Cape county public health director gives 2024 report to commissioners

Autumn Grim, director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, was reappointed as the county’s health officer during the Thursday, Feb. 6, meeting of the county’s board of commissioners.

Grim handed out the public health center’s annual report for 2024 at the meeting. She highlighted some of the center’s priorities for the year, including mental health programs, general wellness promotion, HIV prevention and nursing services.

“We’ve really transitioned to a foundational public health services model this year and bolstered the services we were already providing,” Grim said.

Some programs that worked well for the health center in the past were not as successful in recent years, requiring Grim to pivot. She mentioned mass immunization clinics becoming less popular, so the health center switched to drive-thru clinics.

Grim also recommended the commissioners repeal or rescind a decades-old quarantine and isolation ordinance that had been superseded by a newer state statute.

The ordinance had been enacted in 2006 to deal with severe acute respiratory syndrome cases. Grim said it has never been used or updated, and that parts of it muddied the waters when relating to newer state statutes.

“If there was a situation where we actually needed to use isolation or quarantine, we would use the least restrictive methods possible. It is not our goal to restrict people’s freedoms. We want people to be able to have those freedoms, but we want them to have the health to be able to pursue them, too,” she said.

In her report, Grim noted the health center made $3.72 million in revenue in 2024 and spent $3.26 million on expenses. They partnered with 26 community organizations.

Emergency operations

Emergency management director Sam Herndon said the county’s 911 recorders don't have maintenance contracts, since those models’ parts are no longer supported. He asked the commissioners to raise the emergency management department budget by $132,000 to acquire new recorders. The commissioners approved a $135,000 budgetary increase.

Herndon also requested funds to acquire new chairs for the county’s emergency operations center (EOC).

“One of the things we’re trying to do is open our doors more to bring in community organizations, community groups and build our relationships,” he said.

One such behavioral health group plans to host meetings with up to 70 people at the EOC, and Herndon only has some 45 chairs. After talking with Associate Commissioner Charlie Herbst, he requested $6,000 for 25 new chairs, which the commissioners signed off on.

Board appointments

The commissioners accepted one county board resignation and appointed one person to a different board. Luke McCulley resigned from the Cape Girardeau County Reorganized Common Sewer District Board. The commission did not name a replacement Thursday.

They did, however, name Michele Irby to an unexpired seat on the Riverside Regional Library Board of Trustees.

Truck replacement

Having been informed it would cost more to repair than replace a damaged truck, the commission decided to settle with its insurance company and acquire a new vehicle instead.