Date: Fri 26-Jan-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

health-district-budget

Full Text:

Health District Budget Rises 7.5 Percent

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

The board of the Newtown District Department of Health has given preliminary

approval to a 1996-97 budget of $311,623, an increase of approximately 7.5

percent over the current budget.

The budget is up because of a negotiated salary increase of three percent for

health district employees, the creation of a position of director of

environmental health, and the need to restock supplies of hepatitis B vaccine

for police, fire, emergency service personnel and employees at the town pools.

Mark A.R. Cooper, the district's health director, said the budget may be up,

but the amount of local taxation required has decreased since the district was

formed as a joint effort by the town and the borough in 1994.

"We have consistently gotten leaner and leaner while increasing services," he

said. "Operating costs decreased 30 percent in 1994-95 when we formed the

district. But the budget can't keep going down if we want to provide

services."

Mr Cooper said the creation of the position of environmental health director,

a position which carries a salary of $47,380, will increase the budget by

about $24,000, but part of this probably will be offset by funds from the

Clean Water Act.

"Part of the cost of sewer avoidance and septic repair may be reimbursable

through the Water Pollution Control Authority from federal Clean Water Act

funds," Mr Cooper said. "Our intent in creating the position of director of

environmental health is to show the state that Newtown is serious in our

commitment to a septic system management program."

Mr Cooper said he projects it will cost about $25,000 to perform the septic

services required, and he anticipates asking the WPCA for this amount,

although the revenue was not included in compiling the proposed budget. "Clean

Water Fund-eligible activities first have to be documented, then submitted for

reimbursement," he said.

The salary account covers five employees plus $12,500 that is paid to Thomas

F. Draper, MD, the district's medical advisor. The proposed budget includes a

three percent increase for Mr Cooper plus $1,200 which he had been paid by the

borough but inadvertantly was not included in computing his original salary.

Together, these would boost his salary to $55,146.

The budget line item for all health district salaries increased from $185,614

in the current budget to $204,476 in the proposed budget. Operating expenses

will increase from $9,569 to $11,260. All other budget categories remained the

same or decreased.

The per capita cost of health services has increased from $9.50 in 1994-95 to

$9.77 in 1995-96 and $10.45 in 1996-97. But Mr Cooper said that this is

largely a result of cost-shifting between the town and the health district.

"Since the district was formed, costs such as Social Security payments, health

insurance and transportation (the health district uses three town pickup

trucks) which previously were part of the town budget now are part of the

health district budget," he explained. "We keep finding items like these.

Recently Town Finance Director Ben Spragg said group life insurance provided

by the town to health district employees probably also should be reflected in

the health district budget."

By forming the health district, Newtown qualified under state law for more

state funding. Of the projected budget for next year, $218,535 will be paid by

local taxpayers, $35,862 from state funds, $44,038 from fees, and $13,187 from

funds carried over from the current budget. In the 1995-96 budget, $203,260

came from local funding, $35,693 from the state, $44,000 from fees, and $5,000

in carryover.

"The intent of forming the health district was to decrease local funding and

qualify for more state aid," said board member Joan Crick. "The 7.5 percent

increase concerns me because I don't believe the district was formed to cost

us more. We do need to pursue all available funds."

The proposed budget was scheduled to be presented to the Board of Selectmen at

a budget workshop on Thursday evening, January 25. The selectmen do not have

direct control over the health district, which is autonomous, but it does

recommend to the Legislative Council how much funding should be provided by

the town to the district. A public hearing will be held by the health district

board on the budget in March.