Connellsville’s health board objects to inspection plan
CONNELLSVILLE – The city’s health board remains firmly opposed to a proposed city ordinance that would require it to inspect personal care facilities. “I haven’t changed my mind,” said health board member Peggy Rice on Monday when the panel was again polled about the pending city ordinance.
Last month, Councilman John Whalen presented a draft of an ordinance he is planning to submit to council in two weeks that will require the health board and health and code officer Rita Bornstein to inspect Connellsville facilities that care for the elderly or disabled.
“We don’t want to get into this,” said Loretta Lint, health board president.
For 20 years, the city did oversee inspections of personal care homes, but in 1999 Connellsville was required to repeal the ordinance as part of a court agreement.
The abolishment of the 1979 regulation stemmed from a legal battle with personal care home owner Mary Catherine Keefer who took the city to court when the health department denied her an operating license.
Lint, meanwhile, said the state Department of Public Welfare now oversees the annual licensing and inspection of the three facilities in the city and does a good job.
“We might want to call them and ask if there’s anything we can do as a local health department to assist them, but we don’t want to get involved in the inspections,” said Lint.
The state is currently revamping its inspections policies that will enhance the requirements of homes, added Lint.
The board briefly discussed implementing a policy that would require those operating facilities that care for children or adults to register with the city so that to emergency and health personnel would know of the locations.
In other matters, Bornstein reminded residents that it is illegal to store or park unlicensed or uninspected vehicles on their properties.
“They harbor rats. There’s broken glass in addition to being unsightly,” said Bornstein.
Within the past month, Bornstein has cited six owners for violating the city ordinance that requires all vehicles to be properly registered by the state.
If the owner is found guilty by the local magistrate, fines up to $1,000 can be levied against the owner, said Bornstein.