Council advances ordinance to remove Board of Health from city code on first reading

The Laramie City Council approved on first reading Ordinance No. 2108, which would repeal Laramie Municipal Code Chapter 2.2 and eliminate the Board of Health as an official board of the City of Laramie.

Councilor Fried moved the ordinance and Councilor Newman seconded. Director (name in packet) Cody Talbot and city legal staff discussed the change with council: staff said the board has had limited activity in recent years and that its statutory authority is narrow. The ordinance replaces references to the board of health in city code with the city manager or a designee so that day-to-day inspection and public-health regulatory duties will continue under city staff and state or county public-health authorities as appropriate.

Director Teany (city staff) told the council the change is intended as an efficiency measure: the environmental health specialist will continue regular inspections of restaurants, pools and tattoo/piercing facilities and will provide monthly reports to the council. Council members thanked volunteer board members for their service and said the change is not a reduction in public-health protections.

On first reading the ordinance passed with eight yeas, zero nays and one absence. The item will return for additional readings according to the citys ordinance-adoption schedule.