HomeMy WebLinkAboutM052115JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH
MINUTES
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend WA 98368
Board Members
Phil Johnson, County Commissioner District #1
David Sullivan, County Commissioner, District #2
Kathleen Kler, Vice -Chair County Commissioner, District #3
Kris Nelson, Port Townsend City Council
Sheila Westerman, Chair, Citizen at large
Jill Buhler, Hospital Commissioner, District #2
Staff Members
Thomas Locke, MD, Health Officer
Jean Baldwin, Public Health Dir
Julia Danskin, Public Health Manager
Jared Keefer, Env. Health Dir
Veronica Shaw, Public Health Deputy Dir
Vice -Chair Kler called the May 21, 2015 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health to
order at 2:33 p.m. A quorum was present.
Members Present: David Sullivan, Kathleen Kler, Phil Johnson, Kris Nelson
Members Excused: Sheila Westerman, Jill Buhler,
Staff Present: Tom Locke, Jean Baldwin, Jared Keefer, Julia Danskin, Philip Morley
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Vice -Chair Kler asked that item 4 move to item 1 in New Business.
Vice -Chair Kler asked for approval of the May 21, 2015 Agenda.
Member Nelson moved to approve the agenda; the motion was seconded by Member
Sullivan. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Vice -Chair Kler called for approval of the minutes of the March 19, 2015 meeting of the Board
of Health.
Member Nelson moved to approve the minutes as presented; the motion was seconded by
Member Sullivan. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Peter Lawrenson requested an update on the paper mill taking financial responsibility for the
landfill. Jared Keefer, Environmental Health Director, JCPH, informed Mr. Lawrenson that the
closure cost estimates and financial assurance agreements are nearing completion. Once they
come to an agreement, they send the documents to the Department of Ecology for final review.
Mr. Keefer said that this process is still ongoing but proceeding appropriately, and that the
change in ownership has not affected this issue — the mill is fully responsible for all closure costs
under its current permit.
OLD BUSINESS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
1. Public Health Outstanding Food Safety Awards
Mr. Keefer announced the recipients of the 2014 Public Health Outstanding Food Safety
Awards and presented certificates to those in attendance. The 2014 winners are: Belmont
Catering, Blue Heron Middle School, Brinnon School District, Cedarbrook School,
Chimacum Primary School, Chimacum Elementary School, Chimacum Middle School,
Chimacum High School, Ferino's Pizzeria, Food Co-op Grocery, Inn at Port Ludlow
Catering, Jefferson County Horse Project 4H, Jefferson County Jail, Jefferson Mental
Health, Lanza's, Lively Olive Tasting Bar, Port Townsend Senior Nutrition, Port
Townsend High School Cafeteria, QFC#106 Deli - Port Townsend, Queets Clearwater
Elementary School, Quilcene School Cafeteria, and Timberhouse Restaurar
2. Update on PSP Closures, Sewage Spills, Beach Closures, and Lake Algae
Levels
Dr. Tom Locke, Health Officer, JCPH, reviewed the recent press releases issued by JCPH
Environmental Health that identify shellfish/beach closures and sewage spills within
Jefferson County. Dr. Locke spoke about the increase of these incidents, both man-made
and naturally occurring. The Board discussed at length issues with toxins in the water,
and Dr. Locke reviewed the risks involved to the public. Dr. Locke informed the Board
that the results from sampling that took place after the Port Ludlow Bay sewage spill are
pending. He assured the Board that when the results do arrive, they will give JCPH
valuable information to guide the duration of future closures, should they be necessary.
Vice -Chair Kler informed the Board that she attended a presentation hosted by JCPH and
given by Clara Hard of the Washington State Department of Health. Information from
that presentation is on the JCPH website.
NEW BUSINESS
1. 2014 Community Health Performance Measures: Prevention
Julia Danskin, Public Health Manager, JCPH; presented the 2014 Population and
Prevention Program Performance Measures to the Board. Additionally, Ms. Danskin
provided the Board with a Community Health Department budget, broken out by
category, as well as a Local Public Health System Annual Report to the Legislature by
the Washington State Association of Public Health Officials. Items in the budget and
performance measures Ms. Danskin highlighted include: The Population and Prevention
section of the budget includes healthy community dollars. JCPH pays the County for rent
and I.T. services, but this money is included in the overall budget and skews the numbers.
Family Planning and WIC programs get state and federal dollars and JCPH provides this
service in-house. JCPH is in negotiations for the school nursing program. Marijuana
funding might have too many contingencies so they are not counting on this as a revenue
source in the near future. Karen Obermeyer, Health Educator, JCPH, is looking at the
City and County Comprehensive plan to make sure health is represented (walkable
communities, bike routes, healthy nutrition, etc.).
Ms. Danskin will present Targeted Clinical Health Services to the Board at the upcoming
meeting in June.
