DEKALB COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
MAY 26, 2009

 

BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS PRESENT

Scott Starkweather – President
Linda K. Liston, M.D. – Secretary
Kevin Buick, J.D.
Dennis Diemer, D.V.M.
John Olson, D.D.S.
David Phillips, M.D.
Jesus Romero
Paul Stoddard
E. Sue Thompson, R.N.

BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS ABSENT
Jean Gastiger, R.N., N.P. – Vice President
Todd Latham

Staff Members Present

Karen Grush, DeKalb County Health Department, Administrator
Jane Lux, DeKalb County Health Department, Assistant Administrator
Bette Chilton, DeKalb County Health Department, Director of Personal Health Services
Brenda Courtney, Director of Fiscal Operations
Bob Drake, DeKalb County Health Department, Director of Environmental Health
Ruth Patton, DeKalb County Health Department, Director of Office Support
Marcy Zanellato, Director of Health Education

STAFF MEMBERS ABSENT
Deb Rolf, DeKalb County Health Department, Director of Home Care

Mr. Starkweather, President, called the DeKalb County Board of Health Meeting of May 26, 2009, to order at 7:36 p.m.

MINUTES
On a motion by Mr. Stoddard, seconded by Dr. Olson, the Board of Health minutes of the meeting of March 24, 2009, were approved.  Motion carried. 

AGENDA
Mrs. Grush added a new agenda item, Operation Cat Watch, a program proposed by TAILS to address DeKalb County’s feral cat problem.

DIVISION REPORTS
Public Health Administrator
Mrs. Grush reviewed the State’s funding proposal for the Family Planning Grant.  The State has proposed funding in the amount of approximately one-half as has been received in previous years.  Many other counties have been notified of funding awards less than 50 percent.  DeKalb County was also asked by the State to provide family planning in three surrounding counties.  Providers have refused to accept this funding allocation and are working with the Illinois Public Health association, Illinois Public Health Administrators and the Illinois Department of Human Services to resolve the recommended proposed funding allocations as it would be financially disastrous to all programs.

Mrs. Grush also reported on the efforts of all staff during the recent Swine Flu outbreak and lessons learned during the process.  The Health Department focused its efforts on healthcare provider information, public information, disease surveillance, including case investigation, and receiving supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile. 

Mrs. Grush reported on our lessons learned:  

One of our primary roles is to provide information and education to health care providers and the public.  As such, we take information from our expert sources, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and communicate it to others.  In this outbreak, as in many, the information and directives from CDC and IDPH changed rapidly based on epidemiology and new knowledge.  Thus we received multiple updates daily.  We spent a good deal of time keeping up with new information, and reporting it to providers and partners.  In addition, we assisted others with interpretation of the information and with making clinical and related decisions.  We recognize that in a larger scale event, especially if we are dispensing medication, we will not be able to commit the same time and resources to this activity.  We will not be able to provide as much consultation.  Thus, health care providers will need to assume the responsibility for the interpretation and application of information.

It would be a better use of staff time to have one staff person assigned to stay current with all incoming information.  This person would be responsible for sharing the relevant current information with others, and would have no other responsibilities.  This applies to us as well as other providers.

We learned that we needed a more efficient method of communication than fax or phone.  An email distribution list of health care providers afforded us the opportunity for more efficient communication.  We intend to do the same for other key groups, allowing us to target communication messages appropriately.

We recognized that we do not have the staff resources to carry out all the public health roles of medication dispensing, information and education and disease surveillance.  This is not unique to DeKalb County, as few local health departments have sufficient resources for an emergency of this scope.  This is something we need to consider in our planning efforts.

Environmental Health
Mr. Drake stated that he met with Waste Management regarding recycling sites – one on the north side of the county and one site on the south side of DeKalb.  They are looking for sites at this time and are thinking about reopening one on Siemens Avenue and putting a chain link fence around it and opening it up to the public every Saturday.   

Mr. Drake also reported that the latex paint drop-off and electronics drop-off days were a big success.  The electronics drop-off had such a great turn out that it had to be stopped at 12:00 p.m. because the trucks were full. 

There was a discussion regarding a hazardous waste pick-up.  This in the past has been held in Sycamore.  The location needs to move to a DeKalb location to move up the priority list with EPA.  The Health Department is hoping to be able to work out a location with NIU.

Personal Health Services
Mrs. Chilton reported that she had one addition to her report regarding swine flu and how it impacted operations.  In a regular emergency event, Mrs. Grush would be deciding when to reduce or cancel regular operations so staff could assist with the emergency.  However, during this incident, this did not need to occur.

The hospital is planning to open their clinic, Partners in Healthcare, at the Monsanto building on July 1, 2009.  The clinic will be servicing low income residents and will have a sliding fee scale based on income. 

Home Care
Mrs. Grush spoke on behalf of Mrs. Rolf who is on vacation this week.  Mrs. Grush reported that Home Care had a caseload of 145 patients at this time.  The Home Care staff is very pleased with the  new building and the open house  was  a success. 

