GCHD History

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     The Geauga County Health District was established in 1919/1920 under the Hughes - Griswald Act, a direct response to the influenza epidemic (pandemic) of 1918/9 in which more than one-half million people died in the United States and more than 20 million worldwide.

     The Geauga County Board of Health held its first meeting on January 7, 1920. The Board of Health members included: Mr. J. O. Scott of Thompson, Mr. Peter Small of Chester, Mr. Hugh O. Bostwick of Chardon, Dr. J. A. Heeley of Parkman, and Dr. T. F. Myler, President, of Burton. At the first meeting a budget of $4,400 was adopted. Dr. T. F. Myler was elected the first Health Commissioner on January 21, 1920, on a part-time basis. As a result Dr. Myler resigned from the Board of Health, at which time Mr. Hugh Bostwick was elected President. Dr. Myler's unexpired term was filled by Mr. Frank Griffin of Middlefield.

     The first public health nurse, Ms. Allyn, was hired in December 1920. The first clerk was hired sometime in 1922/3. The Health Commissioner became a full-time position in September 1923. The Health Commissioner at the time was Dr. G. L. Lyne, who had succeeded Dr. Myler in December 1922.

     The Board President and Health Commissioner hired Mr. C. S. Helling, who began work on August 19, 1946 as the first Geauga County Sanitary Engineer.

Geauga County Health Commissioners
1920 - 1922     Dr. T. F. Myler (part-time)
1923 - 1925     Dr. G. L. Lyne   (part-time, became full-time)
1925 - 1950     Dr. W. C. Corey (full and part-time, Lake County Health Commissioner as well)
1950 - 1960     Dr. W. P. Edmunds
1960 - 1962     Dr. W. C. Hartland
1962 - 1964     Dr. James L. Kocour
1964 - 1974     Dr. B. M. Keller
1974 - 1978     Mr. Terry E. Hull
1979 - 1980     Mr. Frank Kellog
1980 - 1986     Ms. Jane Manyo-Mahoney, RN, MSN
1987 - 1991     Mr. Herbert Shubick, RS, MS
1991 - 1992     Mr. Fredrick A. Wood, DVM
1993 - 1999     Ms. Susan Negron, RN, MS
1999 - date      Mr. Robert K. Weisdack, RS, MA, MPH

Geauga County Interim Health Commissioners
June - September 1925                    Mr. W. C. Reese, Superintendent of County Schools
November 1963 - June 1964      Mr. Carl Dill, Sanitarian
February - September 1974        Ms. Ruth Baptie, Secretary
* September - December 1980    Ms. Sarah Eiremann, RN, Director of Nursing
* November 1981 - February 1982   Ms. Sarah Eiremann, RN, Director of Nursing
September - December 1983         Ms. Sarah Eiremann, RN, Director of Nursing
December 1986 - October 1987        Ms. Sarah Eiremann, RN, Director of Nursing
August - December 1992                   Ms. Sherri Culver, Gortz Managment Firm
* due to Health Commissioner maternity leave

    The first published regulation was adopted on July 11, 1944 outlined permits and inspections of farms that fed garbage to hogs. It included fees to cover the cost of issuing permits and performing the inspections. These regulations were revised into the first sanitary regulations enforced in the county in 1948. The regulation dealt with water wells, privies, sewage disposal, garbage disposal, dead animal and manure disposal.

Some other significant dates in the history of the Health District include:

      1949 Sanitarians began the inspection of food-handling establishments, 27 years before the
               State of Ohio adopted food service regulations. The main concern was food-handling
   establishments, such as butchers or slaughterhouses. This quickly expanded to
   restaurants and anyone that handled raw food. The first code was adopted in 1951
               and was based on the American Public Health Association code. A portion of the code
   included providing public ratings of restaurant performance.
              Beginning January 1, 1954 the Board of Health levied an annual fee on all Food Service
              Operations to offset the cost of inspections.
      1953 House Trailer Park permits and licensing - 26 years before State of Ohio regulations
      1955 Lot assessment and evaluation for sewage permits, Licensing of sewage/septic installers
      1960 Geauga County Water Well Regulations
      1961 Sanitary Landfill Regulations
      1964 Gas & Oil Well Regulations
      1965 Regulations for the Sanitation of Camps

The Health District was initially funded by the County Commissioners through inside millage. Over the early years of the Health District, the County Commissioners passed the cost on to the Township Trustees. Some State and Federal grants helped defray costs, but the scope of the health needs widened rapidly. As a result the Board of Health sought their first Health Levy in 1956. The five year one-quarter mill levy passed in the November election by a vote of 9,054 in favor, 5,261 opposed (63%).

The County Archives and Recorders Office provided us with a copy of the 1942 Inventory of the County Archive of Ohio portions that pertained to the Geauga County Health District. These records were the result of the Ohio Historical Records Survey Project. You can read these sections of the inventory here.