2. 2014 Communicable Disease Performance Measures and 2015 Updates for
Gonorrhea and Pertussis Cases
Lisa McKenzie, Public Health Nurse, JCPH, presented the 2014 Performance Measures.
for the Com Imunicable Disease (CD) Program to the Board. Additionally, Ms. McKenzie
provided the Board with an update on the 2015 Gonorrhea and Pertussis numbers for
Jefferson County. Items Ms. McKenzie highlighted include: 180 CD reports confirmed
(which accounts for a Gonorrhea outbreak in the last half of 2013, and an increase in
Chlamydia and Chronic Hepatitis C. Outreach and testing for Gonorrhea have increased);
an increase in Provider Alerts in 2014 (23 total), which increased due to Ebola planning,
screening, and infection control. Ms. McKenzie informed the Board that completeness of
the full immunization series for children seeing Jefferson County providers continues to
increase each year and is equal to the state number (56% total, 61 % for DTaP, Hep -B,
HIB, MMR and Polio). JCPH Family Planning and STD clinics follow the CDC
screening recommendations for women who are at a high-risk for Chlamydia and
screening volumes increased from 60.4% in 2013 to 63.4% in 2014, and are above the
national and state screening numbers. HIV Screening numbers are also up from previous
years because free testing is more accessible and testing is now universal and not risk-
based.
Ms. McKenzie provided the Board with a recent press release issued by JCPH that details
a Pertussis (Whooping Cough) outbreak in Jefferson County. She informed the Board
that the most current numbers for Pertussis are 19 confirmed cases, and 6 suspect.
3. 2014 Syringe Exchange Annual Report and CDC Health Advisory Re: Syringe
Exchange Program
Ms. McKenzie presented the Jefferson County Syringe Exchange Program (SEP) 2014
Annual Report to the Board. Ms. McKenzie explained that Syringe Exchange Utilization
in Jefferson County has increased substantially (185 clinic visits and 24,596 syringes
exchanged in 2013, 350 clinic visits and 42,809 visits in 2014), and explained part of this
increase is that JCPH has an increase in males aged 30+, females, and new clients who
were once secondary exchange users and are now secondary exchange providers.
Ms. Danskin explained to the Board that funding no longer comes from the state and
pointed out in the Community Health Department budget and that $3,000 is used for
supplies and that all visits are absorbed by CD staffing.
The Board was provided with a CDC handout as an informational item. It shows that
cities that institute a SEP early on in outbreak places have lower HIV numbers.
4. Application for Substance Abuse Advisory Board
Ms. Danskin provided the Board with an application from Adam Marquis, Jefferson
Mental Health Executive Director, to become a member of the Substance Abuse
Advisory Board (SAAB). Ms. Danskin noted that she, Catherine Robinson, and Vice -
Chair Kler expressed support and recommended Mr. Marquis be approved to join the
SAAB.
Member Sullivan motioned to approve Mr. Marquis to the Substance Abuse
Advisory Board. Member Johnson seconded the motion. No further discussion. The
motion passed unanimously.
5. Jefferson County Environmental Health Fee Revisions — Recommended Call for
Public Hearing June 18, 2015
Mr. Keefer provided the Board with an updated Environmental Health Fee Schedule. He
explained these changes in fees are to make adjustments for the hourly rate.
Member Nelson motioned to hold a public hearing at the June 18, 2015 Jefferson
County Board of Health meeting. Member Johnson seconded the motion. No further
discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
6. Articles of Note
The Board was provided the following articles: "Executive Constantine proposes strategy
to put every child in King County on path toward lifelong success," "GROW Healthy
Kids & Communities, Blue Heron Middle School Bike Shelter," and "Bike to School
Day, May 6, 2015."
ACTIVITY UPDATE
Mr. Keefer provided the Board with an update on the Drinking Water Program. He completed a
data analysis that showed 37% of the monetary loss that program experiences is due to Building
Permit reviews, and that the update to the Fee Schedule will help recoup that money.
Additionally, 32% of the loss is unrecovered costs due to fielding questions from the public. He
is looking into ways to proactively get information to the public. Mr. Keefer said that, after
looking at the time and money involved in doing sanitary surveys for DOH, it doesn't make
sense to stop doing them as those costs are covered, as are the costs involved in
decommissioning wells, and issuing well drilling permits.
Mr. Keefer will review the Solid Waste Performance Measures at the next Board meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
AGENDA PLANNING CALENDAR
Jean Baldwin, Director, JCPH, updated the Board on the progress of the Accountable
Community of Health (ACH), which has been recognized by the Healthcare Authority. The
three -county ACH has now hired a staff person, Peter Browning.
Dr. Locke and Ms. Baldwin met with Mike Glenn, CEO of Jefferson Healthcare, and Eric Lewis,
CEO of Olympic Medical Center, to discuss next steps in Washington State's health care system
integration and reform efforts. Among the issues discussed were concerns that Medicaid and
Medicare are the main sources of revenue for rural hospitals and these programs have been
targeted for major "savings" by the State. Jefferson Healthcare will meet with Peter Browning
soon. A next step identified for Jefferson County is to meet with medical providers and other
stakeholders to draw them into the regional reform process. Ms. Baldwin explained to the Board
that those who manage billing for services will experience the change first, so they need to be
consulted.
Ms. Baldwin informed the Board that the four groups from the Community Health Improvement
Team will start meeting, and Board members can expect to be contacted to take leadership roles.
NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING
The next Board of Health meeting will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2015 from 2:30 — 4:30
p.m. at Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA.
ADJOURNMENT
Vice -Chair Kler adjourned the May 21, 2015 Jefferson County Board of Health meeting at
4:04 p.m.
BOARD OF HEALTH
Kris Nelson, Member
Respectfully Submitted:
Natalie Crump
J. Buhler, ember
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Sheila Westerman, Chair
Kathleen Kl�Membe,