COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch-Hillsdale-St.Joseph Community Health Agency Board of Health approved an amended budget Friday that was almost $24,000 less than the original budget for this fiscal year.
With the reduced budget of just over $6 million, Health Officer Administrator Rebecca Burns said two employees from Health Promotion and Education had to be laid off.
Burns emphasized they will attempt to make sure Branch, Hillsdale and St. Joseph County residents will not see a loss of service.
The agency is in line to get $347,000 in indigent care funds after a locally based Health Plan dissolved in 2015. That money is being held by the Branch County Community Foundation.
After the amended budget was passed, the board decided to keep a clerk in Children Special Health Care Services, as well as a clinic clerk as full time employees, instead of laying them off.
A part time clinic clerk was also retained, but a casual nurse position was eliminated. A final budget does not have to be submitted until May 2018.
