Barry County resident Larry Bass, frequent critic of the Barry Eaton District Health Department time of sale or transfer (TOST) regulation, read a statement on the topic during public comment time at Tuesday’s Barry County Board of Commissioner’s meeting.

 

Bass said it has become apparent that the leadership of the Barry Eaton District Health Department believes that the Board of Health has little or no institutional control over the BEDHD.

 “In spite of the board of health engaging in a process of radically modifying the TOST regulation to a minimum of a voluntary process between buyer, seller and the lending institution, the leadership of the health department has chosen to engage in a massive public relations campaign to ‘Save Our TOST,’” he said.

 

The campaign included “a carefully constructed television news segment” on WLNS Jan. 9, two articles in the County Journal in Eaton County and one in the Hastings Banner, he said, adding that the news releases made it appear that Barry and Eaton County would be on the edge of both a health and environmental disaster if not for the existence of TOST.

 

The articles focused on a TOST 10-year-report from last August and early September that was published at that time, he said. “It is being presented again now because after three BOH meetings and other sessions between principal individuals, the health department leadership is aware of the direction the modifications are going and is refusing to accept that direction in spite of minor concessions,” he said.

 

“The attitude borders on insubordination and should be addressed as soon as possible in a manner that makes expectations clear to all.

“It also demonstrates the little regard the health department has for the board of health and the respective county boards of commissioners,” he said, asking Barry County Commissioners “why do we go through the exercise of pretending to have any oversight and control of the BEDHD?”

 

Colette Scrimger, Health Officer at BEDHD responded: “The health department sends press releases on various health topics on a weekly basis,” she said. “This helps to fulfill our role in providing information on public health topics.”  Scrimger supplied a list of news releases and their topics for the last three months:

November

Open Enrollment

Winter Weather Hazard Awareness

National/American Diabetes Month

Healthy! Capital Counties Kick-Off

Eating Healthy During the Holidays / Food Safety / Hand Washing

 

December:

Holiday Safety

National Influenza Vaccination Week

Confirmed Hep A Case in Eaton County

December Board of Health Summary (TOST, CD)

World AIDS Day

 

January:

Cervical Health Awareness Month/HPV Immunization

National Radon Action Month

Eaton Hepatitis A Case Linked to Statewide Outbreak

Illicit Discharges