Village OKs merged health department

The Village Board on Monday approved an agreement that provides for the merger of the North Shore and Shorewood/Whitefish Bay health departments. The merged department will be known as the North Shore Health Department and its employees will be employees of Brown Deer, as was the case previously.

The board of health for the new department will be made up of one representative of each of the seven member communities who will be appointed by the various municipal boards. There will also be a community representative and a medical doctor appointed by the board.

The funding for the department will be based on both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are calculated using a formula based on actual staff hours. Indirect costs are based on the total service costs minus the direct costs.

Brown Deer will save an estimated $24,187 in 2012 with the new department.

Shorewood has approved the agreement and the remaining five communities are expected to take action on it during July.