HomeMy WebLinkAboutM101719 JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH
MINUTES
October 17, 2019
Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend WA 98368
Board Members Staff Members
Kate Dean,County Commissioner District#1 Thomas Locke,Health Officer
David Sullivan,County Commissioner,District#2 Vicki Kirkpatrick,Public Health Director
Member Greg Brotherton,County Commissioner,District#3 Stuart Whitford,Env.Public Health Director
Pamela Adams,Port Townsend City Council Veronica Shaw,Public Health Deputy Director
Sheila Westerman,Vice Chair,Citizen at large Michael Dawson,Water Quality Manager
Kees Kolff,Chair,Public Hospital District#2 Commissioner Pinky Mingo,Env.Public Health Manager
Denis Stearns,Citizen at large Apple Martine,Community Health Director
Jenny Matter,Clerk of the Board
Vice Chair Sheila Westerman called the October 17, 2019 meetingof the Jefferson CountyBoard of
Health to order at 2:30 p.m. A quorum was present.
Members Present: Greg Brotherton, Kate Dean, David Sullivan, Sheila Westerman
Staff Present: Michael Dawson, Vicki Kirkpatrick, Thomas Locke, Apple Martine
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Vice Chair Sheila Westerman asked for approval of the agenda for October 17, 2019. Member Greg
Brotherton requested to remove Old Business and Informational Items,Number 1: Jefferson
Healthcare Update from the agenda.
Member Greg Brotherton motioned to approve the agenda as amended. The motion was seconded
by Member Kate Dean. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Vice Chair Sheila Westerman asked for approval of the minutes for the September 19, 2019 meeting of
the Jefferson County Board of Health.
On behalf of Chair Kees Kolff, Vicki Kirkpatrick requested to change the first sentence in Old
Business and Informational Items,Number 1: Jefferson Healthcare Update to read the master site plan
had started instead of completed.
Member David Sullivan motioned to approve the minutes as amended. The motion was seconded by
Member Kate Dean.No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
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PUBLIC COMMENTS
Vice Chair Sheila Westerman opened the public comment period.
Rebecca Ramsey of the Port Townsend Psychedelic Society presented a resolution in support of
decriminalization of entheogenic plants and fungi.
Vice Chair Sheila Westerman closed the public comment period.
OLD BUSINESS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
1. Jefferson Healthcare Chief Medical Officer,Dr. Joe Mattern,Receives Outstanding Rural Health
Care Practitioner Award
Dr. Tom Locke, Health Officer,provided a brief history of the Outstanding Rural Health Care Practitioner
Award and congratulated Dr. Mattern for receiving this high honor.
NEW BUSINESS
1. 2018 Performance Measures—Targeted Clinical Health Services
Susan O'Brien, JCPH Lead Nurse Practitioner, reviewed the 2018 performance measures for targeted
clinical health services. Ms. O'Brien reviewed the goals for each targeted clinical health service and
provided explanations to statistical variances between years. She also gave status updates for the
internal billing process, web-based search engine optimization,the school-based health care clinic in
Quilcene, and the foot program for seniors. Ms. O'Brien informed the Board about the partnership
with Upstream and how they are helping JCPH with inventory, marketing and financial support.
2. 2018 Performance Measures—Communicable Disease Program
Lisa McKenzie, JCPH Public Health Nurse, reviewed some of the goals and performance indicators from
the performance measures for the communicable disease program. The areas she highlighted were DOH
notifiable conditions (i.e. gonorrhea, pertussis, etc.), communication to medical providers, and vaccine and
immunization related data. Ms. McKenzie provided background information on the programs related to
each goal and factors that contributed to the increase or decrease in numbers. She said the main priorities
for the Communicable Disease Program are to maintain staffing levels, cross train staff, and fully
participate in the Community Health Improvement Plan.
3. Community Health Program Updates: Quilcene School Based Health Center, Changes to Title X
Family Planning Funding,WIC Transition to EBT cards and Cascade Software Transition
Apple Martine, JCPH Community Health Director,provided background information and the current
status of the school-based health clinic in Quilcene. She praised Margie Boyd for her participation and
commitment to that process and said she was encouraged that both mental health and physical health
services will be available there. Sheila Westerman,Vice Chair, explained the history of how the school-
based health clinics became funded by Hargrove funds (1/10t''of 1 percent).
