goingon



New Health Officer Appointed By LaGrange Co. Commission
By: Mike Stiles - Wednesday, April 19, 2023

(photo courtesy of LaGrange County Health Department)

(LAGRANGE) – There’s a new health officer for LaGrange County.

Monday morning, the LaGrange County Commission approved a recommendation from the County’s Health Department Board of Directors to appoint Dr. Michael Conway to the position.

County Attorney Kurt Bachman told the County Commission the Health Department Board voted to recommend Conway’s appointment. County Commissioner Peter Cook says he was at the Health Department’s Board meeting when they discussed Conway. ...... {LISTEN}.

In November, the LaGrange County Commission voted not to reappoint Dr. Tony Pechin as the County Health Officer, after serving in the position since 2000. The Health Department Board at that time unanimously voted to reappoint Pechin.

The Health Officer must be a licensed physician. But the State of Indiana changed the rules recently how a health officer is selected. In the past, that responsibility was handled by the local health board. In 2021, the law changed, and now the appointment of a local Health Officer must be be approved by “an appropriate county legislative body”, such as a County Commission.

Under Indiana Law, a County Health Officer is responsible for the protection of the health of the citizens in their county.

Conway, a family physician affiliated with Parkview LaGrange Hospital, has been serving on the LaGrange County Board of Health as a board member.

MORE HEADLINES

>> News Archive