HomeMy WebLinkAboutHealth Board - Minutes - 10/11/2022Bayfield 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, October 11, 2022 – 5:00 PM
Present: Jeremy Oswald, Madelaine Rekemeyer, Jeffrey Silbert, Terri Kramolis (off at 5:45 PM), Fred
Strand, Mary Dougherty
Absent:, Elaine Kopp, Dr. Deb Dryer, Ellen Braddock
Staff: Amy Jarecki, Sara Wartman, Michelle Simone (left at 5:46 PM)
1. Call the Meeting to Order: The meeting was called to order at 5:01 p.m. by
Chairman Oswald.
2. Approval August 9, 2022, Meeting Minutes: A motion to approve the August 9, 2022
meeting minutes was made by Strand; motion seconded by Kramolis. Motion carried.
3. Public Comment: Brandon Lende, Town of Barksdale citizen, gave public comment
on the placement of a condom dispenser in the Washburn Library. He expressed
concern over young children coming across the condom dispenser and the informational
materials being provided. He also questioned if the library was an appropriate placement
for the dispenser. He asked the Board of Health what the reasoning was behind the
dispenser and the placement of the dispenser.
4. Presentation of the Environmental Health – Animal Bite & Rabies
Prevention Program with Michelle Simone: Simone, Environmental Health
Sanitarian, gave a presentation on the role of the Health Department when dealing with
animal bites and rabies testing. Since Bayfield County doesn’t have a Humane Officer,
the Bayfield County Sheriffs Department handles all of the animal bite calls that happen
in Bayfield County. Once the animal bite is reported, most often by a medical facility,
the Sheriffs Department writes up the report and then forwards said report to the Health
Department. Simone, who handles these type of incidents, will then follow up. Most of
the incidents involve dog bites and bat bites. With rabies being a fatal disease if not
caught in time, it’s very important for the report and follow up to be done in a timely
manner.
5. Review of YTD Health Department Budget: Wartman presented the report of the
year to date budget, which is right where it needs to be.
6. Review and Possible Action Regarding 2023 Environmental Health Fee
Schedule: Wartman wanted to increase all fees by 3% (three percent) however, when
discussing this with the Environmental Health staff, there was talk that the state was
going to be increasing certain fees in 2023, so they felt those fees could be left for the
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
time being. Each fee was looked at and the staff time spent on that
particular inspection was analyzed. This was similar to the time
study that was done in the past. Some fees got decreased, due to the state adjusting
those fees on their end. A motion to approve the proposed 2023 Environmental Health
fee schedule was made by Dougherty; motion seconded by Rekemeyer; motion passed.
7. Update Regarding Implementation of the Granicus Program for Short-
Term Rental Monitoring & Compliance: Wartman presented the board with
information on how the Granicus Program has been working in the month that we have
gone live. The program does not cross reference with any sort of data base that the
Zoning Department has currently. Zoning has indicated that they are not currently ready
to interface with this program. When they are ready, they will meet with Simone and a
rep from Granicus to get set up. Once the Granicus program finds properties that they
deem to be non-compliant (not holding a license, but currently renting), they will
generate a letter to be sent. Simone then double checks the info to make sure that this
property is not licensed before sending out the letter. A letter along with a photo of the
advertisement is sent to the owners informing them that they are out of compliance.
8. Update Regarding Implementation of Patagonia for Clinic Use: We purchased
an electronic medical record in 2022 for implementation in our clinic, specifically for
the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Program. The system went live in early
October. Wartman gave a brief review of the program and its applicability for charting
and scheduling appointments, in addition to billing for services electronically through
Electronic Super Bill. The only concern the Board had was the cost of the program to
the Health Department. The cost was more at the start, which included set up and
training, but the Family Planning grant is able to cover the cost of the program.
9. Update on Health Department Staffing: There is currently one vacancy in the
Health Department. We had a resignation in late summer that went into effect in
September. There is currently a 0.43 FTE (full time employee) Licensed Practical
Nurse position vacant that has yet to be posted. All other staff positions have been
filled. The part-time Fit Families position may have hours increased in order to meet
the program deliverable of 25 (twenty-five) participants, which is currently sitting at 15
(fifteen).
10. Update on Health Department Programs and Services: The Health
Department has changed the process for contact tracing for those individuals who are
Covid-19 positive. We will no longer follow up on those individuals who have tested
positive and are under the age of 65 (sixty-five) unless they are hospitalized. We
encourage everyone who tests positive to call our office if they have questions and/or
concerns, but our nursing staff has turned their focus onto other programs that have
been put on the back burner the last two (2) years. The Health Department has been
trying to grow the outreach part of the Family Planning program for the last few years.
Getting partnered with different members of the community is a big part of the outreach
plan. We reached out to each school’s health educators and school counselors making
sure they are aware of the resources we offer to their older students. We worked on an
outreach campaign, installing condom dispensers in bars across the county. The
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
dispensers are set up in the restrooms. It is up to the discretion of
the bar owner if the dispenser is installed in their establishment.
We have a nurse who takes time to drive around the county, checking on the dispensers
and filling them when needed. The Washburn Library was suggested as a place to
install a dispenser from members of the LGBTQ population, who feel that the library is
their safe place. Wartman will bring any concerns to the attention of the nurse heading
up the project and it will be discussed.
11. Committee Input: Silbert gave input on the placement of the condom dispenser in
the Washburn Library. While he wouldn’t have thought of the library as a choice for
the placement of a dispenser and he understands the concerns, there is a need for the
outreach.
12. Next Meeting Date: Tuesday, December 6, 2022, 5:00 pm, in the Bayfield County
EOC and remotely via Teams.
13. Adjourn: The meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Jarecki
Amy Jarecki, Office Manager