Health Board

The Clark County Board of Health approved a design for a new parking lot to be constructed on the north side of the health department at its meeting Thursday. Bob Baldwin, of Baldwin Engineering, presented two designs to the board, one with one entrance and exit from the parking lot and another with two points of exit from the lot, one on the upper end and one through the existing lot in front of the building. The board approved the plan with two exits on the recommendation of Health Director Scott Lockard, who said the second exit would help traffic flow, especially during high usage at the department.

Property taxes that go toward public health won't be going up this year. The Clark County Board of Health unanimously approved a rate of 4 cents per $100 of property value for the 2009 fiscal year. The tax will amount to $40 on a $100,000 home. In 2007, the Board of Health raised the property tax from 3.2 cents - where it remained for 25 years - to the current rate of 4 cents. "That has allowed us to be on much more secure financial footing, with the upgrade and major renovations to the Health Department and debt from the purchase of the home health building five years ago," said Scott Lockard, director of public health.

By Bob Flynn The Winchester Sun The Clark County Board of Health discussed proposed increases in its environmental fees at its Thursday night meeting. The fees are charged for on-site programs such as permits and site evaluations and repairs of septic systems for residences that are not on a municipal sewer system. "The proposed changes are to get us in line with other communities in central Kentucky. The environmental program and fees are mandated by law," said Public Health Director Scott Lockard.

Bypassing approval by city and county governments, the Clark County Board of Health adopted a county-wide regulation Thursday to ban smoking in public places. "I think we owe the community an apology for not doing it (approving the ban) sooner," said Dr. Brian Andreas, chairman of the Board of Health. He said failing to enact a smoking ban would present a "poor picture" of Clark County's view on health. As presented Thursday, the regulation will ban smoking in "all enclosed public places within Clark County," including businesses, restaurants, bars, galleries, libraries and museums.

The Clark County Health Department and its taxing district received clean audits in a report for fiscal year 2009. They were submitted to the Board of Health at its meeting Nov. 12 by Fred Brown of Brown & Daugherty PSC. "I'm very pleased with the audit. There were a lot of recommendations in the past and a lot of issues, but I try to do my best to play by the rules" Public Health Director Scott Lockard said. "I told Fred, 'Please look at everything.' We're very transparent, and we want to make sure we're doing it the way it needs to be done.

Clark County won't be getting any of the $10 million the legislature appropriated last year for health department construction projects.Last month, the director of public health, Scott Lockard, received a letter from Dr. William D. Hacker, commissioner of the Department for Public Health, informing him that the money he requested to buy additional land for a parking lot for the health clinic wasn't one of the 24 capital projects approved. The board is considering buying the property on the north side of the clinic to expand parking.

The Clark County Board of Health passed its first ever $4 million budget and raised its property tax Thursday night. During the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, board members agonized over the rate before settling on 4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That will mean an extra $44 in property tax on the median county home, priced at $110,000. Scott Lockard, director of public health, proposed raising the tax rate from 3.2 cents per $100, where it has been stuck for at least a quarter century, to 4 cents.

HEALTH BOARD ADOPTS SMOKING BAN The Clark County Board of Health adopted a county-wide regulation smoking ban in public places. The ban still has to go through second and third readings before it is official. By Katheran Wasson WOMAN'S FAMILY SUES CITY OVER HER DEATH The family of a woman died in June 2006 in a fatal car accident is suing the city over the design of a curb and the maintenance of a bridge. By Fred Petke KIDS, ADULTS ALIKE ENJOY CARNIVAL The carnival at the Peddler's Mall opened Thursday, and kids were out enjoying the rides.

Health board cancels its Thursday meeting The Clark County Board of Health rescheduled its meeting Thursday for Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Health Department. Conkwright council to meet today Conkwright Middle School will hold its regular site-based decision-making council meeting today at 4:15 p.m. in the school library.

