HomeMy WebLinkAbout02 February
COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE CONTROL
PUBLIC HEALTH
NURSING
VITAL
STATISTICS
ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH
HEALTH
EDUCATION
JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
802 SHERIDAN PORT TOWNSEND, WASH. 98368
(206) 385-0722
HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
FEBRUARY 23, 1993
BOARD MEMBERS:
STAFF MEMBERS:
Robert Hinton, Acting Chairman
Richard Wojt, Member
Glen Huntingford, Member
Larry Fay, Director of
Environmental Health
David Specter,
Administrator
Jean Baldwin, Director of
Nursing Services
J. Peter Geerlofs, M.D.,
Health Officer
CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND
REPRESENTATIVE:
Norma Owsley
The meeting was called to order by
Board and Staff members were present:
Huntingford, Larry Fay, David Specter,
Atkins. Port Townsend's representative
acting Chairman Robert Hinton. The following
Commissioner Richard Wojt, Couunissioner Glen
Jean Baldwin, Chester Prudhomme, and Linda
Norma Owsley was also present.
ORGANIZATIQN: The first order of business was to elect a permanent Chairman.
The Board agreed that Robert Hinton will serve a~ Chairman.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
January 21, 1993. Commissioner
unanimous vote.
Commissioner Wojt moved to approve the Minutes of
Huntingford seconded the motion which carried by a
ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
FINANCIAL REPORT: David Specter reported that 9.44% of the budget was expended
and 3.3% of budgeted revenues have been collected as of January 31, 1993. Salaries and
benefit~ are in line. Some office supplies were pre-orden..'<1 and two months rent has been
paid which explains why those line items are high. Revenue from grants not received until
February is not reflected in this report.
HEALTH BOARD MEETING MINUTES - FEBRUARY 23, 1993
Page 2
A monthly calendar was provided to the Board which lists the clinic schedule and other
Health Department activities. This calendar will be expanded to include Human Services'
activities as well.
PROGRAM/GRANT UPDATE: The State Department of Health notified the Health
Department that there is an additional $8,000 in grant funding for the Consolidated Contract.
The funds will be used to purchase computer equipment to support tracking programs for
various Health Department activities throughout the State. The State has funds available that
must be spent by June? David Specter feels software is needed in order to integrate the
systems.
Jefferson and Clallam County Health Departments contract with the State Department of
Health, Office of Community and Rural Health, to provide a dental program. The progrdm
is geared toward primary care only. They do not provide major intervention or restoration
of teeth. It is available for people who do not have Medicaid or insurance. Approximately
100 clients are served each year. The State notified the Health Department that there are
supplemental funds available for the program in the amount of $3,000. The additional funds
will be used to open more clinics. Currently there are 17 clinics schednled between now
and June and each costs approximately $400. Commissioner Wojt asked if the Dentisis
volunteer their time to provide the services" David Specter answered that the Dentists and
Dental Hygienists are contracted.
The Health Department is the lead agency for the Federally funded Family Resource
Coordinator program. Funds were used to hire a person to coordinate resources for special
needs children, birth to three years of age. In conjunction with the Interagency Coordinating
Council they are providing the coordination. They recently learned there was additional
funding available for this progrdm also, in the amount of $8,000. These funds will be used
to fund more staffing time in the West End.
1993 GOALS/STATUS REPORT: David Specter reported on the APEX process.
David Specter, Jean Baldwin, Larry Fay and Peter Geerlofs all met to begin the process of
defining the health needs and priorities. They came up with a list of 40 health problem
areas and their goal within the next few weeks is to narrow the list down to 10-15 health
problem areas and then take it to the Advisory Committee which will be formed in the next
two months, for their review.
