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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOH minutes 102397Board Of Health October 23, 1997 1 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH OCTOBER 23, 1997 ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT: To enhance the quality of life, promote the health, and preserve the environment for all people in the Orange County Community. THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MET ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1997 AT THE HOMESTEAD COMMUNITY CENTER IN CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA. BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS PRESENT: Timothy Ives, PharmD, MPH, Chair; Brenda Crowder-Gaines, MSA, Vice Chair; Ronald J. Cammarata, DVM; Cleon Currie, BS, At Large; Beverly Foster, RN, PhD; Jonathan E. Klein, MD; Richard J. Marinshaw, PE; and Barbara Chavious, MPH, At Large. BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS ABSENT: Barry Lynn Adler, OD; Janet Southerland DDS, MPH, and Alice Gordon, Ph.D., Commissioner. STAFF PRESENT: Daniel B. Reimer, Health Director; Joyce Harrington, Administrative Officer; Ronald Holdway, Environmental Health Director; Eileen Kugler, Personal Health Services Director; Angela Cooke, Dental Coordinator, Cornelia Ramsey, Health Education Supervisor; Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director; Angela Wells, Adult Health Supervisor, Leigh McFalls, MCH Supervisor, Ron Wall, Management Support Supervisor, SPH Nutrition Students: Stephanie Planz and Herb Morehouse Jr. 1. CALL TO ORDER AND INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS Dr. Ives called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m. Mr. Reimer introduced the staff present. 2. APPROVE AGENDA AND MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 25, 1997 Jonathan Klein made a motion to approve the Agenda as amended. It was seconded by Barbara Chavious and carried without dissent. Corrections to the minutes of September 25, 1997. Page 3, first paragraph, Regarding Educational Issues, correcting it to: The Educational issues that might require Health Education positions. Paragraph 1 page 1 for clarification, Ms Crowder-Gaines expressed her concerns regarding the educational issues that might require Health Education positions. The motion to approve the September 25, 1997, minutes with the noted amendments was made by Brenda Crowder-Gaines, seconded by Ronald Cammarata and carried without dissent. 3. ANNUAL REPORTS The floor was opened for questions about the Annual Reports that had been distributed with the agenda. Questions were raised about each of the divisional reports and were answered by the staff present. Comment [AVMC1]: Board Of Health October 23, 1997 2 Tim Ives had one last comment. He asked everybody on the Board to put aside their annual reports because we are going to come back to this same report in February and March when we review the budget to see where the gaps are. Dr. Ives thanked the Division Directors and all the staff for the hard work they put into compiling these reports, as well as their hard work through the whole year. 4. HEALTH DIRECTOR REPORT - DANIEL B. REIMER 4.1. Health Department Retreat Plan The Retreat Planning Committee met that day at 3:30. They reviewed the list of issues generated at the meeting in April, and the list that came out of the work of the staff. The retreat planning committee feels that strategic planning can not wait for the Health Director position is filled. The department will be run over with changes if we wait. The Committee does not want the retreat to be a one time event, but the beginning of a longer process. The retreat should involve the same parties that were involved before, particularly the staff who participated earlier, the Division Directors and those at the supervisory level. The retreat should focus the top issue, “What should Public Health be in Orange County,” as that question relates to all the divisions within the department. The committee suggested having a special Board meeting from 4:00-9:00 with dinner half way between. Dan asked everyone to return the Retreat Plan to him with their available dates indicated. 4.2. Orange County Smoking Committee Report -Beverly Foster At the October meeting, Cornelia Ramsey presented a plan, developed in consultation with Eileen Kugler. Beverly Foster highlighted the draft. The plan starts with a strong voluntary compliance and community education program. The first step is the development of a smoking coalition with a name to be determined. The leadership will come from the Health Department and the Board of Health. The Committee will find restaurants in compliance and have community efforts to recognize them. This will put a positive economical spin and community visibility on them. Brenda Crowder-Gaines motioned to except the Smoking Plan and Ronald J. Cammarata seconded. The motion carried without dissent. Dan Reimer reported that Ann Dellinger is a Health Lawyer at the Institute of Government who has been researching case law on smoking rules and law and violations. She has prepared a paper that will be published in December. She feels that Boards of Health that adopted smoking control rules must do one of three things: enforce them, suspend them or rescind them. Dan went on to say that we have postponed taking action on the legal standing of the rules while we explored the voluntary compliance educational program. Ann Dellinger recommended that we not delay any longer deciding whether to approach the Commissioners about their openness to supporting the legal defense, should the enforcement of the rules be challenged. If we decide to suspend them, we should announce it publicly, so that people will know. Board Of Health October 23, 1997 3 She also suggested that we could consider a strategy that we ask the Commissioners to reissue the rules as an ordinance. Her reading is this would not be an adoption of a new ordinance. Therefore it would not be out of compliance with the law that says more stringent rules and laws cannot be enacted after October 15, 1993. A reissuing simply puts the rules under the purview of the Commissioners. We have some exceptions in our rules, namely the jail, private dwellings, and retail tobacco outlets. However the Board of Commission are empowered to allow for exceptions. If they simply adopted the rules as an ordinance, then we could enforce them as an ordinance which is not affected by the court decision. That is the main advantage. The disadvantage is that an Orange County Ordinance only applies to the incorporated areas. The Board asked the Director to confer with the County Attorney and report back to the next meeting. Due to the lateness of the hour, the Director suggested that the next two items not be discussed since they were fully explained in the handouts. 5. SEARCH COMMITTEE - BRENDA CROWDER-GAINES Brenda Crowder-Gaines reviewed the application packet, including an application, the invitational brochure, the health department brochure and a cover letter thanking them for applying and asking them to please note the closing date. She reported that the Committee is rewriting the Health Director’s job description, using descriptions from surrounding counties. Input groups consisting of county management, county department heads, and health department staff in different clusters will provide information for the Committee to consider. She also mentioned a timetable. The application phase will be open until December 31,1997. March 1, 1998, is a likely start date. They have mailed to all the North Carolina Health Departments and to about 45 community agencies in this area. They mailed to the UNC School of Public Health, and posted it on the Internet. The next meeting is going to be October the 28th at 7:00 pm and it going to be in Hillsborough at the Government Services Building. Beverly Foster moved to go to closed session in terms of G.S. 143-318.11.(a)(6). Brenda Crowder-Gaines seconded and it passed without dissent. Brenda Crowder-Gaines moved and Ron Cammarata seconded to return to open session. The motion carried unanimously. Barbara Chavious moved that in consideration of nominees for the Interim Health Director, it should be clearly stated that the Interim Director would not be considered for the permanent position. Brenda Crowder-Gaines seconded the motion that carried unanimously. 7. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS 7.1. Board Member Nomination Process Brenda Crowder-Gaines reported that some information had come to the attention of the nominating committee that required reconsideration of the recommendation to the Board of Commissioners. The Committee was meeting Tuesday to determine whether the information warranted any change in the Board’s recommendation. 7.2. Preparation for the November Election of Officers Tim Ives reminded the Board that the November meeting was time for the annual election of officers. He encouraged others to consider whether they would be willing to serve as Chair Board Of Health October 23, 1997 4 or Vice-Chair. Several members voiced the concern that the officers not change while the Health Director position is open. 8. ADJOURNMENT Barbara Chavious moved for adjournment. Brenda Crowder-Gaines seconded and it passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Daniel B. Reimer, Secretary