County health department to start offering lab

MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commission gave Health Department Director Missy Lancaster authorization to start providing lab services for residents who don't have the medical insurance.

Lancaster asked the commission on Monday, June 6, about starting the service, mainly for residents who do not have insurance or if they have a very high deductible. She said the health department could do lab draws, a complete panel for $35, which is a very reasonable price.

If the residents have insurance, they could go to their provider. However, people don’t have insurance, she said. When the results come back, the health department will send it to physicians, she said, adding that it’s a nice service for the county. It will be a cash-only service.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Hired Bryanne Radford as a part-time marina clerk at the Linn County Park at the rate of $10.60 per hour

• Learned that open enrollment was being held for the Linn County employees to sign up for insurance. The enrollment will be held at the First Baptist Church, Mound City. There will be sessions at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Security benefit, AFLAC, and HUB International will be there. Lunch will be served from noon to 1 p.m. There will be a health fair and prizes. The deadline for signing up will be July 1. Morgan Northcutt, deputy clerk human resources officer, asked the commissioners to come and help with the event.

• The Linn County Park report was reviewed by the Linn County Commissioners on Monday, June 6. For May, the income was $36,873 and the expenses were $13,877 for a gain of $22,995. The year-to-date gain is about $5,300.

• Learned that dust control will start next week and that road crews are working on flood damage around the county.

• Approved the purchase of a replacement tarp for the building at the airport. The tarp will cost $6,575, however, the county’s insurance, KCAMP, will pay $5,575 of the cost.

• Approved Economic Director Jessica Hightower’s request to write a grant for $50,000 to develop a business plan and operational procedures for the airport. The grant, if received, will pay for $45,000 of the cost.

• Agreed to let Hightower go out for bids on getting a Phase 1 Environmental Study on the industrial parks at Pleasanton and La Cygne.