LISBON — The Columbiana County Health District Board recently approved the district’s new strategic plan for the next five years, with a list of eight primary objectives and an outline for reaching those goals.

“The staff put a lot of energy into this,” county Health Commissioner Dr. Wesley Vins said.

Vins explained that this is the action step putting everything into place. Earlier this year, the board approved the 2026-2028 Community Health Improvement Plan which was the action plan related to the 2025-2028 Community Health Needs Assessment for Columbiana County. That assessment identified behavioral health, obesity and chronic disease as the key health issues.

The health district’s strategic plan gets into the specifics for the health district itself and its own plan for tackling some of those issues.

The strategic plan covers 2026 through 2031 and includes objectives in administration, nursing, environmental health and the agency overall.

A copy of the new strategic plan can be found on the district website at columbiana-health.org. Look under the section for the board of health.

Under administration, the objectives include maintaining financial stability with quarterly financial reports and monitoring and cyber security with increased staff training related to cybersecurity awareness.

Under nursing, the priority is to expand the cancer clinic with colon and oral cancer screenings, with a goal to establish two screenings per year for colon cancer. Another objective is to promote healthy eating related to diabetes by establishing a diabetes education program to educate and screen residents.

Under environmental health, priorities include continuing the monitoring and sampling of drinking water wells after the East Palestine train derailment and updating and moderizing the environmental health policy manual.

Regarding the agency overall, the plan calls for outreach and marketing by increasing community awareness of services provided by the health district, via social media platforms, flyers in local newspapers and more social media posts.

Under agency staff reports, the plan including adding Bridges Out of Poverty and Mental Health First Aid to the list of mandatory staff trainings and introducing more advanced safety trainings.

In other recent matters, board member Gary Dailey was re-elected as president and board member Dr. Kimberly Jackson was re-elected as vice president. The personnel committee includes board members Misti Allison and Linda Garwood. The finance committee includes Jackson and board member David Rose. Board members remain volunteers, receiving no pay for their services. Meetings will remain the third Wednesday of the month at 4:30 p.m., with the exception of Dec. 2 and the first meeting of 2027 on Jan. 6.

The board appointed Lance Willard to a two-year term on the sewage appeals board.

The board approved the 2027 budget, with expected revenue of $2,339,900 including $840,400 in the general fund and expected expenses of $2,338,400 including $840,400 for the general fund. Funding sources come from fees, grants, inside millage, state remittance, reimbursements, contracts and levies.

The board held the second reading on a change for the plumbing plan review fee, which takes three fees and makes them into one $60 fee.

Variances approved by the board included:

— Krista Rhodes, for an address on North Street, Beloit, for insufficient area to meet 10-foot setback requirements for septic system, due to 6 feet from the house, 4 feet from the driveway and 8 feet from the property line.

— Mike Chestnut, Hanoverton, for continuing education hours needed, for 6 hours for previous year.

— Big Arbs Enterprises LLS, North Canton, for swimming pool at property on Buffalo Road, East Rochester, related to signage, allowing for weight of person allowed on slide instead of going by height for sign.

The next meeting of the health district board will be 4:30 p.m. May 20 at the board headquarters, 7360 state Route 45, Lisbon.