A Barry Eaton District Health Department regulation that mandates inspection of on-site water and sewer systems and that they be repaired if they are deemed failing before a property can be sold or transferred in Barry and Eaton counties is being reviewed for changes by BEDHD officials and the Health Board, made up of three Barry and three Eaton county commissioners.

The Barry County Board of Commissioners earlier agreed they want the controversial rule made voluntary and take away the $350 fee to file a complaint, among other changes.

Tuesday, the three Barry Commissioners, Ben Geiger, David Jackson and Dan Parker, gave an update on a workshop held this week. The three agreed progress was being made. Geiger said they are, “moving in the right direction…the overall goal is to let residents buy and sell property without going through hoops.”

“We found common ground,” Jackson said. Parker said that both sides gave their positions and the health department has already made a concession. “They gave us a good base to work from,” he said.

Overall, the commissioners are “optimistic” although they say they know they have work to do.

Commissioner Heather Wing and Vivian Conner stressed the commissioners should keep pushing for repeal or a voluntary program.

“We have your back, as long as it’s productive,” Commissioner Jon Smelker said.

Citizen Larry Bass said he was not quite so optimistic. “We thought it would be voluntary, a regulation is not voluntary.” He added an Eaton County Commissioner he talked to was unaware that there was a workshop.