Printable Document (.pdf)

DRAFT

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
MINUTES

November 2, 2009

The Health and Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, November 2, 2009 @ 6:30p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Vice-Chairman Paul Stoddard called the meeting to order.  Members present were Eileen Dubin, John Emerson, Pat LaVigne and Derek Tyson.  Mr. Metzger, Sr. was absent.  Ms. Donna Moulton, Mr. Gary Hanson and Ms. Ruth Anne Tobias were also present. The meeting began at 6:31p.m.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          Moved by Ms. LaVigne, seconded by Mr. Tyson, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from September 2009.  The October 2009 notes/minutes were not approved since there was not a quorum present last month.  Vice-Chairman Stoddard said that the minutes should reflect that the notes for the October 2009 committee meeting were okay.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

          Ms. LaVigne asked if item #6 could move up one spot to item #5?  The committee agreed and therefore, it was moved by Ms. LaVigne, seconded by Mr. Emerson and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended agenda. 

REVIEW OF SENIOR SERVICES TAX LEVY ONE-TIME ALLOCATIONS 

          Ms. Donna Moulton, Director of the DeKalb County Community Services Department said that the Voluntary Action Center has not submitted their bill for the truck that they ordered last year yet. 

          She also mentioned the fact that the Family Service Agency is discontinuing their assisted living program.  The Director from there mentioned that she may move the monies that we awarded them from the Senior Services Tax Levy into the peer mentor program.  Ms. Moulton mentioned to the Director of Family Service Agency that they need to ask this committee if they can do that.  Ms. Moulton said that they have spent $21,227.00 of their $90,000 that we awarded them.

          The committee asked Ms. Moulton to let the Family Service Agency know that they need to come before this committee before they redirect the Senior Service Tax Levy monies for any other program.

          Ms. Mary Supple, DeKalb County Coordinator, passed out some articles about local agencies that are struggling to make ends meet already that may need a one-time allocation, like Hope Haven and the Senior Center.

          The committee asked Ms. Moulton to send out an email to all of the agencies to see if they would like to apply for the One-Time Senior Service Tax Levy Allocation and then bring those applications back to the committee to discuss at their December 2009 committee meeting.  The agencies should have their applications turned into Ms. Moulton around December 1^st so that she could review them and make copies for the committee to review. 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGET APPEALS – MR. GARY HANSON 

Mr. Gary Hanson, DeKalb County Deputy County Administrator, brought to the committee’s attention that there are two appeals filed regarding the Health Department's budget.  The two appeals filed are:

          1.)      Submitted by Mr. Ken Andersen.  To re-evaluate the proposed Health Dept.'s fee increases.  Mr. Hanson said Mr. Andersen wanted the Health Department to understand that the government can’t charge more than their actual expenses, but should charge enough to cover all of their costs.

1. Submitted by Mr. Mark Todd.  To reduce the money set aside for

the Renew and Replacement line item for the Health Department lowering it from $250,000 to $225,000.  Mr. Hanson said Mr. Todd had just gone through several capitals and accounts and appealed this one. 

          Vice-Chairman Stoddard said that when he spoke with Ms. Karen Grush, DeKalb County’s Public Health Director, she said that the fee increases are only for the costs incurred, there was no profit made on this.  He said that Ms. Grush is cognizant that the fees are only to cover their costs.

          Mr. Hanson said that the set aside amount of $250,000 a year, has been done now for several years.  The Health Department new building has had some problems.  This appeal will have no impact on the General Fund shortfall.

          Moved by Mr. Emerson, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried unanimously to deny both appeals. 

BOARD OF HEALTH UPDATE 

          Vice-Chairman Paul Stoddard updated the committee on the Board of Health.  He said that at their late September 2009 meeting they mentioned that if they had a flu case they assumed it was H1N1 because the regular flu season doesn’t start until now.  There were 21 cases of influenza–like cases at NIU and physicians estimated that less than 10% of those cases were actually influenza.  So it would be 2 cases at that ratio, said Vice-Chairman Stoddard.  We now know that it is coming and it is more wide-spread.  We have had one death in the County, that being in the Sandwich area.  There was an inoculation session on Sunday, too.

          He said that the Health Department is in fairly good shape financially. Vice-Chairman Stoddard said that his next report will be at this committees’ December meeting.

ADJOURNMENT 

          Moved by Ms. LaVigne, seconded by Mr. Emerson, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 7:35p.m.

                                                Respectively submitted,

                                                _________________________________  

                                                Vice-Chairman Paul Stoddard

_____________________________ 

Mary C. Supple, Secretary