into their current workplace policy,” Bee said.

To assist the businesses, she will provide a gambling policy tool kit. Since gambling is an addiction, she said it is very important that businesses support people who have a problem and for the businesses to know what to do if an employee comes to them with a problem.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com