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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002/07/11 - Board of HealthBOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS July 11, 2002 Chairperson Commissioner Bob Holter called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. Attendance: Cmmr. Dist. 1, Absent; Cmmr. Dist. 2, Wes Johnson; Cmmr. Dist. 3,Bob Holter. ATTENDANCE Dr. Mark Trucksess, Health Officer Steve Kutz, Department of Health Director Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Director Cindy Waite, Environmental Walt Higginbotham, Public Sharon & Ted Saselli, Public Melissa Speigle, Mason County Journal, Reporter CORRESPONDENCE None APPROVAL OF MINUTES None ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES HEALTH OFFICER'S REPORT: Dr. Trucksess, Health Officer reported the June, 2002 Communicable Diseases as two cases of Camphylobacter and one case of Giardia, three cases of Chronic Hepatitis C, five cases Positive PPD and two of them have been started on Latent Therapy. The STD report for June is one case of Chlamydia and two cases of Herpes Simplex Virus. Dr. Trucksess stated he had received an email from Joe Hoffman, state epidemiologist, stating that currently there are no cases of smallpox in the world and that there is no need to include this vaccination with the other routine vaccinations given. Dr. Trucksess also received an email from the State Laboratory regarding a two -year -old hospitalized in Seattle with Meningococcemia. This child had attended a Pow -Wow in Yakima over the 4°i of July. Indian Health Service is making a list of contacts so these people can be put on prophylactic therapy to stop the possibility of it spreading. PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUES Steve Kutz, Director of Health Department, received information from Washington Traffic Safety Commission regarding a seatbelt survey that was conducted in 2002. This included 19 counties. The statewide seatbelt use rate was 90.73% and Mason County was 92.18%. Mary Dussol, Tobacco Compliance Officer, informed the Board that she does federally mandated retail compliance checks to ensure that stores are not selling cigarettes to youth under the age of 17. She completed the compliance checks for the 21 retail stores that were provided to her from the DOH. The goal of the compliance checks is to determine which stores are selling to youth, not to trick anyone into selling. Five of the retail stores did sell to the minor that Mary Dussol had brought with her for the test. Mary Dussol did state that she would continue to check these stores and work with the retailers to educate and test them until they comply with the Federal Law. The places that did sell to the minor were reported to DOH and each will be fined and followed up on. Cmmr. Holter questioned the penalties that would be applied and will there be a follow up on these stores. BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS July 11, 2002 - PAGE 2 Mary Dussol stated that the first offense would be a $100.00 penalty to the store and $50.00 fine to the clerk or the option for an education program. The second offense would be a $300.00 to $500.00 penalty and third offense is $1,000.00 fine and the retail store will lose their license to sell tobacco for six months. She also stated there would be follow up compliance checks within the next two months. ENVIROMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES None ENVIROMENTAL HEALTH WAIVERS/VARIANCES Submitted to the Board by Health Director, Steve Kutz. PUBLIC COMMENT Mr. Ted Cecelli is a resident at Timberlakes and has a serious health concern for his wife Sharon Cecelli. His wife has a rare form of Leukemia. This Leukemia has affected her white blood cells, which fight infection. This causes her serious risk for infection. Across from his residence is a vacant lot, which had a failed septic system eight years ago. The sewage from the vacant lot ran on to Mr. Cecelli's property and was documented by the Environmental Health Department. Currently there is no running water in the home and the current residents are using a sani-can. There was never any action taken by the department other than the residence tagged for no occupancy. This sewage site has never been dealt with for clean up or repair. There is a Washington State Administrative Code 246-272 which states when an onsite sewage system failure occurs, the sewage system owner shall repair or replace with a conforming system. He did speak with someone from the Environmental Health Department and was informed that a repair can mean a reduction in the amount of water pumped into the sewage system. Mr. Cecelli then referred to the WSAC #246-272 again and recited the definition to repairs as stated in the code as repairs mean by restoration by reconstruction or relocation or replacement of the failed sewer system. There is no provision for reduction of water as a source of repair. He is bringing this to the Commissioners because there is now someone living in this home and the sewer system is still not repaired. Mr. Cecelli feels that he has not had cooperation with the Environmental Health Department and will continue to pursue this issue until the system is repaired. Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Director, responded to Mr. Cecelli's complaint. She stated that she did go through the legal file on the property Mr. Cecelli is referring to. She did find that Cove Engineering in July 1994, which was shortly after the failure, placed a letter in the file to show. The property was inspected and reviewed the concerns that Mason County had regarding the failed sewer system. The opinion of Cove Engineering is that the system is working properly although it does not meet current regulations but it does seem to be functioning properly and was up to the code of regulation at the time of its installation. This system was pumped and inspected and appeared to working properly. Debbie Riley did explain to Mr. Cecelli that occasionally there is a blockage in the system until it is pumped then it fixes itself once it is pumped. Debbie Riley has also met with the Timberlakes Homeowner Association to discuss this property and the sewer system concerns. Debbie Riley did inform the Board that her department is carefully watching this property and the system but until there is evidence that the system is not working, nothing can be done. Rob Goodwin has been onsite and has also inspected this property and has not found signs of the sewer system failing. Rob Goodwin is a certified installer in Mason County and a state licensed designer. Mr. Cecelli stated that Debbie Riley failed to inform the Board that for the past 20 years the singlewide trailer has set directly on top of the septic tank and drain field. This makes any kind of visual examination almost impossible due to the location. There was also several yards of dirt that the Mason County scraped from the ditches and placed in a mound over that drain field. Mr. Cecelli believes that it is against the law to place anything over a drain field. Mr. Cecelli stated that there has not been any fix to the septic system and his wife Mrs. Cecelli's health can not tolerate it. Cmmr. Holter informed Mr. Cecelli that septic systems have been fixed by simply pumping the tank. This does clear many backups to septic systems. The Environmental Health Department does have the documentation to prove that the system has been handled and appears to working properly. BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS July 11, 2002 - PAGE 3 Mr. Cecelli stated he would be taking this matter to the state DOH because he is not getting the matter resolved here at the local level. Mr. Walt Higginbotham is another Timberlakes resident and he would also like to state that he has a concern regarding the failed septic system at his neighbor's home, which is the same home Mr. Cecelli is concerned about. His second complaint is regarding 1981 E. Agate Road and 3170 E. Agate Road. He has put in writing his complaint to the DOH regarding three residents' in the Timberlakes area that need to be cleaned up. Mr. Higginbotham asked the Board why there are new laws in place regarding hulk vehicles if there is not going to be enforcement of the laws. The sites he is complaining about have serious solid waste issues and need to be cleaned up, but to do that there will need to be enforcement from the county. Cmmr. Holter informed Mr. Higginbotham that these issues are now being directed to the Hearings Examiner. He also questioned Debbie Riley if these sites have been addressed and are being forwarded to the Hearings Examiner. Debbie Riley informed Cmmr Holter and Mr. Higginbotham that these sites have identified and the enforcement officers are working with the Hearings Examiner. ADJOURNED The meeting adjourned due to no further business. HEALTH OFFICER Dr. Mark Trucksess, Health Officer BOARD OF HEALTH MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON wicacti Ia L,e Bob Holter, Chairperson Herb Baze, Commissioner