Old Lyme — The town wants to see if a regional health district would be a good fit for the community and will hold a public hearing Monday on the possibility of joining Ledge Light Health District.

The hearing will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium.

Old Lyme is in the position to hire a new sanitarian, following the resignation last spring of its former sanitarian, but the town is exploring becoming a member of the regional health district, First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Ledge Light Health District serves East Lyme, both the city and town of Groton, Ledyard, New London and Waterford, according to Stephen Mansfield, director of health for Ledge Light Health District.

Town officials have been discussing the option of joining a regional health district since last spring, citing turnover in the town sanitarian position over the past several years, as well as the potential for cost savings and some additional health services provided by a regional district. 

The regional district provides services that include training on pandemics and drive-up flu shot clinics and has an epidemiologist on staff, Reemsnyder pointed out.

She said the discussion comes at a time when the state is encouraging towns to regionalize services.

"I just really thought it was important to look at this, at this point," Reemsnyder said.

If the town becomes a member of Ledge Light, the regional district would hire the administrative assistant who currently works for the town's health department, she said.

During the first two years, the administrative assistant would retain an office at Old Lyme Town Hall and spend at least half of her or his time there.

Ledge Light and Old Lyme have worked out a proposal if the town joins the regional district in the future.

The town budgets $208,000 for its health department that includes the positions of full-time sanitarian, full-time administrative assistant and part-time health director.

If the town joins Ledge Light, the town initially expects to budget about $150,000.

This would cover an approximately $55,200 fee based on a per-capita formula Ledge Light charges each member town; an additional fee of about $60,000 for the extra expenses Ledge Light would incur by taking on the town of Old Lyme; and costs for items not covered by Ledge Light, such as goose control at town parks and stormwater management.

The town would look at reducing the extra fee for the third year and would pay only the population-based fee in its fourth year, Reemsnyder said.

Mansfield said the additional $60,000 is a transitional fee for the initial years, but would end as costs come down.

If the town moves forward with Ledge Light, remaining details, such as a timeline and the status of the town's health director, appointed through late 2017, still would need to be worked out, Reemsnyder said.

She said she has received positive feedback about the health district from the selectmen and the Board of Finance, as well as from other area selectmen who use Ledge Light.

Reemsnyder said that now residents have the right to learn more about the regional district and provide their comments.

"I'm anxious to see the feedback we get from the community," she said.

With 20 people on staff, including a large environmental health division and registered sanitarians, Ledge Light Health District has the staff to cover busy times and "the depth to respond to the needs of different communities," Mansfield said.

He also pointed out that becoming a member of Ledge Light, which covers a larger population area than a single town, would enable Old Lyme to be eligible to apply for public health programs that require a certain population number.  

The meeting will include information about the different fees that the town's health department and the regional health district charge, Reemsnyder added.

For example, the local health department may charge for some services that the regional district doesn't, and vice versa, she explained.

Some items also may be more expensive under the local department, and some may be more expensive under the regional district. 

Town officials are expected to continue discussions after the public hearing.

Joining the district would require approval at a future town meeting.

k.drelich@theday.com