Hearing Set On Health District Budget

By Jan Howard

The Newtown District Board of Health will hold a public hearing on its proposed 2004-2005 budget on March 30 at 7 pm at Canaan House on the Fairfield Hills campus.

The total Health District budget of $399,950 is up $14,846 from the current budget of $385,104. There is no increase in assessments to the town and the borough.

Revenues include anticipated revenues from the state of $42,814, the same as in this year’s budget; projected fees, $59,689, up $9,805 from this year’s budgeted $49,884; and unreserved fund balance, $72,447, up $5,041 from this year’s $67,406.

Director of Health Donna McCarthy told members of the Health District’s Board of Directors Wednesday that the state Department of Health budget currently before the legislature contains a decrease of 15 percent in per capita funding to local health districts.

She said an association of health department directors is lobbying the legislature to maintain the funding at current levels. “All directors of health in the state have been asked to contact their representatives,” she noted.

Ms McCarthy said there are only minor changes in the proposed budget. However, she noted that one of the largest changes, an increase of approximately $14,000 in salaries, from $250,015 to $263,689.70, is because of contractual increases.

Other budget expenditures include: Contractual, $12,830, a decrease of $4,000 from the current $16,830; Operating, $25,207.50, an increase of $4,833.50 from $20,374; Legal/Financial, $5,850, an increase of $150 from $5,700; Workers Compensation, $5,251, an increase of $251 from $5,000; Social Security, $20,111.80, an increase of $936.80 from $19,175; and Contingency, $2,500, a decrease of $1,000 from $3,500.

Transportation at $13,570 and Health Insurance at $50,940 remain the same as in the current year’s budget.

Copies of the budget are on file for review at the Health District office at Canaan House on the Fairfield Hills campus. The Board of Directors will meet following the public hearing to finalize the budget.

Board of Health directors Jim Smith and Joan Crick discussed with Dr Tom Draper, the health board’s medical advisor, a tick borne disease, babesiosis, that is also transmitted by the blacklegged tick that transmits Lyme disease.

Dr Draper said a person could have babesiosis as well as Lyme disease because they are able to co-exist.

Dr Draper said state officials have been aware of it for many years and have been studying it for at least ten years. He said a third disease, ehrlichiosis, is more severe than babesiosis.

Dr Draper said most Lyme disease cases are readily cured through antibiotics. He noted, however, some patients have longer lasting effects from the disease.

 Information on tick-borne diseases and methods to help prevent them can be obtained from the Health District.