YOUNGSTOWN Health department to seek city money owed for rent

The board was updated on the county's bioterrorism plans.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The city health department is $23,000 short on the money it needs to pay the rent and utilities bills owed Southside Community Development Corp. for office space this year.
Neil H. Altman, city health commissioner, told the health board Monday he will contact the city finance director and ask that money be allocated for the rent and utilities.
The health department was shorted on rent money at the beginning of the year with the hope that it would be made up later. But that hasn't happened, Altman said.
Because of the city's shortfall, the health department and other departments have faced cutbacks in funding.
In other action Monday, the board heard an update on the Mahoning County Board of Health's planning for use of a $182,000 bioterrorism grant. The county board is the lead agency for Mahoning County, representing Youngstown, Campbell and Struthers health departments.
Joseph Diorio, director of health and readiness for the county health department, said the Ohio Department of Health has not yet announced when smallpox vaccine will be available.
Diorio said part of the grant will be used for staff and planning, and to purchase communications and other equipment to better prepare health department officials in the event of an emergency.