“We’re the only department in Butler County who will be offering it,” Winfough said. “Hamilton and the county both decided to not offer the course, so we may be taking it on the road if there is demand within the county.”
Hamilton County charges a similar $25 fee for their version of the class, Winfough said, while Greene County charges as much as $250.
When a restaurant opens or an old one changes ownership, state law now requires all individuals working for the establishment to complete a food protection course prior to beginning employment. Should a restaurant be implicated in a food disease outbreak or receive a violation for insanitary conditions, all employees will need to complete the course.
Mayor Larry Mulligan described the course as a “good way to grow revenue” for the city, while at the same time providing a service needed throughout Butler County.
“I admire them for pursuing and developing this program,” Mulligan said. “The health department functions pretty well in terms of looking at different avenues for leveraging existing assets and this is another example of that.”
Winfough was not sure of the specifics of the class yet, but said it will focus on covering basic regulations and other practices related to food preparation.
“Things like no cross-contamination of food and washing your hands when dealing with items,” he said. “We’re talking pretty common sense stuff.”
The Level 1 certification course will be offered by the Middletown Health District on a monthly basis. To schedule training or for more information, call Janay Mourer at (513) 425-1821 or Carla Early at (513) 425-7853.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871
or
rgauthier@coxohio.com.
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