A poll of Iroquois County Board members Tuesday indicated it may be time to cut ties with Ford County and dissolve the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department.

No decision was made. But it's clear the year-long attempt by some Iroquois officials to get the health department back on track "has been frustrating."

The lack of cooperation between the Iroquois and Ford County Board to work together had one comment relating the situation to the same political problems going on in Washington, D.C.

Is there a way to find a resolution ? County Board Chairman Rod Copas tells WGFA News it's a tough question to answer because there are so many issues that have to be dealt with. He says we tried to have an open conversation. But we need a health department that works.

Copas and Ford County Board Chairman Rick Bowen have not agreed on a solution, even with former Health Department Administrator, Doug Corbett, out of the picture. Corbett's contract was bought out. He's been cut loose, as of October 1.

The lack of direction within the health department, Copas says, finds the employees in a hostile environment. The employees are suffering because "we've been unable to get it all together."

The poll of Iroquois County Board members has all agreeing, they want a health department that works. How to get there is the question. Can a new administrator get it done as a dual-county operation or maybe some new players in the negotiations ?

Copas said, " some have suggested maybe personalities have gotten in the way." He said under different leadership, maybe it would have been different, but the point is, he said, we as a county board are responsible to all the taxpayers.

We tried to address it quietly, but we've been met with resistance every time we tried to talk about it."

The Ford County Board meets for its October meeting next Monday night in Paxton.

94.1 FM, WGFA