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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008/09/23 - Board of HealthJOINT BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS September 23, 2008 Attendance: Mason County Board Members: Lynda Ring -Erickson; Ross Gallagher; Tim Sheldon Thurston County Board Members: Bob Macleod; Cathy Wolfe; Diane Oberquell — absent Ex-Officio Board Members: Scott Hilburn, Hospital District #1; Peggy VanBuskirk, Hospital District #2; Frank Philips, Fire Commissioner; Tim LeClair, Skokomish Tribe - absent 1. Commissioner Ross Gallagher called the meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. 2. Cmmr. Ring Erickson/Sheldon moved and seconded to adopt the agenda as published. Motion carried unanimously. RE -aye; G-aye; S-aye. 3. Correspondence - None 4. Cmmr. Sheldon/Ring Erickson moved and seconded to adopt the regular meeting minutes of August 26, 2008 as presented. Motion carried unanimously. RE -aye; G-aye; S-aye. 5. Thurston —Mason Social Services — Presentation and Discussion Sherri McDonald, Thurston County Health Director, stated that until the early 70's Thurston and Mason Counties used to be a joint health district. After the Counties started their own health departments the Commissioners agreed that social services would continue to function as a joint Thurston -Mason endeavor. Ms. McDonald presented Mark Freedman, Thurston County Social Service Director, who gave an overview of the current social service programs operated between the Counties and statistics regarding the type of people using the services. 6. Resolution relating to public health departments' budgets and calling on the State of Washington to provide adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term financing for local jurisdictions to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. — Presentation and Discussion Vicki Kirkpatrick, Mason County Health Department Director, presented a resolution to support a set of principals that will support all public health departments' budgets and call on the State of Washington to provide adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term financing for local jurisdictions to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. The resolution also calls on local cities to pass resolutions to place public health financing as priority on their legislative agenda. Cmmr. Ring Erickson asked if it would be better if there were one document for both of the Counties to sign. It was decided that each County's resolution should be passed and then rewritten into one resolution at a later time. Cmmr. Wolfe/Macleod moved and seconded to approve Resolution HXX-2008 relating to public health departments' budgets and calling on the State of Washington to provide adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term financing for local jurisdictions to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. Motion carried unanimously. W-aye; M-aye; 0-absent. Cmmr. Ring Erickson/Sheldon moved and seconded to approve Resolution 02-08 (Exhibit A) relating to public health departments' budgets and calling on the State of Washington to provide adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term financing for local jurisdictions to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. Motion carried unanimously. RE -aye; G-aye; S-aye. BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS September 23, 2008 - PAGE 2 Cmmr. Wolfe/Ring Erickson moved and seconded to direct staff to merge the Mason County Board of Health resolution 02-08 and the Thurston County Board of Health resolution HXX-2008 into one document. Motion carried unanimously. RE -aye; G-aye; S-aye W-aye; M —aye; 0-absent. The final document will be approved at the regular Thurston and Mason County Board of Commissioners meetings. 7. Administrative Issues 7.1 Health Officer's Report — Dr. Yu reported that a crow that was submitted for testing in Thurston County tested positive for West Nile Virus. The virus has also been reported in Eastern Washington in horses and mosquito pools. Three people traveling in the Yakima area were confirmed to have West Nile Virus. Dr. Yu is telling local doctors to be on the look out for symptoms of the virus. There is an informational flyer for the public about how to avoid West Nile Virus. Frank Phillips stated the Fire Districts could hand out copies of the informational flyer at their meetings. 7.2 Director's Report — Vicki Kirkpatrick, Mason County Health Department Director, reported on several things happening in the Health Department. The Health Department met with Utilities and Waste Management to talk about water quality issues. The next phase will be to meet with a group to talk about long term funding for water quality. Ms. Kirkpatrick also reported on the Community Health Care Task Force and noted that the Mason County Dental Clinic is now up and running. The Dental Clinic provided approximately $2000.00 worth of dental work the first week they were open. The priority is for pregnant women and children. They are still working on recruiting volunteers. Sherri McDonald did not have a Director's report but would like feedback from the Commissioners regarding the success and content of the joint Board of Health meetings. Cmmr. Wolfe would like to talk about budget issues and other services the Counties might be able to provide jointly. Cmmr. Ring Erickson stated she would like to see a joint meeting with Thurston and Mason County legislators as well. Cmmr. Sheldon is interested in discussion on abatement issues. 