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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHealth Board - Minutes - 4/20/2015 BAYFIELD COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING Bayfield County Annex Building – EOC Monday, April 20, 2015, 4:00 PM Present: John Bennett, Deb Dryer, Elaine Kopp, Fred Strand, Ellen Braddock Absent: Harold Maki, Wayne Williams Staff: Terri Kramolis, Director, Cathy Moore, Office Manager, Anne-Marie Coy, Environmental Health Sanitarian, Michelle Dale, Environmental Health Sanitarian, Meredith Johnson, Nutritionist Others: Amanda Ekholm, Cassie Grubbe 1. Call the Meeting to Order: The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Vice-chairman Strand. 2. Election of New Board of Health Chairperson: Bennett nominated Strand for the position of chairman. Kopp seconded the nomination. No further nominations, nominations for chairman were closed and Strand was elected chairman by unanimous vote. Strand nominated Bennett for the position of vice- chairman. Nomination seconded by Kopp. No further nominations, nominations for vice-chairman were closed and Bennett was elected vice-chairman by unanimous vote. 3. Approval of February 16, 2015 Meeting Minutes: A motion to approve the minutes of the February 16, 2015 meeting as presented was made by Bennett, motion seconded by Dryer. Motion carried. 4. Public Comment: None. 5. Adoption of Agenda: Everyone was satisfied with the order of the agenda. 6. Presentation by Cassie Grubbe on Electronic Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (OTP): Cassie works as the tobacco programs manager for the American Lung Association of Wisconsin and is also the Coordinator for the Northwest Tobacco-free Coalition. There is an increase in the use of other tobacco products by youth as the tobacco industry is targeting youth. There are no regulations on these products. Discussion included issues surrounding taxation of OTP, lack of laws or health risk evidence with E-cigarettes and suggestions for what action the Board of Health could take. Ashland County Health & Human Services Board is considering creating a resolution to forward to the Full County Board that E-cigarettes be treated the same as cigarettes and cannot be used anywhere cigarettes are not allowed. Many large cities have enacted this. Currently OTP and E-cigarettes can be used anywhere. Strand requested that Terri and Cassie summarize information and suggest recommendations to the Health Board at a future meeting. 7. Well Head Protection Program Discussion: The Board was given a handout summarizing the areas addressed by Michelle Dale at the last meeting. At the last meeting the Health Board asked for an estimated cost of a well testing program. Suggested that we sample for bacteria and nitrates. The Director felt it would be best to talk with a hydrogeologist to determine what areas should be sampled. We would need to purchase equipment if the health department does in-house nitrate testing, which is about $4,000 and $1,600 per year to be certified. The second option is to collaborate with another resource for sampling as internal capacity to complete the work is limited. Baseline testing is recommended prior to manure application so we have time to complete this either this year or next year. Discussion on hiring an LTE who could do this and also our beach testing program. We will need to prepare a resolution once we know how much additional funding will be needed. A well abandonment education and outreach program also needs to occur to protect the water table. Land Conservation has funding available to properly abandon wells, the health department plans to work with land conservation to help educate land owners and refer clients to the program for proper abandonment. We need to make a decision if we are going to follow up on complaints. In some counties with CAFO’s the Health Department doesn’t follow up on complaints, this is done by Land Conservation. Braddock spoke with a county health department in Missouri and asked what they had done to deal with CAFO’s. They had enacted an ordinance with very specific conditions that had to be met before the CAFO could come into their county. They have been very successful with this ordinance and have not had any CAFO come into their county since this ordinance was enacted. The ordinance had been contested in court and was upheld. Strand requested a discussion on an ordinance be on the next meeting agenda. A copy of this ordinance will be sent to all board members in the drop box. 8. Summary of Bayfield County Beach Remediation Reports: The Broad Street Beach plan is finished. Thompson’s Beach has a maintenance plan and their recommended best practices. UW-Oshkosh secured $150,000 in grant funding to help with remediation. Thompson’s Beach has been classified as an EPA impaired beach because of the high level of bacteria in previous years. The remediation project has had a positive effect on Thompson’s as in 2014 Thompson’s had only one closure following a heavy rain event. 9. Beach Sampling: The DNR gave us approval to increase the number of sampling sites this year. Funding may increase to $6,000. Options to complete the sampling requirement were discussed including hiring an LTE, contracting with Northland College, or partnering with Land Conservation. Or we could use the funding to get a student from Northland College to take the samples. 10. WIC Update: WIC will roll out eWIC this summer. Currently WIC uses a printed paper voucher. WIC will be changing this system to a card similar to the Quest card that is used for Food Stamps. With the paper vouchers clients had to buy everything on the voucher at once. With the card they won’t have to. We have had feedback that it is embarrassing and cumbersome for clients to use the paper vouchers. We are hoping the switch will be more convenient to clients and will help increase WIC participation. WIC numbers have continued to decline despite the extended hours. When queried some clients have indicated that they can get whatever they want and need with food stamps and don’t need the additional food packages WIC provides especially with the more regulated program criteria that WIC requires. 11. Budget Update: The first quarter report was reviewed. The Board of Health was satisfied with the amount of revenues and expenditures for the first quarter. 12. Program Updates: We continue to be committed to applying for the Reproductive Health Grant (Family Planning). We have begun deliver some reproductive health initiatives ( 3rd trimester dual protection) and plan to add pregnancy testing by fall. Trial runs of billing for the services have started. 13. Next Meeting Date: Monday, June 15, 2015 at 4:00 pm in the EOC. 14. Other Issues: None. 15. Adjourn: adjourn 5:36 pm. Respectfully Submitted Cathy Moore Office Manager