Two Public Hearings Held on Health Department Fee, Well Ordinance Changes

The Marshall County Commissioners and Health Department Administrator Christine Stinson opened Monday’s commissioner’s meeting to the public for comment on two ordinances that feature fee changes within the health department.

The proposed well ordinance was considered first by the commissioners. No public comment was made. The ordinance was approved on the first reading, but Stinson will be following up with a well company concerning well caps. When those concerns are ironed out, any changes can be amended during the second reading of the ordinance to be considered on Monday, July 17.

The fee ordinance for the health department increases the fee for birth and death certificates from $5.00 to $10.00, paternity affidavits will increase from $25.00 to $35.00, while the notary fee was decreased from $3.00 to $2.00.

Animal testing for rabies will now be paid by the public in this new ordinance. The individual asking for the testing of animals will be charged $25.00. New wells will be $150 and well repair will be $100 which is the cost of testing for bacteria, nitrates and arsenic.

Testing for the sexually transmitted infections of chlamydia and gonorrhea will now be $25.

The commissioners approved the fee ordinance on the first reading. They suspended the rules and approved the ordinance on all three readings.