The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutM011620 JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MINUTES January 16, 2020 Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend WA 98368 Board Members Staff Members Pamela Adams,Port Townsend City Council Greg Michael Dawson,Water Quality Manager Brotherton,County Commissioner,District#3 Vicki Kirkpatrick,Public Health Director Kate Dean,County Commissioner District#1 Thomas Locke,Health Officer Kees Kolff,Chair,Public Hospital Dist#2 Commissioner Apple Martine,Community Health Director Denis Stearns,Citizen at large Pinky Mingo,Env.Public Health Manager David Sullivan,County Commissioner,District#2 Veronica Shaw,Public Health Deputy Director Sheila Westerman,Vice Chair,Citizen at large Stuart Whitford,Env.Public Health Director Chair Kees Kolff called the January 16, 2020 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health to order at 2:30 p.m. A quorum was present. Members Present: Pamela Adams, Greg Brotherton,Kate Dean, Kees Kolff, Denis Stearns, David Sullivan, Sheila Westerman Staff Present: Michael Dawson, Vicki Kirkpatrick, Thomas Locke, Apple Martine, Pinky Mingo, Stuart • Whitford APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Kees Kolff asked for approval of the agenda for January 16, 2020. Member Pamela Adams motioned to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded by Member Kate Dean.No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chair Kees Kolff asked for approval of the minutes for the December 12, 2019 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health. Member Kate Dean said she was not at the last meeting although it was noted in the minutes that she was present. Member Pamela Adams motioned to approve the minutes as corrected. The motion was seconded by Member Greg Brotherton.No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously. Page 1 of 4 • ELECTION OF OFFICERS Chair Kees Kolff called for nominations of officers for 2020. Sheila Westerman was selected for the position of Chair and Pamela Adams was selected for the position of Vice Chair. The Board agreed unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENTS Angela Gyurko spoke of the community's commitment to the school-based health clinics and reproductive justice. She said they have raised over$10,000 for JCPH's family planning program and painted the clinic at Port Townsend High School. She thanked the volunteers who donated time and supplies to paint the clinic. Gene Farr provided information refuting the claim that climate change is a health problem. He gave the Board a handout titled, "More Climate Change Propaganda." OLD BUSINESS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 1. 2019-20 Influenza Outbreak Season Dr. Tom Locke, Health Officer,told the Board this year's flu season maybe be a bimodal outbreak. Currently,the dominant strain is influenza B which has the most severe impacts on children. In a bimodal outbreak, a second peak in influenza activity occurs with a different dominant strain of influenza. Dr. Locke reviewed the four types of influenza and said strains are constantly changing and can mutate during an outbreak or from year to year. He also reviewed national and local flu testing results and discussed high potency flu vaccines and other viruses that cause flu-like symptoms. 2. Mumps Advisory Kitsap County Dr. Tom Locke informed the Board about a mumps outbreak in Kitsap County. Although no cases have been reported in Jefferson or Clallam County, it can circulate unnoticed because not all cases result in visually noticeable swollen glands. Dr. Locke said the mumps vaccine (70%-88% efficacy) is not as effective as the measles vaccine (99%). The mumps infection is highly contagious and considered a notifiable condition. NEW BUSINESS 1. Environmental Public Health Fee Policy and Proposed Fees for 2020 Revisited—Need for Selected Revisions Due to a Software Error. Recommend Call for Public Hearing for February 20,2020. Stuart Whitford, Environmental Health Director, said there were some errors on the fee schedule presented in December. Pinky Mingo, Environmental Health Manager, requested to repeal and replace Ordinance • Page 2 of 4 • #15-1212-19 with a revised fee schedule and call for a public hearing at the February 20th Board of Health meeting. Ms. Mingo reviewed the proposed changes to the fee schedule. Member Kate Dean motioned to hold a public hearing on February 20, 2020 to repeal and replace Ordinance#15-1212-19 with a revised fee schedule. The motion was seconded by Chair Kees Kolff. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously. 2. Climate Change Health Emergency—Next Steps Dr. Tom Locke said professionals in the healthcare field are starting to see climate change as an international health emergency and working to develop specific plans and actions to address the health effects of climate change. He said the CDC has developed a guide to assist local health jurisdictions to prepare for the public health impacts of climate change. Vicki Kirkpatrick, JCPH Director, said the National Association of County and City Health Officials has also developed a climate change toolkit for local health jurisdictions. Michael Dawson, Water Quality Manager, briefly reviewed the results of public opinion surveys conducted by Yale University and George Mason University on local opinions regarding climate change and discussed how opinions have shifted over time. The Board discussed using the science of epidemiology to understand health impacts due to climate change, current and past work done by local groups and community members, access to local resources for climate change information, future community engagement opportunities (e.g. 50th anniversary of Earth Day at Salish Coast Elementary), and how to define an appropriate and effective role for the Board of Health, along with the process going forward. ACTIVITY UPDATE Vicki Kirkpatrick announced that this was the last meeting for Stuart Whitford, Environmental Public Health Director, and the Board thanked him for his work and gave him a standing ovation. Chair Kees Kolff asked about salmon recovery grants recently published in the local newspaper. Michael Dawson informed them of the new centennial clean water project starting in 2020 and of the watershed restoration work conducted by Tami Pokorny,Natural Resources Program Coordinator. Stuart Whitford said the on-site sewage cost share program has been initiated and they are working with OlyCAP and Habitat for Humanity to locate applicants. PUBLIC COMMENT Jim Scarantino provided information based on past environmental predictions to support the idea that treating climate change as a catastrophic emergency is not based on science. He also spoke in favor of using fossil fuels to provide adequate access to affordable energy. S Page 3 of 4 • Gene Farr said the concept of climate change tipping points has been invented by politicians who want us to give up our tax dollars,property rights and control of our lives. AGENDA PLANNING CALENDAR There was no agenda planning. NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING The next Board of Health meeting will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2020 from 2:30—4:30 p.m. at Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Sheila Westerman adjourned the January 16,2020 Jefferson County Board of Health meeting at 4:18 p.m. J�EjFFERSO ILL) ,��N COUNTY BO�ARD OF HEALTH • a LJ Sheila Westerman, Vice Chair Kate De Member 14provrektth hnut Pamela s, Mem r reg rton, Member ffirWe en. Kees Kolff, Chair Denis Stearns, Member Respectfully submitted J. Matter Page 4 of 4