Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003/11/06 - Board of HealthBOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS NOVEMBER 6, 2003 Chairperson Jayni Kamin called the meeting to order at 10:04 a.m. Attendance: Cmmr. Dist. 1, Herb Haze, absent; Cmmr. Dist. 2, Wes Johnson; Cmmr. Dist. 3, Jayni Kamin. ATTENDANCE Dr. Mark Trucksess, Health Officer Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Director Rebecca Wells, Mason County Journal, Reporter CORRESPONDENCE None APPROVAL OF MINUTES Board Member Johnson/Kamin moved and seconded to postpone approval of the September 4, 2003 minutes as Board Member Johnson was not in attendance at that meeting and recommend for approval at the next meeting. Motion carried unanimously. B-absent; J-aye; K-aye. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES HEALTH OFFICER'S REPORT: Dr. Trucksess, Health Officer reported for September and October, 2003 Communicable Diseases as one case of Salmonella, two new active cases of Hepatitis C, six current Hepatitis C with Lab and one new Positive PPD started on Latent Therapy, and currently there are 23 people on Latent Therapy. The STD reported for October 2003 were six cases of Chlamydia. Dr. Trucksess stated that he had received an email stating that there are eight confirmed cases of Influenza A in Washington State. Three of the cases were children under five years of age and the other eight were in the age range of fourteen to twenty- seven. Dr. Trucksess stated there are no active cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Washington. He also reported there are no current cases of SARS in the United States. Dr. Trucksess attended the joint conference on health in October. The top issues were emergency preparedness, public health and hospital response plans to bio terrorism, trying to enhance laboratory capacity and trying to implement a national smallpox preparedness, develop public information resources and expand disease reporting to 24 hours 7 days a week. Dr. Trucksess reported that the campaign on smoking has shown results and indicated that 53,000 fewer kids are smoking and 83,000 fewer adults are smoking. There is another campaign beginning for second hand smoking. Smoking causes diseases and many different cancers. Cmmr. Johnson asked if there were any WNV cases in the United States. Dr. Trucksess stated he didn't know about the entire United States, but all of the birds from Mason County that were sent for WNV testing were negative. Ms. Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Manager, stated that the epicenter for WNV this year was the state of Colorado. There were more deaths than any other place in the United States this year. The prediction for next year in the spring is to be California, which means Washington State will probably be affected. Cmmr. Johnson asked if the deaths were animal or human deaths in Colorado. Ms. Riley stated that the report for Colorado was for the human deaths. She also stated that she would be sending a status report on WNV to each of the Commissioners. PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUES None BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS November 6, 2003 - PAGE 2 ENVIROMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES Dr. Trucksess reported the information he had received regarding the City of Shelton's water problem was due to both the sewer and water lines lying in the same trench. He stated there is a possibility that part of the piping is breaking down. Dr. Trucksess did speak with Mr. Charlie Johnson who indicated that in May the City would begin a project to redo all the piping to improve the water quality. Ms. Riley stated she had spoken with Mike Golat, acting City Administrator, regarding the water problem. Mr. Golat stated that he is reporting daily to KMAS radio to keep the public informed. He also stated they have put chlorine into the entire water system so people may smell it in their water. The chlorine level needs to be at a certain level before the order to boil water is lifted. The water is safe for bathing and doing laundry. Cmmr. Johnson stated he had heard on KMAS that the chlorine would be permanently added to the city water. Ms. Riley stated that it would permanently be added because the City has not isolated what the cause of the bacteria was. It is on the front page of the Journal stating that chlorinating the water would be permanent. Ms. Riley gave an update on the Operating and Maintenance (O&M) program. Approximately 3,500 parcel records have been entered into the database program, which represents 65% of the project sample. Entering the old gravity systems started the project. Many of the gravity systems were not properly recorded and those that were recorded were in error. Most of the calls that have been received about the project are for clarification of the grant project and general questions about septic maintenance. Ms. Riley stated that the work has moved to the propriety systems. The propriety systems will be entered without a lot of time because the records are all in order and up to date in the files. She stated that by mid November all the letters should be mailed out and that would complete phase one of the project. Cmmr. Johnson stated at the last two Lower Hood Canal Watershed Implementation Committee (LHCWIC) meetings many criticisms have been brought up about the O&M program. Commissioner Johnson asked if the criticism he had heard was an isolated occurrence due to the open forum meeting where people could speak their opinions or have others called to criticize the program. Commissioner Johnson pointed out that Ms. Riley's report gives a positive outlook on the project. Ms. Riley stated that the criticism that has been received came from the LHCWIC open forums. Ms. Riley stated that there was a core group from that committee which helped write the grant and set the requirements. There are new members on the committee that are very critical of the project and have criticized the letter that the core group wrote and it was sent out in the O&M packet. Ms. Riley stated that after phase one is completed there would be informal meetings set up at various times to educate and answer questions about the project and show people some of the results of the project. Ms. Riley stated she had been talking to more Home Owner Associations to be placed on their meeting agenda. The people who have responded are those who want to be educated on their systems and want to keep up the maintenance. Because this is a volunteer project those who don't want to participate will not have to, but the data is being corrected and entered in the database. Those who wish to participate will have a much easier time selling their home in the future. Ms. Riley stated the Belfair Harold and Anita Latch have been working with her to provide space in the paper and information regarding the project. Cmmr. Johnson questioned if a follow up letter would be sent out to the recipients of the packets, and if so, when would they be sent out. Ms. Riley stated that there would be follow up letters sent out but not until the beginning of 2004. Ms. Riley stated at the front counter of building three, there are lists of septic system installers, septic pumpers and O&M specialists for the public to use as contacts for services. The service providers must first go through the Environmental Health Department license and certification requirements before they can be added to the list. The list is updated each year to ensure the provider still meets all the requirements. Ms. Riley presented the Board with a copy of the list that is available to the public. BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS November 6, 2003 - PAGE 3 ENVIROMENTAL HEALTH WAIVERS/VARIANCES The waivers/variances are provided for information only. Submitted to the Board by Environmental Health Director, Debbie Riley. OTHER Ms. Riley confirmed that the next Board of Health meeting would be held December 11, 2003. At the next meeting the Health Department Bio Terrorism Response Plan must be adopted. There are items in the plan that are not for public disclosure, for security reasons, and will be addressed during a briefing with the Commissioners. There are some parts of the plan that will be available for the public. Ms. Riley informed the Board that she now chaired the Westside Environmental Health Directors and that next year she will be the Chair for the Statewide Organization. With the new position as chair, she will also become an executive member of Washington State of Association Local Public Health Officials (WSALPHO). This means that Mason County will have a little more say in the issues that affect our area. The Commissioners commended Ms. Riley for her involvement in the Environmental Health community and taking over the positions of responsibility. PUBLIC COMMENT ADJOURNED The meeting adjourned due to no further business. HEALTH OFFICER d�G� . Mark Trucksess, Health Officer BOARD OF HEALTH MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON Jayni am n, C airperson Wesley E. 4bhnso f ommissioner Absent Herb Baze, Commissioner