RILEY COUNTY-MANHATTAN
BOARD OF HEALTH
JUNE 24, 2009

Sue Cohen Observer


Updating the financial situation for 2009-2020 was the main focus of the board meeting. The loss in funding for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2009 is
$82000. Administrator Charles Murphy has had to trim staff some of whom had
been with the Health Department 20 years. “A tough thing to do”. An unexpected
cut came when KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) discontinued
an expected grant because Manhattan had successfully passed a no smoking ordinance and thus the grant money was to go to other places. Other grants will
kick in in January for support for child care and other grants are being written , one of which centers on other preventive health measures and also one dealing with
chronic diseases, a federal program and probably a slow process. Federal money from EPA will be minimal this year and there is very little money from the State of Kansas for Public Health. Administrator Murphy stated Kansas was either 4th or 6th from the bottom of the states in support for Public Health.
The board also acknowledged the 23 year services of Sharon Wolff who is retiring in mid July.