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Home My WebLink About2025_10_16_BOH_Minutes_Executedn Public IieeGlth REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Jefferson County Board of Health Thursday, October 16, 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 Dr. Allison Berry, Health Officer 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 Veronica Shaw, Public Health Deputy Director Chair Grace called the October 16, 2025 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health to order at 2:30 p.m. Members Present: Chair Amanda Grace, Members Greg Brotherton, Heather Dudley-Nollette, Celeste Dybeck, Heidi Eisenhour, Monica MickHager and Gabrielle Vanwert. Staff Present: Staff Members Denise Banker, Dr. Allison Berry, Michael Dawson, Carter Erickson, Apple Martine, Pinky Mingo, Jenn Mitchell and Veronica Shaw. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Grace called for a motion to accept the agenda for October 16, 2025. Chair Grace noted that, in the absence of Member Kolff, Chair Grace would read a brief statement from Dr. Kolff in place of his Jefferson Healthcare Report. MOTION: Member Eisenhour moved to approve the agenda as revised. Member Dybeck seconded the motion, which carried by a unanimous vote. Respectfully submitted Page 1 of 4 G. Gilbert NEW BUSINESS 1. [POTENTIAL ACTION] PUBLIC HEARING in the Matter of Amending Jefferson County Ordinance No. 02- 0220-25, Section 8.15.055(7) Local Management Plan for On -Site Sewage of the Jefferson County Code (JCC), Addressing the Exemption from the Annual Operations & Maintenance Fee (Carter Erickson, Ariel Speser) Staff Presentation Staff member Erickson presented a slideshow concerning the changes to exemption criteria for the recently adopted On -site Sewage Code, providing the reasoning for the original language and the reasons for amending the language. Public Testimony There was none. Board of Health Deliberation and Possible Vote on Adopting Code As the amendment was discussed at the September meeting, the Board moved to vote. MOTION: Member Brotherton moved to approve an ordinance amending Jefferson County Ordinance No. 02-0220-25, Section 8.15.055(7) Local Management Plan for On -Site Sewage of the Jefferson County Code, Addressing the Exemption from the Annual Operations & Maintenance Fee as presented today. Member Dybeck seconded the motion, which carried by a unanimous vote. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chair Grace requested a motion to approve the minutes of the August 21, 2025 meeting. MOTION: Member Dudley-Nollette moved to approve the minutes of the September 19, 2025 Board of Health meeting. Member Eisenhour seconded the motion, which carried by a unanimous vote. PUBLIC COMMENT Chair Grace called for public comment. Commenter brought to the attention of the Board that, overnight, the current administration fired every single person at the Title 10 office, with no intention of reinstating Title 10 funding (which is now gone.) OLD BUSINESS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 1. Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) Report Staff member Martine stated that COVID vaccines are currently available to everyone (in Washington) six months and older. and discussed multi -state alliances being formed to provide science -led guidance to the public to counter federal confusion and misinformation. The Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program, highly impacted by federal cuts, is currently funded through the end of the month; other temporary resources are being sought. JCPH is the regional winner of the Great Diaper Drive. 2. Jefferson Healthcare Report Member Kolff s statement, read by Chair Grace, concerned the reduction of wait times for appointments for new or transferring patients, and also mentioned new services in the new wing of the hospital and also funding reductions and potential losses of coverage by many local patients. 3. Infectious Diseases Update Concerning WIC, Dr. Berry mentioned that the State Board of Health laid off staff in order to keep funding available for WIC. Respectfully submitted Page 2 of 4 G. Gilbert Locally, COVID still circulates but hospitalizations are down. Adult vaccines are available, but child vaccine for COVID is still scarce and distribution is spotty. RSV and flu are, so far, rare and vaccines for both are available. RSV vaccine has proved to be very effective and is recommended for young children up until 8 months of age, up to 19 months of age with certain high risk conditions. Measles continues to spread in the United States, but so far not significantly in Washington. A current danger is "community transmission," where the source of the infection is unknown (still not found in WA). Community transmission signals that there are many other undetected cases in that community. Thankfully that has not yet been the case in Washington, where public health agencies have continued to be able to control sporadic cases. The best protection against measles spread is to stay up to date on measles vaccination. Dr. Berry acknowledged the Governors' Health Alliance, but shared her concern about its being named the "Governors'..." which suggests a political element and could erode trust in communities that do not agree with the governor. NEW BUSINESS (continued) 2. JCPH Clinic Fees — Board Discussion (Apple Martine; Dr. Berry) With a brief introduction by Dr. Berry, the subject was opened up for discussion by the board. Member Dudley- Nollette quoted WSALPHO materials affirming that guiding laws state that local boards of health approve the budget and set fees (unlike in Jefferson County). Staff member Shaw stated that, some years ago, the Board declined to be responsible for setting clinic fees (established by county resolution). It is recommended that the resolution be reexamined for compliance with state law. Concern was expressed that publication of sharply increased fees (without accompanying publication of sliding scales) may discourage potential patients from seeking treatment. Further discussion ensued. 3. Successes of Public Health Tobacco/Cannabis Prevention Program (Laura Tucker, Mike Reynolds) Brinnon School Board member Mike Reynolds described the origin of the Brinnon Run Club and its expansion into the Brinnon Youth Club, which is funded, in part, by Public Health mini -grants for the Youth Cannabis and Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program (YCCTPP). Several students provided testimony concerning the benefits of the program activities in regard to socialization and physical and mental/emotional development. JCPH staff member Tucker provided a slideshow describing other activities supported by YCCTPP mini -grants 4. Award of Certificate of Completion for JCPH Summer Intern (Veronica Shaw) Staff member Shaw introduced JCPH summer intern Thailer Houck -Ball and presented him with a Certificate of Completion. ANNOUNCEMENTS Member Dudley-Nollette noted that October is National Disability Employment Month, which was commemorated by a Board of Commissioners Proclamation. FUTURE POTENTIAL AGENDA TOPICS Staff member Martine reminded the board that board members are welcome to suggest topics for regularly scheduled meetings by filling out and submitting a Call to Agenda form. Respectfully submitted Page 3 of 4 G. Gilbert AGENDA PLANNING CALENDAR The Agenda Planning Meeting for the next regular meeting of the Board will be held on November 13, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. The next regular Board of Health meeting will be held as a hybrid meeting on Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 2:30 p.m. — 4:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Chair Grace adjourned the October 16, 2025 Jefferson County Board of Health meeting at 4:23 p.m. until the next Regular Meeting or Special Meeting as properly noticed. JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH Amanda Grace, Chair Glenn Gilbert, Public Health Assistant Respectfully submitted Page 4 of 4 G. Gilbert