Gase appointed to county board of health

TIFFIN — Dr. Andrew Gase was appointed to the Seneca County Board of Health at the annual district advisory council meeting Monday. Gase will take over the position of physician on board of health from Dr. Zach West, whose term will end this month. The district advisory council is made up of 24 elected officials from the county as well as from each township, village and city in the county and oversees the health district, appointing five of the nine board of health members. According to literature from the Seneca County General Health District the purpose of the annual meeting is to receive and consider annual and special reports from the board of health, and making recommendations to the board of health for the "betterment of health and sanitation within the district or for necessary legislation." Because a quorum was not reached at the meeting, an executive committee was formed, consisting of Kevin Reinhart of Loudon Township, Bill Biller of Pleasant Township, Seneca County Commissioner Bill Frankart, Fostoria Mayor Don Mennel and Commissioner Tony Paradiso serving as chair of the committee, who voted unanimously to appoint Gase. One seat on the board of health must be dedicated to a medical physician at all times. "Dr. Gase has over 35 years of medical experience," Paradiso told the council. "So we can check that box." Gase said he was excited for the new position. Politics are important, he said, "but the real issue is the health of the community." Also at the meeting, health commissioner Julie Richards gave an annual report to the council. According to the report, in 2024, the Seneca County General Health District received a grant to hire a new position to help mitigate and prevent drug overdoses in the county, formed a community cancer assessment to "create a bigger picture of the current state of cancer in an around Seneca County," the report said. Also in 2024, the health district separated the landfill oversight from the environmental health division of the district and hired Harold Huffman to inspect and oversee the county landfill. Huffman has been in the position since January of this year and served as the emergency planning and injury prevention manager for the district until December. "I'm really proud of everything we accomplished in 2024; I think our report speaks for itself," Richards said, later thanking the staff of the general health district for their hard work. Registrar Lisa England said that in 2024, there were 744 births in the county and 504 deaths. The leading causes of death in the county last year were heart disease and cancer. Epidemiologist Caitlin Dennison reported there were 1,089 COVID cases and 15 potential outbreaks of several different illnesses were investigated last year. Ryan Sendelbach, director of environmental health, informed the council that in 2024, his division had inspected and licensed approximately 300 food service establishments, 30 swimming pools, spas and beaches and made 13 school inspections, 4 jail inspections, 155 landfill inspections among other items. Sendelbach also discussed recent mosquito control efforts in the county. Fiscal director Anita Gaietto reported the general health district spent $5,739,018 with the highest expenditure being attributed to fees paid to other governmental entities; the heath district's total revenue in 2024 was $5,908,251. Totaling over 58% of total revenue, the general health district brought in $3,449,174 from environmental health services. Gaietto also discussed the health district's 2026 budget, based on anticipated revenue and totaling $5,813,261. According to the budget, 55% of that money will be dedicated to the C and DD special revenue fund that can only be used for landfill related expenses. Gaietto later said the health district is audited every year and has done "very-well" on those audits for the last 25 years. The next district advisory council is 6 p.m. March 16, 2026.