Local Health Officer

Locale Health Officer:  Dr. Joseph DeKay    (2026)

Tel: 207-838-9250

Powers and duties of the Local Health Officer according to Maine State Statute

 1.  Supervision.                                  

For the purposes of this section,  a local health officer is subject to the supervision and direction of  the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee.         [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).]    

2. Duties.  Within jurisdictional limits, a local health officer shall:                                                                         

A.   Make and keep a record of  all the proceedings, transactions, ordinances, orders and rules acted  upon by the local health officer;              [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).]  

B.  Report to the  commissioner or the commissioner's designee facts that relate to  communicable diseases and cases of communicable disease as required by  department rules;     [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).] 

C.  During a declared health emergency, as defined in section 802, subsections 2 and 2‑A,  report to the commissioner or the commissioner's designee facts  regarding potential notifiable diseases and cases that directly relate  to the declared health emergency, as the rules of the department  require;                                        [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).]  

D. Receive and examine the  nature of complaints made by members of the public concerning conditions  posing a public health threat or a potential public health threat;   [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).] 

 E. With the consent of the  owner, agent or occupant, enter, inspect and examine any place or  premises where filth, whether or not the cause of sickness, or  conditions posing a public health threat are known or believed to exist.   An agent with special expertise appointed by the local health officer  may inspect and examine the place or premises.  If entry is refused, the  local health officer shall apply for an inspection warrant from the  District Court, pursuant to Title 4, section 179, prior to conducting the inspection;                                                                       [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).] 

 F.  After consulting with the  commissioner or the commissioner's designee, order the suppression and  removal of nuisances and conditions suspected of posing or found to pose  a public health threat;                [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).]

 G.  Act as a resource for  connecting residents with the public health services and resources  provided by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; and                                                                       [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).] 

 H.  Enforce public health safety laws, including:                                                                                                                   (1)  Laws pertaining to the exclusion of students from school under Title 20‑A, section 6356;                                      (2)  Laws pertaining to control of browntail moths under section 1444;                                                                                                                   (3)  Laws pertaining to the removal of a private nuisance or nuisance of a dead animal under sections 1561 and 1562;                                                                                                                   (4)  Laws pertaining to the establishment of temporary health care facilities under section 1762; and                                      (5)  Laws pertaining to prohibited dumping under Title 30‑A, section 3352.                                                                       [PL 2007, c. 598, §7 (NEW).] For purposes of this  subsection, "public health threat" means any condition or behavior that  can reasonably be expected to place others at significant risk of  exposure to infection with a communicable disease.