County council flags three health‑department budget items; board elects Alyssa Van Lee as 2024 chair

Summit County health‑department staff told the board that the county council, while reviewing the county budget, placed three health‑department items on a list for further evaluation: $30,000 for code‑blue warming‑shelter support, funds for a fleet electrification study (staff said that county recommendation removed the electrification funding but a grant has been secured to cover the study), and a $300,000 request for 2024 with a proposed $600,000 ongoing commitment for mental and behavioral‑health services tied to school partnerships.

Public health staff said the county council indicated a desire to reduce the overall county budget and identified these three items for specific review; staff and department leaders presented the case for the mental‑health funding to the county council during budget deliberations. The department said other budget items remain intact. Staff added that the county council will hold public hearings and that county adoption may require the board to conduct a short special meeting to formally adopt the department's budget after the council finalizes its numbers.

On governance, the board nominated Alyssa Van Lee for chair of the Summit County Board of Health for 2024. A motion to nominate Van Lee was moved and seconded; the board voted in favor, with a stepped‑away member recorded as abstaining during the roll call. Staff clarified that several board seats will be advertised; incumbents (including some who wish to remain) must reapply and will be part of the county manager's appointment process before new members are seated in March.

What’s next: staff said they expect a county public hearing on the budget (staff noted they will likely attend and present), will compile any written public comments on fee changes for the January packet, and will schedule a special meeting if the board needs to formally adopt the department budget after county action.

Budget details staff identified: code‑blue warming shelter funding ($30,000); fleet electrification study funding was removed from the county recommendation but covered by a later grant; mental‑health funding request for 2024 ($300,000) with an ongoing request of $600,000 tied to school‑based services. Staff said the three items were "called out" by the council for possible removal or adjustment and that they are working with the county manager and finance staff to find common ground.