Prior to the start of Wednesday’s board of health meeting, the board’s newest member, Barb Stamp, left, was administered her oath of office by Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey, right. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)

SALEM – The board of health appointed the city’s next health commissioner in its meeting Wednesday.

Kayla Crowl has served as the city’s health commissioner for over two years since December 2023, joining the department on Dec. 11, 2023. During that tenure, Crowl has overseen the re-organization of the city’s housing department, as well as updates to both the city’s health and housing codes. However; with Crowl’s acceptance of a position as the city of East Liverpool’s Director of Environmental Health beginning in January, that tenure officially came to an end Friday.

On Wednesday, following an approximately one-hour executive session for the discussion of personnel matters, the board of health voted unanimously to appoint current Director of Nursing Chelsea Clark as health commissioner effective Monday. Following that session, the board also voted unanimously to hire current Deputy Registrar Jodi Snyder as public health nurse and accreditation coordinator, and to post the deputy registrar position as vacant.

Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey and the other board members all thanked Crowl for her service as health commissioner and wished her well in her new position.

“I want to thank you for everything that you have done for this department. For all the improvements that have gone on in your time, and all the changes that you had to be a part of, and I wish you well in the future and am sure we’ll see you more,” said Dickey.

Registrar of Vital Statistics Kim Williams was unable to attend Wednesday, so Crowl delivered her report in her stead. Crowl said that Ohio’s new system for issuing death certificates was operational, meaning that the health department can now issues death certificates for anyone who passed in the state. Previously death certificates had to be issued by the health department which serves the municipality in which an individual died.

During her report Clark said that the department had completed its six-month partnership with the Salem Memorial Building to offer voluntary health screenings during meals by the Banquet in Salem. She said that moving forward, the department would shift to offering the screenings on an as-needed basis, rather than monthly, and that the department would like to begin offering similar health screenings to local businesses and their employees.

During Housing Inspectors Richard Snyder and Jarrod Richter’s report Dickey asked how often they were unable to complete a scheduled rental inspection due to the landlord failing to give the tenant notice or being turned away by the tenants. Snyder said that currently the department was not tracking that figure, and that they instead inform Housing Administrative Assistant Yenere Martig that they were unable to complete the inspection, who then contacts property owner to reschedule the inspection and notify the tenants. However, Snyder also said that they would begin tracking failed inspection attempts starting in the new year.

The health department will close early on Christmas Eve at noon and will be closed all day for Christmas and on Dec. 26.

The health board will meet next at 2 p.m. on Jan. 21.