DIRECTOR OF NURSING'S REPORT
WOMEN'S STD PROGRAM UPDATE: Jean Baldwin reported that the clinic is open
for business and most of the clients are referrals from Family Planning. She is hesitating on
sending a press release to the papers since the clinic is already very busy without that
exposure. A Nurse Practitioner attended a week long training session at Harborview Medical
Center in Seattle that was funded by the Center for Disease Control. The budget items will
be tracked closely to see what the actual costs are. Jean Baldwin will be attending a
physicians meeting tonight to discuss follow-ups and internal structures.
HEALTH BOARD MEETING MINUTES - FEBRUARY 23, 1993
Page 3
Commissioner Wojt asked about patients being able to choose physicians other than their
regular physician, to perform certain procedures? Jean Baldwin stated that it's a matter of
health care reform for Medicare and Medicaid. If managed care becomes mandated then
Medicaid recipients would be mandated to go to one physician for all services. Therefore
certain services provided by the Health Department or other physicians may not be
reimbursable from Medicaid. This would have serious financial impacts on the Department.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR'S REPORT
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: Larry Pay stated he will put together information on
policy areas to be developed for integration into the One-stop Permit Center for the Board's
review at the meeting in March. Two areas of focus are the procedures on plat approvals
and water systems. They hope to have the policies adopted in April or May and open the
Permit Center in June.
PORT LUDLOW WATERSHED ACTION PLAN: Larry Fay reported that the Health
Department has been actively participating in the Port Ludlow Watershed Planning Process.
There are six specific recommendations the plan outlines as to actions the Health Department
can undertake. A staff response was drafted for each item stating if the Health Department
concurs, does not concur or conditionally concurs. He then introduced Unda Atkins to
explain each item.
Linda Atkins reported she had attended most of the Port Ludlow Watershed Action Plan
meetings and after giving a brief summary of the process up to this point she explained the
recommendations of the plan and the Health Department's response.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER R-13
1. Address the mandatory time-of-sale inspection of existing septic systems.
2. Develop and maintain a Ludlow Watershed data base of on-site septic
systems through various means including, when necessary, sanitary surveys,
questionnaires, and field inspections. The data base will be used to
prioritize high risk systems and areas of high failure rates.
3. Develop and recommend policy identifying when an on-site septic system is
required to be repaired.
The Health Department concurs with this recommendation. Both the Quilcene and Port
Ludlow groups expressed interest in sanitary surveys and mandatory inspections for all septic
systems in the County. The Health Department feels that a County-wide mandatory
inspection program would not be advantageous for the Health Department or the public and
only a limited amount of information could be gathered. It was agreed that a time-of-sale
inspection could be required.
HEALTH BOARD MEETING MINUTES - FEBRUARY 23, 1993
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER R-14
Page 4
] . Develop policy concerning the installation of drainfield inspection ports for
all new on-site septic systems.
2. Evaluate the financial assistance available from the Jefferson County Water
Quality Improvement Fund for owners of existing systems to install
inspection ports.
The Health Department conditionally concurs with this recommendation. All the alternative
systems in the County currently require monitoring port~ and it would not be difficult to
develop a policy for this. They do not concur with the use of County funds to install the
monitoring ports.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER R-15
1. Require installation of low-flush toilets in all new or rehabilitated on-site
septic systems.
The Health Department concurs with this recommendation. Installation of low-flush (1.6
gallon) toilets are currently being required on repaired s)'stems where there is limited or no
reserve area available. The proposed changes to the Uniform Plumbing Code to take effect
in 1994, require low-flush toilets.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER OM-8
1. Investigate the possibility of developing a regional scheduling of a septic
pumper and large septage tanker truck which together will pump out and
haul septage from all scheduled on-site systems in a given area, thereby
providing a lower "bulk" rate to the clients to offset the high cost of
pumping out and trucking away septage for individual systems.
