×

Council debates city board of health mandate

Changes to state law are requiring that the City of Warren have a health board.

What that health board will look like has been debated by Warren City Council.

City Administrator Mary Ann Nau said that staff were recommending repealing the city’s current health regulations and enacting a proposed ordinance establishing a Board of Health.

“The city’s home rule charter and administrative code does not recognize or establish a Board of Health,” Nau said.

“What this ordinance tells me is that all of council is on the Board of Health,” Mayor Maurice Cashman said. “If I don’t want to serve on the Board of Health, (the ordinance) doesn’t tell me I can get off.”

“If the selection of the board is city council, then, no, you don’t have that option,” Nau said, who said that council could appoint the board.

“I feel that it should be by appointment rather than mandate,” Cashman said. “Since I’ve been on city council I never knew I was on the Board of Health.”

He said he would like to see the members of the board appointed by city council.

Councilman John Lewis asked if this initiative was mandated by state law.

Nau said that it was via changes to the third class city code.

Councilman Gregory Fraser said that the city could obtain a “better level of expertise” if the board can be appointed.

Pauline Steinmyer, a city resident, argued that the city is ruled by its home rule charter and not the third class city code.

“The accurate answer is if the home rule charter does not state it (a Board of Health) is necessary… it is the choice of the city council to make the ordinances,” she said. “That is one of the advantages of having a home rule charter. We are not a third class city.”

Cashman explained that the charter “lays out what you say you want to be doing” and, if an item is not in there, the code takes effect. “We cannot cover the whole waterfront. From time to time the state changes the third class city code,” he added, pointing out that the charter takes precedent if it conflicts with state law.

City Solicitor Andrea Stapleford said that adopting every provision of state law in the charter would require a referendum vote for each item. Lewis told his colleagues that he didn’t feel he had the expertise to serve on the Board of Health.

City Manager Nancy Freenock pointed out that the city retains a health inspector that could guide members of the board and added that the code does not have requirements for who sits on the Board of Health.

Ultimately, staff will re-write the ordinance to include that council will appoint the new board and bring the revised ordinance to a future meeting.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today