SALEM — The health board discussed a request for the health department to assist with an upcoming study during its meeting Wednesday.

Health Commissioner Kayla Crowl told the board that a professor from the University of Kentucky requested the department “promote participation and engagement” in a study beginning in 2026. Crowl said that the study intends “to determine if there is a difference in the biological markers between Salem and East Palestine residents” through bloodwork twice per year over a five-year period. She also noted that the study would be conducted in partnership with Quest Diagnostics and aims to have 250 residents participate.

“[The department’s] role, that they clarified, is just spreading the word and trying to entice participants,” said Crowl.

Board Member Cami Cope suggested that the organizers of the study should look to partner with Kent State University at Salem instead, and Board President Pro-Tempore Judy Sicilia said that participating in research carries additional accreditation requirements, and that she was “a little leery” of participating as a result.

“One of the things that made our lives easier with accreditation is that we don’t participate in any research because there’s a whole new set of constraints, guidelines, and things to do if you’re doing that, and it also addressed laboratory criteria. So, if we are partnered with them suddenly, we’re responsible for those components,” said Sicilia.

Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey also raised concerns of whether the department should participate in a study given how busy the department’s personnel already are.

The board ultimately agreed that with the department’s accreditation and workload concerns it doesn’t make sense for them to assist with the study at this time.

During her report, Director of Nursing Chelsea Clark said the department had received a lot of interest in its CPR training programs since publicizing them on its Facebook page approximately two weeks ago. She also said that the number of sexually transmitted illnesses in the city was still down compared to last year, and there had been a strong positive community response to the department’s distribution of free prophylactic products, noting that several people had come to the department specifically for them.

Clark also said that she had been preparing for the department’s fourth annual health resource fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Waterworth Memorial Park Saturday. She said that this year the department would have a trail mix bar and free hot dogs. The department will also be joined this year by 21 nursing students from Kent State Salem who will be checking blood pressure, heights, weights, and body mass indexes.

The housing department addressed 120 complaints last month, the bulk of which continue to be high grass complaints, and completed 11 inspections. Crowl said that she and Zoning Inspectors Rich Snyder and Jarrod Richter were reviewing the city’s zoning code for its current requirements for gutters and would be reaching out to city council about potential updates to address recurring issues. She also said that they were investigating potential methods for serving charges filed against delinquent property owners and whether the publication of a legal notice would potentially be sufficient.

The health board will meet next at 2 p.m. on July 24.