GAYLORD — A group has been formed by community leaders in the four counties served by the Health Department of Northwest Michigan to raise public awareness of the agency’s services and to correct any misunderstandings that have challenged the department’s ability to carry out its work.
Charlie MacInnis of Emmet County, who served on the board of health that oversees the Health Department of Northwest Michigan (HDNW) for about 15 months until the end of 2022, believes the governing board has failed to create a sense of stability for the department’s staff.
The new “Friends of HDNW” was created by MacInnis, along with Herb Roth of Antrim County, Jim Rudolph of Charlevoix County, Sheila Simpson of Otsego County and others, to support the health department’s mission, services and staff.
They will raise money with two goals in mind, according to MacInnis.
“One is to conduct a public opinion survey so that we can measure the level of public support and understanding of the health department. We can’t just rely on public comments at board of health meetings to see how the public feels,” he said.
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The other goal is to advocate for the health department’s work.
“We want everyone in the community to take full advantage of the department’s services,” he added.
MacInnis said uncertainty created in part by the department’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic is lingering.
“We don’t want bad feelings from then to translate into under utilization of these vital services,” said MacInnis. “Our plan is to embark on an advocacy program for the department calibrated by the survey results.”
“The survey will tell us if there are some big gaps in the public’s understanding (of the health department),” MacInnis added, while noting the department does a needs assessment every three years.
“It’s possible the survey might contribute to that,” he said.
Large segments of the community may not even be aware of the agency’s services, which include immunization clinics, services for maternal and child health, dental care and environmental health, according to MacInnis.
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Friends of HDNW has a website and was given 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service earlier this year.
The board of health is comprised of two commissioners from the county boards of Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Otsego counties, which makes up the health department’s jurisdiction. Changes in the makeup of the board have led to friction with health department staff over certain grant applications and even the department’s budget.
In September, Otsego County commissioners Henry Mason and Jonathan Turnbull and Antrim County commissioner Jarris Rubingh voted against approving the health’s department’s 2024 budget, which still passed on a 5-3 vote.
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Recently, members of the board tried to abruptly cancel an ongoing program to monitor wastewater at municipal water treatment plants, schools and congregate care facilities for the presence of the COVID-19 virus. The cancellation attempt was narrowly rebuffed in a 4-4 tie vote by the governing board.
Last June, five of the county commissioners on the board prevented agency staff from pursuing a half-million dollar grant to bring locally grown fruits and vegetables into local schools.
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at [email protected].