The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1946-08-09
Regional Health Office, Highway
Condition Discussed AT Rotary

Discussion Of two problems vi
tai to Jackson county formed the
program OF the weekly lunch
con meeting OF the Pascagoula
Rotary club Wednesday noon at
the Country Club.
Problems under discussion were
the proposed forming of a region
al state health office which would
have jurisdiction over Jackson
county, and the condition Of High
way 80, particularly that stretch
between Paseagoula and Gau-
tier.
Dr.. Andrew Hedmeg, county
health officer, explained the pro-
posal COR a regional health Of
flee end conducted a question and
answer session following tho ex-
PLANTATION, and Hefmes +. Gautier,
member Of the county Board of
Supervisors, talked on the con-
dition Of Highway 80.
Prior TO DIR. Hedmeg's explain
atory talk, L. A. Watts in ex-
planning the program said that
citizens of the county We're afraid
the proposed move would upset
the present county health de
partment. and leave Jackson noun-
~ without a full time health Of
ficer.
I'VE experienced a part time
health officer once and people are
alarmed that this move will lead
to that condition again." he said,
"and we are bitterly opposed to
it."
DR.. Hedmeg, who was intro
duced by A. P. MAY, said that
the proposal would not leave the
county without q full time health
officer.
Administrative Office
Plaps call for a centrally loca-
ted administrative office, he said,
with the use Of a laboratory.
Jackson county would retain a
full-time health officer who
would work under the new adj
ministrative setup. He added that
the move was contemplated in
an effort to circumvent the short
age in health officers.
"Certainly a county the size
Of Jackson would not be without
a full time health officer under
the ICY setup," he said. How
ever. some of the smaller cuun-
ties could be administered by the
regional office"
During the question and an
swer session that followed 1t was
pointed out that DR.. Felix Under
wood, state board of health di-
rector. said that only jackson and
Harrison counties were being con-
sidered under the present pro-
posal, with possibly Hancock
county TO be approached later.
The assertion was also made
that. with only these two coun-
ties involved, there was little use
in establishing headquarters at
Gulfport to- supervise health OPP
creations in these two counties.
1t was also pointed out that
the Boards of Supervisors of the
counties involved would have to
approve the move before it could
be maze at,
Nh. Gautier said that, as a
member of the Board of Super
yisors he. would never enter into
an agreement that would leave
Jackson county without a full
time health officer.
Mr.. Gautier then talked on the
condition of Highway 90 through
out the county. Only 3-8's of one
mile of this highway from the
Mobile 10 the Harrison county
line was built by the state and
federal government he said. The
.emainder was built by Jackson
county through bond issues, and
The county has never been reim-
bursed for this. expenditure. The
shoulders nf the highway are
in a dangerous condition, he said,
particularly between Moss Point
and P~ascagoula, and that stretch
between Pascagoula and Gautier
will become impossible within
six months unless repairs are
made, he added.
If Jackson county had been re-
sponsible for this, permanent re-
natr. .,o,.iI -