MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Board of Health met for 30 minutes in executive session Wednesday evening and voted unanimously to lay off two part-time health educators due to cuts in funding, according to Health Commissioner Dennis Murray. The layoffs will be effective July 2.
The layoffs were a result of a funding cut which the health department expected to receive in grants over the year. However, the money has been frozen due to legal proceedings stemming from the dissolution of the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation. The dissolution of the foundation is part of Ohio’s economic stimulus plan; the state Legislature wants to take the money in the foundation and use it to fund the stimulus plan.
“We had expectations of $112,000 for the next grant year that has been cut off,” said Murray.
Murray also said he is not sure if or when the two part-time health educators will be called back to the health department because there is no way of knowing when the funds will be available again.
The Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation was dissolved by the General Assembly as part of a economic stimulus plan, which places the foundation’s money in Ohio’s general revenue fund. Of the $270 million in the Ohio Tobacco Prevent Foundation’s endowment, $230 million was moved the general revenue fund, and $40 million of the money was then transferred to the Ohio Department of Health. The $40 million was to be dispersed to local health districts as grants to fund tobacco prevention projects.
However, the American Legacy Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based anti-tobacco group, sued the state, which effectively froze the funds, according to Murray.
“The $40 million that the Ohio Department of Health was supposed to get to begin administering local tobacco projects, probably with local health districts, that’s also frozen at this point in time. We don’t know when ... those funds might be available back to local health departments and when we can apply for funding again,” said Murray.
Delaware County is another county in the area that is feeling the effects of the statewide cut in tobacco prevention funds. It will lay off two employees at the Delaware County Health Department by the end of the month.
