Board of Health

The governing entity of the Meigs County Health Department (MCHD) is the Board of Health (BOH). The BOH meets the second Tuesday of each month at 5PM in the conference room of the MCHD.  The Meigs County BOH consists of five members, who are appointed by the District Advisory Council to serve five-year terms. Current BOH members include: Roger Gaul; Eric Rock; Wilma Mansfield, MD; Pam Patterson; Edna Weber. BOH receive $80 for their attendance at each BOH meeting. Gaul is the current President and Weber the current Vice President.

The mission of the BOH is to prevent, promote and protect public health within Meigs County and to offer programs, education and activities which ensure the accessibility of health services to Meigs County citizens. The role of the BOH is to adopt policies and to make such orders and regulations as are necessary for the promotion of health and prevention of disease; the abatement or suppression of nuisances; for the administration of the Health District to meet stated mission goals, Ohio Department of Health standards and requirements of the Ohio Public Health Council. Power and authority to perform such quasi-legislative, executive and administrative functions is specified or implied in appropriate sections of the Ohio Revised Code.  The BOH also may hear appeals from public health orders issued by Health District staff for extenuating circumstances with a view to either affirm, grant time extensions, provide waivers/approve variances when allowable or refer to the local legal authority (County Prosecutor) for appropriate legal action.

The BOH appoints a health commissioner for a term not exceeding five years. The present part-time Health Commissioner is Marc Barr.  Since the Meigs County Health Commissioner is not a physician, the BOH provides for adequate medical direction of all personal health and nursing services by contracting with Douglas Hunter, MD. Meanwhile, full-time Administrator Courtney Midkiff oversees the daily operations of the MCHD.

The BOH is covered by the Sunshine Law, which requires that all activity of the board for which there is a quorum is done open to the public. We encourage the public to attend BOH meetings to learn more about work executed by your local public health staff. If you are unable to attend, the monthly BOH meeting minutes and agendas are posted on the MCHD’s website www.meigs-health.com.