Grant makes county tire collection possible

Event set for 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 3 at the Columbiana County Fairgrounds

LISBON -- The Columbiana County Health District will host a tire collection event from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 3 at the Columbiana County Fairgrounds through a mosquito granted received earlier this year.

"Tires are a problem," county Health Commissioner Dr. Wes Vins said.

During their meeting Wednesday, health board members approved a contract with Liberty Tire for the tire event, not to exceed $10,000. The health district received a $20,000 mosquito grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, with plans to use half for the tire collection event.

Sewage Program Manager Kevin Summerville said tires cannot have rims and are limited to passenger and small truck tires, with residents limited to 10 tires per vehicle. He said there will be one roll off for the tire collection, but if there are additional tires, the company will have a box truck available for an additional charge per tire.

In other business, the board renewed a Salem Regional Medical Center lung scan agreement which added a second SRMC location, in Columbiana, for the lung cancer screenings. The cost remains the same at $203 per scan. The agreement is for two years, from Sept. 1, 2026 to Aug. 31, 2028.

Vins said this opens up another access point for people who qualify for the scan.

Health Services Administrator Amanda Amato explained some of the qualifications, such as being 65 to 80 years old and at least a pack a day smoker for 15 years. People interested can call the health district to make an appointment. If they qualify, the scan is scheduled and the results go to the patient's family physician and to the health district. Health district personnel help patients navigate and get to the next step.

Board member Dave Rose asked what can happen if there's a nodule, with Dr. Kimberly Jackson, board vice president, saying nodules aren't always cancer. Amato said rescans can be done in a year if negative.

Vins said staff would help the patient through the process. The whole idea of the scans is to catch cancer if it's there.

Jackson said every cancer is different, some are more aggressive. With lung cancer, if the result is negative, it's usually rechecked in a year. For a colonoscopy to check for colon cancer, it's rechecked in 10 years.

During her report, Amato talked about the district's search for an affordable way to do a colon cancer screening, saying one company was pretty pricey for a blood test. Board member Misti Allison asked if she checked into stool tests, saying she heard they're less expensive.

Jackson said the problem with those type of tests is compliance, people take the kits and then don't follow through. She said anything where blood can be drawn and have a patient come in his better. Amato said another company just got FDA approval for their colon cancer screening test so she's going to check on that.

In other matters, Amato reported on the Tiffany Breast Care Center mobile van ultrasound tests, with four appointments done in July and more scheduled that were done this month. The exams are available once a month.

She also reported on the rabies vaccination clinic held at the fairgrounds the last seek of July, with the Career Center vet tech class and instructor and the Lisbon Vet Clinic helping out. A total of 72 cats and dogs were vaccinated.

School vaccines remain available by appointment for children.

In a side note, Amato talked about her presentation to Boy Scout Troop 2012 regarding health and communicable diseases, answering their questions and helping them earn their public health merit badges.

"They were a wonderful group of kids and asked good questions. They all sat and listened. They were very nice," she said.

Food Program Manager Sandra Weisen spoke briefly, saying the department is on track to get the food inspections done, along with the inspections for pools and camps. She reported the new employee for the program was working one day a week so far until she goes to full-time and said she's doing a great job. She said they're concentrating on the pools and will get them done.

The board agreed to contribute $2,000 toward the Cash Coalition Youth Survey.

Bids for group 6 of the 2025/2026 Water Pollution Control Loan Fund for the installation of two septic systems are due by 4 p.m. Sept. 15.

The next health board meeting will be 4:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at the health district office, state Route 45, Lisbon.