Branson City Council met with the Taney County Health Department for round 4 in merger discussions. In the (choppy) video above Linnea Smith, who has been trying to retire for some time now, speaks about the benefits of the departments merging and formats that have been successful for other municipalities in the state.
The Taney County Health Department receives funding through a tax levy supplemented through grant money. The Branson Health Department is funded through Branson's General Revenue Fund and through outsourcing services to neighboring cities.
Though seperate, the two entities work as a cohesive unit in many regards. Smith supports the merger which she believes could save money through reducing administration overhead.
One of the major goals is to get county code up to speed. The city of Branson is far ahead of the county when it comes to "health law". Jeff Merrell, Taney County's Prosecuting Attorney has been asked about health law enforcement. Currently, no mechanisms exist to issue tickets for health violations in the county - something health officials hope will change. County officials believe extending services will eventually result in an increased tax levy to maintain county wide coverage.
Round five of merger discussions will ensue in September of this year.
