Two new health departments are in the works ... one to serve Ford and another for Iroquois County. And the two counties are making progress in setting up eight-member boards to oversee their respected health operations.

Iroquois County Board Chairman Rod Copas said last week, he has people ready to serve the Iroquois health department.

Ford County Board Chairman Rick Bowen said he's just about ready advertise for an administrator for Ford County's health department. Other positions will also have to be filled.

The Ford and Iroquois county boards both voted in November to dissolve the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department and create independent health departments serving their respective counties, effective July 1.

The Iroquois County Board has also formally requested permission from the state to withdraw from the current Ford-Iroquois arrangement.

Steven Williams, the bi-county agency's interim administrator, told the Iroquois County Finance committee last week it'll be February, at earliest, before he can get everything worked out to let the two counties know how much it'll cost them for running their own health departments.

94.1 WGFA