OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County's budget for 2024 is in the final stretch, as FOX 17 has reported public health is facing cuts.
On Tuesday, public health officials gave their last plea to see more funding.
"After coming out of a government response to a pandemic, where there is a very large increase in expenditures, and we're looking to go back down towards normal," County Commissioner Chairperson Joe Moss stated to his fellow commissioners.
There was more back and forth Tuesday between public health officials and several commissioners on the Finance and Administration Committee.
"If what's really being said is the Health Department needs to go back to pre-COVID funding levels, our health education and our nutrition programs were not funded at this level. Pre-COVID, they were funded much more closely to the level that we're asking for now," Health Planning and Promotion Manager Lisa Uganski told commissioners. "So we'd be seeing a definite impact to our food, which then definitely impacts the number of people in our community who are very food insecure and their access to healthy local food in our county."
She added what's currently budgeted for her programs is half of her initial request.
As FOX 17 has reported, the draft fiscal year 2024 budget includes significant cuts to public health. Currently, the department is getting around $4.3 million from the general fund contributions. It's also utilizing $1.7 million from its rainy day fund.
"So essentially, I'm wondering, as the manager, how then do we say suicide prevention is or isn't more important than food access or substance use prevention is or isn't more important than making sure people have access to education about what might be causing chronic diseases," Uganski asked commissioners.
Something that has changed is funding for family planning. The program is seeing a recent $200,000 boost. FOX 17 reported Friday the state introduced public health officials to Planned Parenthood of Michigan on the next steps if the county was unable to meet Title X requirements.
"I'm glad to see that something changed between Friday and yesterday and that those funds were restored last weekend to meet the requirements," Health Officer Adeline Hambley said.
Despite public health officials' funding concerns for other programs, Commission Chairperson Joe Moss says the county is prepared for any problems that may pop up.
"I believe we have a fairly substantial contingency fund plan in case there's any emergencies," Moss added during the meeting.
Moss told his fellow commissioners and health department officials he believes this budget draft is quite generous.
"If you take a long-term perspective here, instead of a very myopic perspective, this is an increase 14.397 budgeted that's the highest number, except for one higher than the last 15 years. So I'm very comfortable with that," Moss added.
Meanwhile Commissioner Jacob Bonnema notes we could see some budget fallout in the future.
"I just feel this as rushed, ill-conceived and something that we need to take a step back and make sure that we understand when we're cutting millions of dollars out of a budget. It's going to have an impact, and maybe it has unintended impacts," Bonnema explained to commissioners.
Despite the battle over public health funding, the commissioners are scheduled to vote on this final draft on Sept. 26.
Bonnema also raised concerns about plans to expand the county's Veterans Affairs Department. He motioned to use money earmarked for a new director to instead bring in a consultant and analyze veterans' needs in the county.
Lone Democrat Doug Zylstra also moved to cut funding, allocated for corporate counsel.
The majority voted down both motions.
