By Patricia Bogumil
Staff Writer
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
Public health services for eight west-end communities now served by Western Racine County Health Department won’t be offered in 2015 through a newly created Racine County Health Commission – a proposal that drew mixed reviews when floated a month ago.
Instead, Central Racine County Health Department, based in Franksville, will likely accept all eight of Western Racine’s clients into the Central Racine program.
City of Burlington Mayor Bob Miller said the city would likely apply to the Central Racine program. Town of Burlington Administrator Diane Baumeister said the town would likely apply to the Central Racine program as well.
“It was not the program I was hoping for, but it’s the only game in town,” said Miller, who was one of those championing the idea of a county-run program.
“I’m going to keep pushing for a countywide health system sometime down the road,” Miller said.
Miller explained that a countywide program would put the entire county on one program, as opposed different communities using different programs.
Cost control would be a major benefit, Miller added.
“Let’s be honest about it: there’s only two counties that don’t run a countywide health program, and that’s Racine and Milwaukee,” Miller said. “It makes for a cleaner operation.
Baumeister said the town “will be exploring its options,” but was sure that the Central Racine program would be chosen.
“We really don’t have a choice,” said Baumeister, who added the town would join the city in its efforts to work toward a unified service.
The idea of Central Racine expanding to include Western Racine’s clients was discussed May 22 at a joint meeting of local and county officials.
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