The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-03-21
Council Passes New Health
Ordinance at Meeting on
Monday Evening.
TO NAME BOARD IN TEN DAYS
New Board Of Five Citizens, TWO of
Whom VIII Be Physicians, Given
Wide Powers by New Code-To Name
Commissioner Of Public Health soon.

The Anticipated health board Of the
city of Kenosha has been releeated TO
the dump heap for at the meeting of
the common council held on Monday
evening the ordinance fathered by AL
derman w. T. Marlatt of the second
ward, providing for complete re-
organization of the health depart
ment, Weathered the tempestuous pri-
mary election storm and although it
was the only matter to come before
the council it was passed by unani-
nous vote of the members. Even the
mayor insisted on going on record in
favor of the new ordinance and he af-
fixed his signature to it within five
minutes after it had received the sane
ton Of the council. It was sent to the
publisher this morning and will become
law on publication on Thursday.
When the ordinance goes into effect
Kenosha will join the progressive
cities of the state and the old plans for
handling the public health will be sue
ceeded by a health code which is de-
clared by experts to be one of the best
if not the best code ever offered in
any city in the state
Radical changes will be made and
the commission which has proved so
successful in other lines in Kenosha
will be brought into service to aid the
movement to secure better protection
for the lives Of the people of the city.
The city council will no longer act as
the board of health as the new ordi-
nance provides for the appointment of
a commission composed Of five citizens
Two of the number must be physicians
and not more than two may be a mem
Der of the same political party. This
|non-partisan board win have complete
control of all matters relating to the
public health 1t is given power to
make rules and regulations for the
handling Of quarantine, for the abate-
ment of nuisances and for the clean
ing of streets and alleys and under the
ordinance these rules and regulations
must be carried out by the city. The
board has the power to elect commits
sioner of public health and this com
missioner must be practicing physi-
clan and man schooled in the duties
of health officer. He may not en-
gage in the practice of medicine during
his term Of office. The board may also
name health officer and nuisance
inspector should these men be needed
for the carrying out of the orders Of
the board. The cost of the mainten
ance of the new department is placed
by the ordinance at not less than
$4,000 and the annual appropriation of
funds for the use of the board must be
made at the same time that the re-
mainder of the, city budget is made up.
The first board is to be named by the
mayor within ten days after the pub
LEGATION of the ordinance and under
new statute the city clerk is named as
clerk of the board Of health. The
board will have a right to call such
meetings as it may deem necessary.
The board will have the right to fix the
salary Of the commissioner Of public
health, but it is understood that the
salary will be adequate to make it pos
sible for the man elected to give his
entire time to the work of the C4ice.
The Kenosha County Medical Asso-
citation will take 8 great interest in
the enforcement of the ordinance and
the board will ask that the mayor name
as the two doctors on the board two
men who may be selected by the
society. 1t is probable that the mayor
viii consent to this provision.
It is hoped that the new board Of
health will be named and in active
operation within the next two weeks
and it will aid materially in supervis-
ing quarantine cases now deemed nee
essary on account of the epidemic OF
scarlet fever.
The Kenosha ordinance is declared
to be even better than the one now IN
use at Lacrosse which has been de-
clared model ordinance BY health
officials in all parts Of the country.