8. Community and Family Health — Lydia Buchheit, Community and Family Health Manager, presented a news release on the Mason County Health Department's flu shot clinic. A new option this year is a flu mist instead of an injection. There are three community clinics set up to administer the vaccine. The cost is $28 per dose. 9. Environmental Health Issues 9.1 Environmental Health Waivers — Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Manager, presented the waivers to the Board. 10. Public Comment — There was no public comment. 11. Adjourn - The meeting adjourned at 4:59 p.m. BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS September 23, 2008 - PAGE 3 HEALTH OFFICER Diana T. Yu, MD MSPH Mason County Health Officer BOARD OF HEALTH MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON ss Gallagher, Chair Tim Sheldon, Commissioner /7 4 i 'Ring Erickson, Commissioner c)(1,-1-1 GIT A RESOLUTION NO. 02-08 A RESOLUTION relating to the Mason County Public Health Department budget and calling on the state of Washington to provide adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term financing for local public health statewide and to provide financing options for local jurisdictions to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of Mason County government to provide public health services to the 54,000 plus full time residents of Mason County, the summer residents, and the workers and visitors who enter the county each day, and WHEREAS, state law vests in the Mason County Board of Heath oversight of all matters pertaining to preservation of the life and health of the people of Mason County, including the adoption of countywide public health policy and the enactment and enforcement of local public health regulations, and WHEREAS, over the past century, public health functions have led to remarkable gains in health that have significantly increased longevity and improved quality of life, including accomplishments such as: safe food and water dramatically reducing illness and deaths; population -wide vaccination programs eradicating smallpox worldwide and making other once - common diseases rare; and better hygiene, nutrition, antibiotics and access to health care, contributing to a ninety percent decrease in infant mortality and a ninety-nine percent decrease in maternal mortality since 1900 nationwide, and WHEREAS, public health functions provided by the Mason County government protect, promote and provide for the health of the public every day, and WHEREAS, over the past decade, federal and state revenues that support public health, such as the motor vehicle excise tax, have been eliminated, limited or reduced, and costs to provide public health services have increased — thus requiring increases in the level of county general fund resources for public health services, and WHEREAS, increases in county general fund contributions to public health are not sustainable over the long term, and WHEREAS, Mason County Public Health has eliminated 2.2 positions in 2008 and projects additional reductions in 2009 to balance revenues and expenditures, and WHEREAS, in a study on county financial health, the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development found that all counties across the state are fiscally distressed, and WHEREAS, The Washington State Legislature's 4410 Joint Select Committee concluded that the Washington State public health system is under -funded by more than $600 million each biennium and that the need for additional funding for local public health jurisdictions statewide is critical, and RESOLUTION 02-08 1 WHEREAS, the 4410 Joint Select Committee concluded that funding for public health must be a joint responsibility of the state and local jurisdictions, and WHEREAS, counties have limited local authority to provide for adequate funding for public health, NOW, THEREFORE, the Mason County Board of Commissioners and the Mason County Board of Health, hereby resolves as follows: 1. The Board finds that the resulting risks to the health of the public are unacceptable. 2. The Board finds that it is imperative to identify and acquire adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term state and local funding sources for public health in order to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. 3. The Board calls on the State of Washington to provide adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term financing for local public health statewide and to provide financing options for local jurisdictions to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. 4. The Board calls on the City of Shelton to pass a resolution to place public health financing as a top priority on their state legislative agendas. 5. The Board commits to work with the community, regional and state partners to educate the public about the value of public health and the need for adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term state and local funding sources. 6. The Board urges the State to examine any and all adequate and stable options for state and local financing for public health. 7. The Board recognizes that the growing lack of adequate health insurance coverage is a major contributor to the increasing need for public health services and the lack of revenue to support. The Board of Health requests that the Mason County Health Department forward to the Board a set of principles that the board and others can use in advocating for state or national health care reform. Adopted this 4 day of September 2008. RESOLUTION 02-08 2 ATTEST: 1/ L1 s Cl- k of the Board APPROVED AS TO FO e / AM& ffizrzgrro .. grr ttorn:VW BOARD OF HEALTH, Mason County Washington Ross Gallagher,' Chair a'' mg -Erickson, I ommissioner s Tim Sheldon, Commissioner RESOLUTION 02-08 3