The following is an announcement for the Town Meeting. For more information about the Quinnipiack Valley Health District, visit their website QVHD .
Attention Bethany Residents
On May 11, 8 PM, the Town of Bethany will be voting on a proposal to sign a 2-year commitment with the Quinnipiack Valley Health District (QVHD) which currently serves Woodbridge, Hamden and North Haven. Please attend and support this important program. A similar proposal was defeated by 2 votes at a town meeting in 2004.
Why Bethany Should Join a Health District?
More services at a lower cost:
- Current cost of $35,000 includes $12,000 for a part-time acting health director, a part-time sanitarian that inspects septic systems and wells and a contract with QVHD to inspect restaurants per state statute.
- For $28,000, QVHD provides not only septic, well and restaurant inspections but also an annual flu clinic, health screenings, health education, disease outbreak preparedness, disaster planning, water conservation, mold, lead, radon, asbestos services, rabies, and more.
- No inconvenience to Bethany citizens Bethany records will be maintained in Bethany Town Hall for easy access.
- QVHD will hold regular posted office hours at town hall for the convenience of townspeople, contractors and builders.
- No loss of jobs Bethany part-time sanitarian will be offered a job with QVHD.
Other Options Already Considered
The Board of Selectmen appointed a Public Health Services Committee to explore the best way to provide Bethany’s residents with Public Health Services. The committee considered the following options:
- To create a new health district with Orange and/or Woodbridge – both said their residents were well-served by their current health districts and it would be more costly to form a new district.
- To sign a shorter (one-year contract) with a health district - Neither of the adjacent health districts (Quinnipiack or Naugatuck Valley) are willing to sign a one-year contract.
On April 18, 2005 the committee unanimously recommended that Bethany join a health district with Town Meeting approval. Risks if Bethany Does Not Join
- The annual flu clinic is in jeopardy. For the past two years, the town has had a difficult time obtaining vaccines. The town needs to ensure a reliable source of vaccine for seniors and respiratory patients. Vaccine was finally secured with the assistance of QVHD.
- Bethany may be mandated to hire a full-time Health Director at an additional cost to taxpayers. The town must comply with an increasing number of regulations on emergency preparedness, environmental and disease monitoring, etc. Bethany has been unable to recruit a part-time Health Director approved by the Department of Public Health.
Please attend the Town Meeting on May 11th at 8 PM Vote Yes to Health