Health Education
Mrs. Zanellato reported on some tobacco related articles, one of which discussed cigarette taxes and the impact they have on adolescents.  Over 16,000 adolescents were surveyed and studied in 2003 and found the places that enforce the ban on tobacco sales to minors reduced cigarettes use by 21 percent.  And as the prices of cigarettes go up, it reduced the odds of teen smoking by 47 percent.  Another article presented reported that county officials in central China were told to smoke 250,000 packs of cigarettes annually or risk being fined in order to boost their economy. 

Mrs. Zanellato also reported on the NIU Cares Day held at the Health Department on April 18, 2009.  Mrs. Grush, Mrs. Chilton, Mrs. Zanellato, and Ms. Patton worked with 19 NIU students cleaning the Health Department. 

FINANCIAL DATA
Mrs. Grush reported that revenue is generally lower this time of the year which reduces our cash on hand.  Our tax levy distribution and general fund contribution will be coming in soon. 

Mr. Buick moved to approve the Financial Statements for the months of March and April 2009, and Claims for the months of April and May, 2009, seconded by Mr. Romero.  Motion carried.

NEW BUSINESS
Merit Raise for Management Staff
Mrs. Grush reported that the 2009 budget included funding for a  two percent mid-year merit raise for eligible management staff effective July 1, 2009. 

Dr. Liston moved to approve the 2009 mid-year zero to two percent merit raise for eligible management staff effective July 1, 2009, seconded by Mr. Stoddard.  Motion carried.

Monetary Donation to DeKalb County Animal Welfare Shelter and TAILS
Mrs. Grush reported that State law requires we assess everyone $25.00 if we have to pick up their dog and the money is to be used toward pet population control.  We collected $3,225.00 last year.  In the 2009 budget she had recommended we participate with the animal shelter to help defray spay and neuter costs on stray dogs we take there to be adopted.  The animal shelter has a grant they use to help defray the cost as well and Malta Veterinary Hospital provides the surgery at a discounted rate.  TAILS also has a discounted spay and neuter program for low income individuals on a sliding fee scale.  Mrs. Grush recommended giving the animal shelter $2,000.00 and TAILS $1,000.00 toward their spay and neuter programs.

Mr. Stoddard moved to give $2000.00 to the animal shelter and $1,000.00 to TAILS to help with the spay and neuter costs incurred, seconded by Mrs. Thompson.

However, Dr. Diemer stated he would like for the Board to see a business plan from each of these organizations before allocating the funding to them.  Therefore, the motion was tabled.

Dr. Diemer motioned to withdraw the motion to give $2,000.00 to the animal shelter and $1,000 to TAILS to help with the spay and neuter costs incurred until a business plan from each of the organizations is reviewed, seconded by Dr. Liston. 

Operation Cat Watch
Mrs. Grush reported that TAILS is proposing a new effort to address the feral cat problem.  Mrs. Grush reported there are two solutions to this problem:  euthanasia and a program such as Operation Cat Watch as proposed by TAILS.  Fixin’ Feral Felines is available to humanely trap, spay/neuter, and then return the feral cats to the neighborhood.  TAILS Humane Society will provide resident(s) all food necessary to feed the returned cats as well as accept young kittens into their adoption program.  TAILS has asked the Health Department Animal Control Program to support their effort to give credibility to the program.  They are not asking for any funding from the Health Department.

There was a discussion regarding this issue which included the difference between a feral cat and a wild animal, rabies, zoonotic diseases, and monetary costs. 

Mrs. Thompson motioned to have TAILS include the DeKalb County Health Department’s Animal Control Program included as a supporting agency on a TAILS information pamphlet and reevaluate continued support of the program in six months, seconded by Dr. Liston.  Motion carried.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

At 8:39 p.m., Mr. Buick moved to enter into executive session for the purpose of the Performance Evaluation of the Public Health Administrator, seconded by Dr. Phillips.  On a roll call vote, those voting yes included Mr. Starkweather, Dr. Liston, M.D., Mr. Buick, Dr. Diemer, Dr. Olson, Dr. Phillips, Mr. Romero, Mr. Stoddard, and Mrs. Thompson.

At 8:56 p.m., Mr. Buick moved to enter into regular session, seconded by Mrs. Thompson.  On a roll call vote, those voting yes included Mr. Starkweather, Dr. Liston, M.D., Mr. Buick, Dr. Diemer, Dr. Olson, Dr. Phillips, Mr. Romero, Mr. Stoddard, and Mrs. Thompson.

Dr. Olson moved to give Mrs. Grush a two (2) percent merit raise effective July 1, 2009, and to allow her to buy down 112.50 hours accumulated vacation time, seconded by Mr. Romero.  Motion carried.

CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Highlights noted.

 

ADJOURNMENT

On a motion by Dr. Liston and seconded by Mr. Buick, the Board of Health adjourned at 9:03 p.m.  Motion carried.