The Fishers City Council gave second reading approval to an ordinance authorizing the city health department to issue grades and be displayed in Fishers restaurants.  The grade will indicate the cleanliness status, and adherence to health standards, based on a recent city inspection.

Public Health Director Monica Heltz told council members there were some minor changes to the code since the first reading vote.  Restaurant inspections will begin in January of 2023, but the grades will not be required to be displayed in the restaurants until September of 2023.  This will allow the health department to make the inspections and not begin to display the grades until all restaurants have an inspection grade.

According to the Fishers Health Department, this new system will provide minimum standards “for the prevention and suppression of disease and health risks associated with the preparation and distribution of food through food service operations within the City, and to otherwise promote the mission of the food protection program to protect the health of all persons in the City.”

Although the grades will not be posted in restaurants until September, the inspection reports with the grading system will be available online next year.  The Health Department is in the process of setting up the online system.

The Fishers Board of Health has already approved this ordinance and restaurant owners & operators have been invited to two Webinars about the grading system.

The council voted unanimously to approve second reading of the ordinance..