Newly appointed county health inspector Ron Martin, right, talks to a resident in his office at the Buchanan County Courthouse earlier this week.
Animal control, sewer inspections, surprise visits to food establishments — on Wednesday it fell to one man.
Buchanan County ended a long-standing contract with the city of St. Joseph to care for health safety issues of residents living outside city limits. County commissioners hope the split will eventually save the county money and improve county oversight.
But the consolidation of services has come with several changes and hurdles.
The county’s new inspector will do the work that has long been performed by several city inspectors and animal control officers.
On any given day in the county, his job may require him to make a snap inspection at any of the six county restaurants or eight convenience stores, ensure proper installation of a septic tank or respond to report of a vicious dog.
One major concern is the county’s decision to eliminate its stray policy.
Commissioners have tasked their inspector to investigate only animal abuse and vicious animal complaints. The county previously had paid to have strays housed at the St. Joseph Animal Control and Rescue.
“Strays will stay stray. There is no Missouri statute that says we need to accept any kind of stray animal at all,” said Western District Commissioner Ron Hook.
That announcement has troubled Rick Smith, manager of St. Joseph Animal Control. Most animal-related complaints in the county involve strays.
Last year, Mr. Smith said city animal control officers responded to 343 stray calls in the county. But now that the county has assumed control, he worries the lone inspector is ill prepared to handle animals that may turn vicious on him.
As of Thursday afternoon, the new county inspector had been provided a pickup, a dog cage and a snag collar to handle animal control calls, according to Mr. Hook.
“With that type of equipment, he’s probably not prepared to respond to any type of animal-related complaints in the county,” Mr. Smith said.
As a non-commissioned officer tasked with enforcing state statues regarding animals, Ron Martin, the new county inspector, is in a unique position.
Mr. Martin says he knows he’s got a large swath of county territory to inspect and protect, but he expects to fulfill all his duties.
He says he has never installed a septic tank, but he feels adequately trained to inspect sewers after attending a septic tank installation seminar in Jefferson City last week.
He has not yet received inspector training in food safety. Barring a complaint, he doesn’t expect to do any kitchen inspections in the county for the next month or two.
He doesn’t have a setup to house vicious animals, but he says he’s contracted with a local veterinarian to take them in, as needed.
Mr. Martin says, as part of the strengths he brings to his new job is a drive to learn — one reason commissioners say they hired him for the $30,000 a year job.
“Well clearly there has to be a learning curve, but I know I can learn quick because that’s the way I’ve done it all my life,” said Mr. Martin, who owned and managed Leaverton’s Auto Supply in St. Joseph for 30 years before it closed in January.
The county received seven applicants for the county inspector job (some candidates dually applied for a maintenance position) and interviewed two candidates.
The county announced the job mostly through word-of-mouth and there were no previous work experience or college education requirements for the job, according to Buchanan County’s human resource director Brenda Moran. Commissioners said they wanted a person with strong customer service skills.
“It’s wasn’t as much education or background, but just working with people. That’s what a lot of this is. Just being a people person,” Presiding Commissioner R.T. Turner said.
Mr. Martin’s official first day as inspector was July 1. The county hopes the new arrangement will soon starting saving money.
Mr. Turner said startup costs to equip and train Mr. Martin will eat up the savings this year, but he expects the county can “easily save $15,000 to $20,000 in next year’s budget.”
The county has not renewed the annual $135,000 contract for health services at the city/county health department, but is paying about $63,000 for county residents to continue to go to the Patee Market Health Center.
Commissioners say they plan to turn over health inspections at school cafeterias in the county to state inspectors in the Kansas City-area.
Ahmad Safi can be reached
at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.