AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — FOX31 and Channel 2 followed a restaurant health inspection on Friday with an inspector from the Tri-County Health Department.
“The reason we do what we do is to prevent disease, we try to do it through education and prevent anyone from getting sick that’s why you need people to do what I do,” Environmental Health Specialist for TCHD Holland Shultz, said.
Tri-County will only be required to inspect and monitor restaurants and other businesses in all three counties: Douglas, Adams and Arapahoe until Jan. 1, 2023. The change came after both Adams and Douglas made the push to leave over disagreements, specifically mask mandates.
“Till the end of 2022 business as usual we will conduct our inspections to the best of our ability,” Shultz said.
Douglas County Health stated they are starting to work on putting ideas together for their environmental health department. Barbara Drake the deputy county manager for Douglas County said they are working on budgets and staffing when it comes to inspections within the county.
“I think it will be a managed transition and not everything happening on January 1, 2023,” Drake said.
Drake said if they come up with an agreement with Tri-County they expect the transition to happen sooner but they will take advantage now of the help from TCHD.
“By mutual agreement, we can begin to transition those services during 2022,” Drake said.
Adams County responded to FOX31 that they are still working on their plans and expect to have an update in a few months.