HomeMy WebLinkAboutHealth Board - Minutes - 6/14/2022Bayfield County Health Department
117 East Sixth Street - P.O. Box 403 - Washburn, WI 54891 Phone: 715/373-6109
Fax: 715/373-6307
Sara Wartman, BSN, RN, CLS
Director / Health Officer
BAYFIELD COUNTY
BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
Tuesday, June 14, 2022 – 5:00 PM
Present: Jeremy Oswald, Madelaine Rekemeyer, Jeffrey Silbert, Terri Kramolis, Fred Strand, Mary
Dougherty, Ellen Braddock, Elaine Kopp, Dr. Deb Dryer (on at 5:11)
Staff: Amy Jarecki, Sara Wartman, Michelle Simone
1.Call the Meeting to Order : The meeting was called to order at 5:02 p.m. by Chairman
Oswald.
2.Committee Member Introductions : Chairman Oswald conducted introductions as
there were new Board of Health committee members present.
3.Election of Chairperson: Jeremy Oswald was nominated for Chairperson by Strand;
nomination seconded by Silbert. No further nominations, nominations were closed and
Oswald was elected chairperson.
4.Election of Vice Chairperson : Fred Strand was nominated for Chairperson by
Kopp; nomination seconded by Silbert. No further nominations, nominations were
closed and Strand was elected chairperson.
5.Approval February 08, 2022, Meeting Minutes : A motion to approve the
February 08, 2022 meeting minutes was made by Kopp; motion seconded by
Kramolis. Motion carried.
6.Public Comment : None
7.Public Health Orientation and Presentation: Wartman presented a PowerPoint
presentation to provide a broad overview of Public Health. A discussion was had in
regard to the hiring/retention of Public Health Nurses.
8.Review Health Department 1st Quarter Budget : Overview of the budget for the
1st (first) quarter. The need for a fiscal budget for a variety of drug and alcohol
prevention programs was discussed.
9.Discussion of Wisconsin Public Health Forward Project : Wartman has joined
the Wisconsin Public Health and Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments
and Boards on a special project to transform and modernize Wisconsin public health
system. Wartman is serving on the Legal Authority work group. This work group is
intended to clarify public health’s ability to prevent and control communicable disease.
10.Discussion and Possible Action Regarding 2021 Annual Report : Wartman
presented the 2021 Annual Report which includes the ten (10) essential public health
Bayfield County Health Department
117 East Sixth Street - P.O. Box 403 - Washburn, WI 54891 Phone: 715/373-6109
Fax: 715/373-6307
Sara Wartman, BSN, RN, CLS
Director / Health Officer
services, the programs and services provided by the
Health Department, organizational charts and Board of
Health members.
11.Discussion Regarding Strategic Plan : Wartman provided short update on the state
of the department strategic plan.
12.Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Short-term Rentals and Granicus
Software Program : Wartman discussed the possible purchase of a new software
platform to assist with maintaining records and ensuring compliance with County and
State required licensure and/or permitting. Granicus is the program that could be used
to offset the need for extra staffing to search for unlicensed short-term rentals in
Bayfield County. Simone talked about the increase in the number of short term rentals
in Bayfield County as there are very few bigger hotels in the county. Also the number
of websites advertising these short term rentals has grown in the past years. Wartman
has reached out to the local townships with favorable outcome. Townships have
indicated that making sure that all short term rentals are being licensed would bring in
more income for those that are charging a room tax fee. It would also be fair to those
who are currently licensed and are currently paying these fees. Board of Health
members voiced their support for the Granicus program. A motion to approve
contracting with the Granicus program was made by Strand; motion seconded
by Silbert. Motion carried.
13.Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Environmental Health Fee
Schedule for 2023 : Rising costs across departmental programs and services leads to
the discussion of whether we plan for a fee schedule change in 2023. A 10% (ten
percent) or greater baseline license fee is required by the State. Each year this fee is set
to go up around 1% (one percent). Fee schedules for the Environmental Health program
were last addressed in 2018 and are set forth in County Ordinance under Title 9 (nine) –
Licensing. The state is implementing a new cloud-based database, some of the cost will
be passed down to the counties. As Bayfield county is very rural, the costs of traveling
in and around the county has gone up and will continue to go up. An inflationary
increase across the board for permit/license fees was discussed. The Board was in favor
of an increase in fees; it was requested that Wartman work up some numbers and bring
back to the next Board of Health meeting for approval.
14.Update on Health Department Programs and Services : Covid-19 continues to
be present in the county. Staff continues to call those with positive tests, although not
doing full contact tracing like in the past. The department still has a few LTEs (limited
term employees) on staff to assist with the Covid-19 testing and calling of those
community members affected with Covid-19. Our testing program is growing. Well
water testing program is well under way in 3 (three) counties currently. Flu clinic
planning will begin soon for the fall. All of our flu vaccine has been ordered for the fall
flu season. We are looking to head back into the schools and also to provide those
children who have fallen behind in school required immunizations a chance to receive
those vaccinations. Inspections for the Environmental Health program is well under
way as well, as most facilities have opened for the tourist season.
Bayfield County Health Department
117 East Sixth Street - P.O. Box 403 - Washburn, WI 54891 Phone: 715/373-6109
Fax: 715/373-6307
Sara Wartman, BSN, RN, CLS
Director / Health Officer
15.Update on Health Department Staffing : Two staff
members resigned within the last few months: one full
time Public Health nurse and one part time Public Health nurse. That only leaves one
full time Public Health nurse along with an LPN (licensed practical nurse) who is only
working a few days a week. There are two (2) candidates that have been interviewed
and offered positions within the department. The intern for the beach sampling program
has started working for the summer.
16.Update Contact Information for Board of Health Members : Board members
looked over the information and provided information for any changes.
17.Committee Input : Board members commented on a previous meeting that was held
with the Red Cliff committee that was attended by Wartman.
18.Next Meeting Date :
Tuesday, August 9, 2022, 5:00 pm, in the Bayfield County EOC and remotely via
Teams.
19.Adjourn : The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Jarecki
Amy Jarecki, Office Manager