Minutes of the
Health & Human Services
Committee
January 5, 2009
The Health and
Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, January 5,
2009 @ 6:30p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East. Chairman
Jeffery L. Metzger, Sr., called the meeting to order. Members present were John
Emerson, Pat LaVigne, Richard Osborne and Paul Stoddard. Ms. Dubin was absent.
Others present were Karen Grush, DeKalb County Public Health Director and Mr.
Dennis Miller, DeKalb County Coroner and ESDA Director. A quorum was present.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
Moved by Ms. LaVigne,
seconded by Mr. Emerson, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes
from December 2008.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Moved by Mr. Stoddard,
seconded by Mr. Osborne, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda as
presented.
PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION – MS. KAREN GRUSH
Ms. Karen Grush, DeKalb County
Public Health Director, introduced herself to the new members of the committee.
She said that the county has employed her for 38 years now. Her home health
care unit will be moving into the new Outreach Building this week sometime. She
said that the board of health paid about $2 million towards this new building.
She explained to the committee that
state law established the public health department. The County Board appoints
members to the board of health. Her revenues involve about 50 line items of
which 25% of the revenue comes from state grants. She was informed recently
that all Illinois grants have been reduced by 4 to 5% for this year. Public Aid
is not paying them and about $300,000.00 is outstanding yet from Public Aid to
be paid to the Health Department.
There are about 92 employees at the
health department. They have recently unionized in her department. The union
contract is good for 4 years and they just signed it in 2008.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
INTRODUCTION – MS. KAREN GRUSH AND MR. DENNIS MILLER
Ms. Karen Grush and Mr.
Dennis Miller, DeKalb County Coroner and ESDA Director then informed the
committee about emergency services in the county. They both feel that the
county is much better prepared for these emergency services then they were five
years ago. They feel that the entities that they have brought together three
years ago, from all over the county, works very well together.
Mr. Miller then explained
to the committee that he also is the Coroner for DeKalb County. He explained
that last year there were 490 deaths, which is more than the 2007 figure. His
office handles between 40 to 50 autopsies a year and over 300 cremations. He
will be introducing legislation this spring in Springfield to help raise the
permit fee on cremations from $10.00 to $25.00 or higher.
The committee thanked Ms.
Grush and Mr. Miller for their very informative reports and for their fine work.
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Mr. Emerson, seconded by
Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.
Respectively
submitted,
_________________________________
Chairman Jeffery L. Metzger, Sr.
_____________________________
Mary C. Supple,
Secretary |
