Council approves change to immunization fund

Any money left over in the Putnam County Health Department's immunizations fund will be able to be carried over at the end of the year with the passage of an ordinance establishing a non-reverting fund.

Last year, there was $5,200 left in the immunization fund that did not roll over. Instead, any money left over goes into the department's general fund, and the immunization fund starts each fiscal year with $5,000.

"That $5,200 sure would help right now," said Beth Glaze, a nurse at the health department.

There is $4,300 in the immunization fund -- and the department has ordered $8,000 worth of flu vaccine.

The health department will get some help paying for the vaccines, Glaze said, but if they could pay for the order quicker it would mean a discount of 15 to 20 percent.

"Any money we take out we can put right back in,"?Glaze said.

The health department's coffers will likely be bulked up because cervical cancer and chicken pox vaccines are also now being offered.

The department's hours have been extended to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. "to accommodate people who work during the day"?on Thursdays, Glaze said, which will probably mean more traffic in the vaccination clinic.

"If we can roll (the leftover money in the immunization fund) over every year, we can grow it," Glaze said. "We can put any money we spend right back in there."

Council Vice President Darrell Thomas said the idea sounded like "a cash cow."

"It sounds like good business to me," he said.

Glaze said the fund could possibly grow to such a degree that the health department would not have to ask the council for money come budget time at some point.

"And any money in the fund can only be used for immunizations," she said.

The measure needs the approval of the auditor as well as the council, Glaze said.

Glaze researched the possibility and advantages of establishing a non-reverting immunizations fund with the state board of accounts, she said.

Council President Mitch Proctor asked if creating non-reverting funds for immunizations was something that was being done in other counties.

Glaze said she hadn't checked.

"Well, if the state board of accounts says it's OK to do, I think it probably is," he said.