Please vote Yes for renewal of the 0.5 mill levy for the Wood County Health District in the current general election. Note that this is a renewal of an existing levy at the same rate. The cost for the owner of a home valued at $100,000 is only about $13.16 per year. You receive tremendous value for that small amount of money. The Wood County Health Department has served the residents of the County for 100 years with the aim of improving and maintaining good health for all, especially those who do not have the means to provide for their own health. Services that are provided include:
* Maternal and child health care including the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program that helps pregnant women see doctors earlier and receive timely care that reduces infant mortality and improves infant development
* Public health nursing including investigation of infectious disease outbreaks to determine the cause and prevent the spread
* Environmental health programs, such as sewage, drinking water and pools, as well as inspection of all types of eating establishments to help ensure that food and beverages are safe to consume
* Emergency preparedness
* Dental services especially for those who are unable to obtain services from other dental providers
* And much more
Public health needs are constantly changing and the Health Department strives to respond rapidly to these changes. The Health Department is on the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department conveys information to provide helpful guidance for meeting state mandates, provides testing and care, and helps to suppress the spread by tracing the contacts of identified cases. Many staff have worked long hours above and beyond the call of duty to help meet the special challenges that we are facing with the pandemic.
The Board of Health oversees the use of levy funds to ensure that levy money is spent prudently and frugally to achieve the greatest benefit at the lowest cost. Levy funds are leveraged by applying for and winning grants that greatly increase the impact that the Department has. The levy is critical for making all of this possible.
Public health is important for us all even if we do not directly receive any of the services that the Health Department provides. Our county is more productive, our economy is stronger, and we have a better more pleasant place to live when health is supported and improved. So please join me in voting to renew the levy for the Wood County Health District in this current general election.
Bob Midden
Bowling Green
