A Wayland mother is part of a letter writing campaign asking the Allegan County Board of Commissioners reconsider its vote last week to reject a request for funding from the Health Department.
Erin Stepek indicated she was disappointed with the board’s decision last Thursday, turning down a request from the Allegan County Health Department for $1.5 million in funds from the federal American Rescue Plan ARPA). The decision, health officials say, means the department will have to cut services and its budget will run dry by November of this year.
The board originally voted 4-3 to deny the request a couple of weeks ago Commissioners rejected on a 5-2 vote a proposed compromise crafted by Commissioner Gale Dugan Thursday.
So on the chopping block are weekly COVID-19 dashboard data updates, free testing and vaccine clinics. Board members now insist the public receive vaccines at such businesses as Meijer, Walgreen’s and Rite Aid.
Board Chairman Jim Storey in a prepared statement, said, “The board gave significant consideration to the funding requests relating to ARPA funds from the health department and several other agencies, and determined that the use of those funds for broadband and water infrastructure (instead) not only support a healthy Allegan County, especially during pandemics, they will create long-term economic and educational opportunities.”
The Health Department said some funding will be sought from CDC Foundation and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to continue services such as contact tracing, health education and testing.
The last scheduled vaccine clinic will be held Thursday and drive-through testing will end Friday.
Dugan, who told the Hopkins Township Board Monday night about the situation, said the move is probably an outgrowth of the County Board’s disapproval with the way the Health Department was handling the Covid-19 pandemic. The department insisted on students in grades K-6 masking up in the classrooms last September when they weren’t eligible yet for vaccines.
The mandate was dropped on Oct. 1 when the State Legislature passed a law threatening to withhold state funds if the mask mandates continued. And since then, a vaccine for children ages 5 to 12 was approved for use.
The County Board, before the state stepped in, adopted a resolution urging the mask mandates be dropped.
