[cheering]
After hearing the cheers from about 300 people waiting outside the Ottawa County Health Department at the end of his workday, employee Tom Nieboer said he was committed to his job
“We the workers of The Ottawa County Department of Public Health love this community and the work we do serving it.”
But was concerned about the impact proposed budget cuts would have on public health.
“It is our intention to continue our work in the department as long as we are able to However, the instability of the current board of commissioners has brought to our department is going to make our jobs and impossible to perform to the standards we hold so dear.”
Ottawa County Administrator John Gibbs is proposing significant cuts in the Health Department Budget. Millions of dollars:
“The primary motivating factor with what we're looking at for the budget for public health was adjusting to normal pre-covid levels.”
But Gibbs has reduced his earlier demands for a 50 percent budget cut and County Commission Chair Joe Moss says it will be several weeks before a final budget decision is made.
“We still have, you know, 3 weeks left.”
