PERI Meeting to be held in McArthur on Monday, March 20Free Access

Vinton County Health Commissioner Ciara Fox will be the speaker for the Monday, March 20 meeting of the Vinton County Chapter of the Public Employee Retirees, Inc. (PERI).

The meeting will be held at the McArthur United Methodist Church of 200 South Main St. in McArthur and will be open to all township, city, county, and state retired public employees and their spouses. The meeting will start at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Health Commissioner Fox will provide an update on the broad range of services offered by the Vinton County Health Department, as disease prevention services and health promotion have been expanded to help improve the health status of Vinton County residents. The Health Commissioner will also review the status of the COVID pandemic as the end of the declared public health emergency nears, helping attendees better understand how they can protect themselves, their families and the community. She will interpret the latest CDC COVID recommendations and address the issue of boosters.

Ciara Fox was appointed Health Commissioner by the Vinton County Board of Health in January of 2023. She received a Master of Public Health degree from Ohio University and is working toward a Doctorate in Public Health. Her work experience includes employment with Hocking College, the Meigs County Health Department, the Ohio Department of Health and the Ross County Health Department. Her public employment work experiences have focused on health education, building partnerships, program development and management.  

In addition to updates from Health Commissioner Fox, PERI District VII Representative Greg Ervin will review the Federal and Ohio’s legislative landscape, as it may impact retired public employees. Adjustments in the Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA) remain an interest of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System. At the Federal level, HR 82 has been reintroduced – legislation that would reduce the impact the Windfall Elimination and Government Pension Offset would have on retired public employees that earned Social Security benefits.

Chapter President David Boothe encourages all area Ohio Public Employee Retirement System members and their spouses to attend the Monday, March 20 PERI meeting.