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Ms. Martine informed the Board that Chimacum Middle School has been integrated into Chimacum High
School and a new clinic space will be available for the school-based health clinic once they are done
renovating. She also told the Board they will be looking for a new practitioner since Sarah Kirkegaard
(Nurse Practitioner)has resigned and will be working at Jefferson Healthcare.
Ms. Martine explained funding and projected legislative changes due to no longer receiving Title X
funding through the federal government for reproductive health services. She said this was an abrupt
change and handled smoothly by the clinic staff. She also informed the Board about the transition from
issuing checks to cards in the WIC program and said clients will have their new cards assigned on or after
November 1St
4. Proposed November 14 Board Meeting re: Environmental Health Fee Schedule
Dr. Tom Locke said Stuart Whitford, Environmental Health Director, requested a special meeting of the
Jefferson County Board of Health on November 14th to review the fee schedule so a public hearing could
take place in December and the fees, if approved, would be effective January 1, 2020.
Member Kate Dean motioned to hold a special meeting on November 14th at 2pm to discuss the
environmental health fee schedule. The motion was seconded by Member Greg Brotherton. No
further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
5. Multistate Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with Vaping: State Board of Health Emergency
Rule, Signage, and Local Health Department Responsibilities
Dr. Tom Locke said there has been an increase in severe lung disease due to vaping. Nation-wide over
1,479 incidents of vaping-associated lung injury have been reported along with 33 deaths. Vaping-
associated lung injury is defined as lung disease occurs without infection or any previous inhalational
exposure to chemicals, except for vaping. Dr. Locke said the State has made this a notifiable condition
and placed a temporary(120 day) ban on flavored vaping products. He also discussed the rapid rise in
teen nicotine use due to electronic nicotine delivery systems and said increased regulation, restricted
access and changing public norms will help reduce use.
The Board had comments and questions about regulating electronic nicotine delivery systems, guidelines
for disposing of vaping liquids as a dangerous waste, educational materials and signage, and social norms
of vaping.
6. 2019-20 Influenza Season Preparation
Dr. Tom Locke informed the Board about the availability of a high potency flu vaccine for those 65 years
of age and older. He said the flu season in the southern hemisphere had just ended and was one of the
worst as far as duration, severity and number of deaths. Sometimes the flu season in the southern
hemisphere is a good predictor of the severity of the flu season in the northern hemisphere. The severity
of the flu is also determined by how well the vaccine matches the circulating flu strain(s) and how many
people are vaccinated.
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The Board discussed the efficiency rates of the flu vaccine in different populations and using social media
to encourage vaccination and advertise the services offered by JCPH.
ACTIVITY UPDATE
Vicki Kirkpatrick said she has been working with the Local Homeless Housing Task Force to submit a
five-year housing plan to the Department of Commerce by December 1, 2019.
Michael Dawson, JCPH Water Quality Manager, said Anderson Lake has lower toxins levels and may be
open soon but Lake Leland is at a warning level due to elevated toxins. They continue to gather field data
for the Lake Anderson Management Plan. The EPA is holding a conference on toxic cyanobacteria this
week that he will attend and is hoping progress has been made on response plans and the new guidance for
recreational toxin levels will be clarified. The Board and Mr. Dawson discussed interagency coordination,
monitoring and response to high toxin levels.
Member Greg Brotherton said he will be talking to an Oakland city councilman who passed a similar
resolution to the one presented by Rebecca Ramsey on behalf of the Port Townsend Psychedelic Society.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
AGENDA PLANNING CALENDAR
The regularly scheduled meeting for November has been cancelled but a special meeting to discuss
environmental health fees will take place on November 14, 2019 from 2:00—3:00pm.
NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING
The next Board of Health meeting will be held on Thursday,November 14, 2019 from 2:00—3:00 p.m. at
Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA.
ADJOURNMENT
Vice Chair Sheila Westerman adjourned the October 17,2019 Jefferson County Board of Health
meeting at 4:30 p.m.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH
Excused
Kees Kolff, Chair Kate D-.1 Member
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Sheila We -rman, Vice- hair r eg01007on, Member
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Day' n, -".e Pamela Adams, Member
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Denis Stearns, Member
Respectfully submitted
J. Matter
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