Role and duties of a town health officer
General role of a town health officer
- The town health officer is the person who is responsible for investigating and addressing public health problems in his/her town or jurisdiction.
- The town health officer investigates all complaints and has extensive authority to take emergency mitigation steps.
- Town health officers have the authority to enforce any state health regulatuios and local health ordinances in their towns.
Read more about the general role of a town health officer in the Vermont Town Health Officer Manual
General duties of a town health officer
- Receive information or complaints regarding conditions that could represent a public health hazard
- Conduct investigations into complaint conditions
- Prevent, remove or destroy public health risks
- Enforce provisions of state and local health codes, regulations and orders
- Report any violation or public health hazards regulated by the Vermont Department of Health
Read more about the general duties of a town health officer (Title 18, Chapter 11, 18 V.S.A. § 602a)
Town health officer duties in residential rental housing
Town health officers are often called up on to inspect rental property. Once contacted, the town health officer is responsible for checking the property to verify that it meets the Vermont Rental Housing Health Code. The role of the health officer is then to identify code violations and enforce compliance.