SALEM – At the recent board of health meeting, a new health commissioner was appointed. Chelsea Clark, who has been the Director of Nursing, will take over the role on Monday. This change comes as Kayla Crowl, the outgoing commissioner, moves to become the Director of Environmental Health for East Liverpool. Crowl has served as health commissioner since December 2023 and made significant improvements during her time, such as reorganizing the housing department and updating health codes.
Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey commended Crowl for her hard work and expressed best wishes as she embarks on her new role. Crowl’s contributions will leave a lasting impact on the community.
During the meeting, Crowl also reported on Ohio’s new death certificate system, which is now operational. This system allows the health department to issue death certificates for anyone who passed away in the state, streamlining the process significantly.
Clark shared updates on health screenings at the Salem Memorial Building. The department had a successful six-month partnership providing voluntary health screenings during meals. They plan to shift to an as-needed basis for these screenings and aim to extend similar services to local businesses and their employees in the future.
Housing Inspectors Richard Snyder and Jarrod Richter discussed challenges with rental inspections. They revealed that currently, they do not track how often inspections are missed due to landlords or tenants. However, starting next year, they will begin monitoring these missed attempts to enhance transparency and efficiency.
As the holiday season approaches, the health department will close early on Christmas Eve and remain closed on Christmas Day and December 26.
The next health board meeting is scheduled for January 21 at 2 p.m.
According to recent health reports, many communities are working to improve health service accessibility, and local governments are often at the forefront of these efforts. Engaging community members through programs like health screenings can play a vital role in promoting public health and wellbeing.
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