LANCASTER - Garrard Fiscal Court declined to approve a tax increase Wednesday for the health department. The health district had requested its tax rate be increased by .25 of a cent, citing the need to offset cuts in funding and avoid possible layoffs.  “We have had significant cuts to our federal dollars, state dollars,” said Marcia Hodge, director of the health department.  The current rate is 4 cents for every $100 of property valuation,...

The Clark County Board of Health is moving forward with plans to assist in a challenge to a Bullitt County court's decision to overturn a smoking ban. According to the Richmond Register, Bullitt Circuit Judge Rodney Burress overturned the ban passed on March 23 after the Bullitt County Fiscal Court and the county's eight cities challenged the health board's authority to enact the ban. The Bullitt County Board of Health is appealing that...

The Clark County Board of Health will support the Bullitt County Board of Health as it appeals a Bullitt Circuit Court decision ruling a county-wide indoor smoking ban unconstitutional. Local board members voted to provide the Bullitt board with $5,000 from money received from the University of Kentucky for consulting services provided by Health Department Director Scott Lockard. “No Clark County tax dollars will be used, but it's funding that's come from other sources,” Lockard said.

After several delays caused by bad weather that slowed down another construction project, the Clark County Health Department is finally ready to begin construction of a new parking lot on the upper side of its facility on Professional Avenue. At a special called meeting Tuesday, the Board of Health approved a bid of $117,852.32 by Woodall Construction of Lexington to build the long-awaited parking lot, which will alleviate some of the building's current parking woes and provide easier access to the main entrance.

Health board to meet July 14 to review bids The Clark County Board of Health will have a special called meeting on Thursday, July 14, at 6 p.m. for the purpose of reviewing bids for the parking lot construction at the Health Department building at  400 Professional Ave. The meeting will be at that location. Smoking cessation class offered in July The Clark County Health Department will offer the Cooper-Clayton method smoking cessation class for 13 weeks beginning July 19. The class will be on Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Home Health Agency, 273 Shoppers Drive.

The Clark County Board of Health on Thursday set the tax rate for its district and approved a fiscal year 2011-12 budget for the Health Department. Though less than last year’s budget, the new spending plan includes a 3 percent cost-of-living raise for employees. The tax rate for the Clark County Public Health Taxing District will remain the same as it has been the last four years at 4 cents per $100 assessed value of real property. The taxing district budget of $1,067,950 includes projected tax collection from all categories of $1,054,000 and a carryover of receipts and cash from the previous year of $1,275,000 for $2,329,000 total available.

The increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, has made communities across Kentucky with smoking regulations in place take a hard look at including the devices under their rules. While there are many areas still considering adding e-cigarettes to their smoke-free ordinances, Madison County this week joined Glasgow and Bardstown as the only ones that have banned the devises. Some Clark Countians have expressed concern that the local board of health could soon follow suit, but that doesn’t seem likely at this point.

The Clark County Board of Health approved a design for a new parking lot to be constructed on the north side of the health department at its meeting Thursday. Bob Baldwin, of Baldwin Engineering, presented two designs to the board, one with one entrance and exit from the parking lot and another with two points of exit from the lot, one on the upper end and one through the existing lot in front of the building. The board approved the plan with two exits on the recommendation of Health Director Scott Lockard, who said the second exit would help traffic flow, especially during high usage at the department.

The Clark County Health Department and its taxing district received clean audits in a report for fiscal year 2009. They were submitted to the Board of Health at its meeting Nov. 12 by Fred Brown of Brown & Daugherty PSC. "I'm very pleased with the audit. There were a lot of recommendations in the past and a lot of issues, but I try to do my best to play by the rules" Public Health Director Scott Lockard said. "I told Fred, 'Please look at everything.' We're very transparent, and we want to make sure we're doing it the way it needs to be done.

By Bob Flynn The Winchester Sun The Clark County Board of Health discussed proposed increases in its environmental fees at its Thursday night meeting. The fees are charged for on-site programs such as permits and site evaluations and repairs of septic systems for residences that are not on a municipal sewer system. "The proposed changes are to get us in line with other communities in central Kentucky. The environmental program and fees are mandated by law," said Public Health Director Scott Lockard.