Food license procedures set to change

BY BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

Things are changing in the county?s food inspection program come Oct. 1, and county officials say they will be monitoring these upcoming changes closely.

?As of right now, the plan is that Lee County will take over some of the food inspection programs for Henry and Van Buren Counties,? announced Henry County Community Health Director, Travis Johnson, during Tuesday?s Henry County Board of Health meeting.

What that means to the Henry County public, according to Johnson, is that all applications for temporary food licenses would have to be issued in Lee County.

?As of right now, I don?t know the process that Lee County has for doing this. It?s just that before, temporary licenses were given out in Henry County for our residents. Now, they will be given out in Lee County for our residents,? Johnson explained.

As for how long this change will be in effect, officials are saying at least a year to a year and a half. Official notifications to local restaurants and other food establishments regarding the change should be arriving soon, says Johnson.

According to Environmental Health Specialist, Jodi Sutter, there are about 120 temporary food licenses given out in Henry County on an average year. Most of these licenses, according to Sutter, are issued for the Old Threshers Reunion, the Henry County Fair and other events like Rock Around the Block.

The change in procedure has come after state regulation changes were mandated, primarily for financial reasons. Henry County has joined a slew of other counties in the state that have had to shift parts of their inspection programs to other offices.

And while Henry County officials will be watching the change to monitor that customers are being served in the correct location, among other things, Sutter says the change will likely open up her schedule to do other things in the county.

?This change will give me time to play catch-up in other areas that need my attention,? said Sutter. ?And I am looking at ways to generate revenue in the county by holding various classes like possibly serving safety classes.?

Besides talk of food inspection program shifts, the board approved a move that would allow them to gain more information about the public health accreditation program.

Currently, the board is not actively seeking accreditation; rather they are looking into what is required to get accreditation. According to Johnson, keeping abreast of what is required is a good way to stay on top of key points of interest that are important to operating a meaningful board of health.

?I think it would be good for us to take a look at what?s required,? Johnson conveyed to the board on Tuesday. ?It might help us identify areas we need to work on and other areas that we are doing well in.?

Within talks of the recently released 2015 Community Health Assessment, the board also hit on the topic of vaccines, an already popular service provided at Henry County Health Center (HCHC).

According to Johnson, influenza vaccines are currently being administered to members of the county and as of this week, there are plenty of vaccinations to fit the demand.

?It?s that time of year again for flu vaccines, and we have nurses out already giving them,? said Johnson. ?Although last year we had times where we were running short (on vaccines), we seem to be doing okay at the moment.?

Immunization clinics at HCHC are held on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m., and the first Thursday of every month from 1 to 6 p.m.

The next Henry County Board of Health meeting will be held on Oct. 27, at 12:30 p.m., at the HCHC Board Room.