Vasko joins county Board of Health

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SIDNEY — Dr. Matthew Vasko, whose family medical practice is in Anna, was elected to the Sidney-Shelby County Board of Health during the board’s annual meeting, Thursday, March 22.

He replaces Dr. Robert McDevitt Jr, who, after serving on the board for 15 years, was not seeking re-election. Pursuant to Board of Health rules, there must be at least one doctor on the board.

Vasko, originally from outside Toledo, has lived and operated his practice in Anna for 12 years. He feels that it is important to be active in one’s community and sees his appointment to the board as a way to serve his community further.

“I think I can bring a voice of experience to the Board. Dr. McDevitt did that well for many years, and when he approached me about it, I thought this would be a fantastic way to serve. I believe that I can bring a well-rounded perspective to the issues dealt with because I deal with patients from birth to the elderly,” said Vasko.

Bruce Metz, chairperson, and Bob Guillozet, secretary, were both nominated and elected to remain in their current roles.

Health Commissioner Steven Tostrick discussed the accreditation that has been required by the state of Ohio.

“At this point it is something we have to keep moving forward on. It’s something in our budget we have to be prepared for. We have to have the money to submit the paperwork for accreditation because the money goes to the Accreditation Board to end people here eventually to redo our documents,” said Tostrick.

Tostrick also discussed the effect of grants on the budget. Previously grants would pay when they were granted. Now they are moving toward reimbursing for monies already paid by the organization. This practice necessitates the board’s having the funds to pay for services.

Kent Topp, director of environmental health, gave his annual report. The Clean Up Day for Clinton and Loramie townships was discussed. The Clean Up Day is scheduled for April 7 and may include scrap metal recycling. The public should check with their area coordinators to find out if it is offered in their area, he said.

Registered Nurse Erica Lentz discussed services the board offers to schools in the county.

“We offer diabetic care, head checks, medication administration and a lot of education for students, staff and bus drivers. For instance, if there’s a diabetic on the school bus, we go over emergency procedures with them. We hold immunization clinics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Typically we do them by appointment, but if we have walk-ins, we’ll do those if a nurse is available,” said Lentz.

The board partnered with Compassionate Care in 2017 and with three area dentists for Give Kids a Smile, she reported. For that program, teachers identified children in the schools who were underinsured or had no dental insurance and they were evaluated by a dentist, who then treated the free of charge for six months.

The meeting closed with cake to celebrate McDevitt’s many years of service.

By Paula Frew

For the Sidney Daily News

The writer is a regular contributor to the Sidney Daily News.

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