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Home My WebLink About2025_07_17_BOH_Minutes_ExecutedREGULAR MEETING MINUTES Jefferson County Board of Health Thursday, July 17, 2025 @ 2:30 p.m. Jefferson County Courthouse — Commissioners' Chambers 1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA Hybrid Meeting Board Members Greg Brotherton, County Commissioner, District #3 Heather Dudley-Nollette, County Commissioner, District #1 Celeste Dybeck, Tribal Representative Heidi Eisenhour, County Commissioner, District #2 Amanda Grace, Chair, Community Stakeholder Dr. Kees Kolff, Public Hospital District #2 Commissioner Monica MickHager, Vice -Chair, Port Townsend City Council Gabrielle Vanwert, Consumer of Public Health Staff Members Denise Banker, Community Health Director Lara Cittadini, CHIP Manager Michael Dawson, Water Quality Manager Carter Erickson, Environmental Health Manager Apple Martine, Public Health Director Pinky Mingo, Environmental Public Health Director Jenn Mitchell, Finance Manager Dr. Gib Morrow, Deputy Health Officer Veronica Shaw, Public Health Deputy Director Acting Chair MickHager called the July 17, 2025 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health to order at 2:33 p.m. Members Present: Vice -Chair Monica MickHager, Members Greg Brotherton, Heather Dudley-Nollette, Heidi Eisenhour, and Gabrielle Vanwert. Staff Present: Staff Members Denise Banker, Lara Cittadini, Michael Dawson, Carter Erickson, Apple Martine, Pinky Mingo, Gib Morrow, Jenn Mitchell and Veronica Shaw. For the benefit of Dr. Morrow, who stepped in as Deputy Health Office to cover for Dr. Berry, Acting Chair MickHager asked that Board Member and Staff Members introduce themselves. PUBLIC COMMENT Before calling for public comment, Staff Member Martine responded to two items of written public comment concerning: (1) the use of public funds in regards to certain public service announcements; and (2) the increase of fees at the Public Health clinic. Acting Chair MickHager then called for public comment. Commenter expressed concern for the sometimes sharply increased Public Health fees and the effect they will have on the most vulnerable in the community. Commenter, representing the local group Citizens for Healthcare Access, spoke in support of those in the community who are not covered by insurance and who need access to reproductive healthcare, and asked that their group be reached out to for support when matters such as fee increases are under consideration. Respectfully submitted Page 1 of 3 G. Gilbert In response, a Board Member opined that, though the Board is not required to approve Public Health fee increases, in the interest of transparency it would be worthwhile to bring proposed fee increases to Board meetings for public discussion. Discussion ensued concerning the "sliding scale" that Public Health has for patients requiring financial assistance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Acting Chair MickHager called for a motion to accept the agenda for July 17, 2025. MOTION: Member Brotherton moved to approve the agenda as amended. Member Dudley-Nollette seconded the motion, which carried by a unanimous vote. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Acting Chair MickHager requested a motion to approve the minutes of the May 15, 2025 meeting. MOTION: Member Dudley-Nollette moved to approve the minutes. Member Eisenhour seconded the motion, which carried by a unanimous vote. OLD BUSINESS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 1. Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) Report Staff member Martine provided an update on finances, fiscal year 25 having recently concluded. County budget season, July -September, is in progress, with a public report presented to the Board of County Commissioners in mid - September. Federal activity has created an uncertain atmosphere with budgetary reductions both known and unknown. Financial reductions have also come down from state government. Staff member Martine highlighted some specific programs affected by reductions. JCPH has received word that it passed its State Department of Health Fiscal Monitoring Review. There will be an annual Local Board of Health training, October 7-9 in Ellensburg. Board of Health members and staff have attended past sessions; Staff Member Martine encouraged Board members to attend. 2. Jefferson Healthcare Report The clerk of the Board read a report provided by Dr. Kolff. The report mentioned the level of discounted and free care provided by the hospital. Also mentioned was the hardship created for rural healthcare systems by recent Federal reductions. The hospital is searching for creative means of increasing funding. The hospital's Chair of the Board received a Governance Excellence Award from the Washington State Hospital Association. And the hospital Modernization and Expansion is nearing completion, with an open house on August 24. 3. Infectious Diseases Update Kitsap Health Officer Dr. Gib Morrow, standing in for Dr. Berry as Deputy Health Officer, provided information on bat risks and management, and cautioned about keeping up with vaccines (tetanus/pertussis/diphtheria and measles/mumps/rubella). Pertussis continues to circulate on the Olympic Peninsula. Jefferson County has a lower - than -average rate of measles vaccination for children. Sign up for heat and smoke alerts, and be aware of clean air and cooling centers. Regarding COVID, there has been a small early summer spike, now downtrending. For those who haven't been vaccinated in the past year, Dr. Morrow recommended updating vaccination. Avian flu remains a concern. Report sightings of dead/sick birds. Respectfully submitted Page 2 of 3 G. Gilbert NEW BUSINESS 1. Workshop: Amending JCC 8.65.090 and JCC 8.65.100 (Clean Water District) JCPH Water Quality Manager Michael Dawson provided a presentation concerning proposed Amendments to the Clean Water District Ordinance for the purpose of protecting shellfish farming/harvesting. The amendments address pollution caused by sewage not managed by public sewer systems. There was a discussion of the process for public review, in particular the public hearing before the Board of County Commissioners. 2. Update on Current CHIP Planning and Progress JCPH CHIP Program Manager Lara Cittadini presented concerning the goals and processes of the Community Health Improvement Plan, including performance of cyclical community health assessment (CHA) and formulation of a plan of action to increase health equity. Discussion ensued regarding CHIP/CHA processes. 3. JCPH Assessment Team Environmental Report and Dashboard Lolinthea Hinkley JCPH Assessment & Program Coordinator, and Alyssa Wyrsch, JCPH Epidemiologist, delivered a presentation on environmental and climate health threats to East Jefferson County and described opportunities for remediation . Consideration was given to populations of greater susceptibility to climate effects due to risk factors including age and medical conditions. They described the Community Survey, which was a part of the process of data gathering, and the Dashboard where the public can review current environmental information. FUTURE POTENTIAL AGENDA TOPICS Salish Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization will reschedule. "Opioid spending" recommended for a future meeting. The "County Strategic Plan" is recommended for an upcoming meeting. There were none. ANNOUNCEMENTS AGENDA PLANNING CALENDAR The Agenda Planning Meeting for the next regular meeting of the Board will be held on August 14, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. The next regular Board of Health meeting will be held as a hybrid meeting on Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 2:30 p.m. — 4:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Acting Chair MickHager adjourned the July 17, 2025 Jefferson County Board of Health meeting at 4:32 p.m. until the next Regular Meeting or Special Meeting as properly noticed. /'�tRso UNT OARD OF HEALTH Monica MickHager, Vice -Chair Glenn Gilbert, Public Health Assistant Respectfully submitted Page 3 of 3 G. Gilbert