The Health Department does not concur with this recommendation. Due to the variability in
when and how frequently septic tanks require pumping it is impractical for the County to
schedule residences for pumping. It was their feeling that it would be easier for individuals
to coordinate the pumping with their neighbors to reduce the mileage cosK
HEALTH BOARD MEETING MINUTES - FEBRUARY 23, 1993
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER OM-9
Page 5
1. Continue the County-wide Water Quality Improvement Fund loan program to
repair failing or subsiandard septic systems or install agricultural Best
Management Practices. Reapply to the Washington State Department of
Ecology's State Revolving Fund program when current funds are depleted.
The Health Department conditionally concurs with this recommendation. They manage the
site identification, evaluation, design and education portion of this program. There are funds
available to continue this program until June of 1994. The Planning Department manages the
loan portion of the program. At this point they would like to continue this arrangement.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER PE-3
Seek and provide grant or other alternative funding to:
1. Continue technical assistance and education on the operation and maintenance
of on-site septic systems for home owners.
2. Encourage community on-site sewage disposal systems or community sewage
treatment plants where appropriate, through public workshops and technical
assistance.
3. Develop and install state-of-the-art community septic systems as models for
cost-effective alternative septic treatment.
The Health Department concurs with this recommendation with the exception of item 3.
Items 1 and 2 will be continued as long as funding is available. Item 3 is not under the
local Health Department's authority.
After a brief discussion of the adoption process the Board concurred that they would look at
these policies at the next meeting and make a determination at a later date.
TEMPORARY FOOD SERVICE PERMIT: SAFEWAY: Chairman Hinton
stated it had been brought to his attention that the Health Department closed the hot dog
stand organized by the Special Olympics at Safeway this last weekend. Since it wa.~ their
only opportunity to make their money for the year he asked if the situation could have been
handled differently? Larry Fay stated that the hot dogs were not being kept at the proper
temperature and they did not have a temporary food service license to sell the hot dogs.
He added that the Health Department had an agreement with Safeway la.~t year to try and
get an oversight permit to cover all the food service functions they held each weekend
during the gr.md opening after the store was remodeled. What happened with the Special
Olympics is Safeway did not notify the Health Department that this was going to take place.
HEALTH BOARD MEETING MINUTES - FEBRUARY 23, 1993
Page 6
Nor did they renew their permit. The Food Service Inspector happened to be in Safeway
and came across the food service stand that they had no knowledge of. The decision was
made to close the stand until they got a temporary food service permit. Since then the
issue was resolved with Safeway. They are permitted and licensed and the Special Olympics
will be operating this weekend. Larry Fay stated the situation probably could have been
handled differently and apologized for the Special Olympics having to take the brunt.
DIRECTOR OF NURSING'S REPORT CONTINUED
Jean Baldwin reported that they are changing their immunization hours to five days a week.
The State is funding the staff needed for this.
The Port Townsend School District has asked the Health Department to increase their health
education classes by 60 hours. They are currently contracted for 100 hours. The School
District will pay $25.00 per hour for hours over 100.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Larry Fay reported that Barbara Blowers has been working with the PUD to put together
four grant applications for study areas in Quilcene/Dabob Bay, Dosewallips, Tri-Area, and
Cape George/Beckett Point. PUD will be the lead agency for these small flow sewage
system projects. Barbara Blowers and Bob Leach of the PUD have requested letters of
support from the Health Department. Commissioner Wojt moved that the Chairman write a
letter of support for the PUD grant. Commissioner Huntingford seconded the motion which
carried by a unanimous vote. Larry Fay will draft the letter for signature.
The next meeting will be held on March 23, 1993 at 1:00 p.m.
MEETING ADJOURNED
JEFFERSON COUNTY
F HEALTH
!
/
,
'Richard Wojt,
(UNJSfP If~>?,{)c'i)
Glen Huntingford, Member
'O!"II
,
.'
JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
. 615 SHERIDAN PORT TOWNSEND, WA . 98368
() FOR YOUR INFORMATION
() PLEASE RESPOND
() PER YOUR REQUEST
Date: February 19, 1993
To:
Address:
Board of Health
Jefferson County Court House
From:
Larry Fay, Environmental Health Director ~{~J'
Subject:
Concurrence with Port Ludlow Watershed Action Plan
Message:
The attached document represents the Environmental Health
Staff response to action items identified as Health Department
or Board of Health action items in the Port Ludlow Watershed
Plan. It is presented for your review, comments, modification
and action.
Health Department staff have been actively participating in
the Ludlow Watershed Planning process and have provided
continual input in the development of the plan. The basic
philosophy of the Health Department is that corrective actions
for disperse non-point source pollution problems are best
accomplished through education facilitation and voluntary
actions. Regulatory actions tend to generate resistance and
suspicion.
It is our belief that most of the action items are relatively
low cost to the consumer, have little impact on quality of
life, are consistent with health department functions and
foster a sense of partnership. The health department
recognizes that budget constraints may limit the ability to
implement action items and conditions it's concurrence on the
availability of funding.
(206) 385-9400
.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (206) 385-9444
.
FAX (206) 385-9401
February 17, 1993~
r
"
WATER QUALITY PLANNER
JEFFERSON COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT
POBOX 1220
PORT TOWNSEND WA 98368
RE: Ludlow Watershed Action Plan
Dear Water Quality Planner:
The Jefferson County Health Department is writing to express Health
Department conditional concurrence with the above referenced action
plan.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER R - 13
The Jefferson County Board of Health and Jefferson county Health
Department shall develop a program to:
(1) address the mandatory time-of-sale inspection of existing
septic systems.
(2) develop and maintain a Ludlow watershed data base of on-site
septic systems through various means inCluding when necessary,
sanitary surveys, questionnaires, and field inspections. The data
base will be used to prioritize high risk systems and areas of high
failure rates.
(3) develop and recommend policy identifying when an on-site
septic system is required to be repaired.
Cost: 10,OOO/year
Schedule/Timeline: By December 1994
Funding Source: Existing budget and staff
HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO R - 13
Jefferson County Health Department concurs with the following
comments:
The Jefferson County Health Department will develop and
recommend policies to identify when an on-site septic system
is required to be repaired. with these policies in hand a
policy for the mandatory time of sale inspection of existing
septic system can be developed and presented for adoption to
the Jefferson County Board of Health. The Jefferson County
Health Department is currently using a data base to record
sewage disposal permits in the entire county. This data base
will be expanded to enter all existing systems that we have
records for and all systems that we evaluate or receive
information on. This data base will be able to flag and
report on alternative systems and other items of interest
(i.e. sensitive areas, flood plains, shorelines, unstable
slopes, etc). The development of policy and expansion of the
data base will take place as funding, time and staff permit.
1
,
,
J
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER R - 14
The Jefferson county Board of Health shall
(1) develop policy concerning the installation of drainfield
inspection ports for all new on-site septic systems and,
(2) evaluate the financial assistance available from the Jefferson
County Water Quality Improvement Fund for owners of existing
systems to install inspection ports.
Cost: 3,000 annually
Schedule/Timeline: June 1994
Funding source: existing staff
HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO R - 14
Jefferson County Health Department conditionally concurs with
the following comments:
Monitoring ports are currently required in all alternative
systems and we will develop and present for adoption a policy
concerning the installation of drainfieldmonitoring ports for
all new on-site septic systems. We do not concur with the
use of county funds to install these monitoring ports. We
will provide written information on the location and
installation procedure for the ports and include information
concerning the monitoring ports in our education program.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER R - 15
Require installation of low-flush toilets in all new or
rehabilitated on-site septic systems.
Cost: none
Schedule/Timeline: by 1993
Funding Source: none
HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO R - 15
Jefferson County Health Department concurs with the following
comments:
This is proposed in the Uniform Plumbing Code update. We
currently require the installation of low flush toilets on
repairs along waterways or where limited space is available
for further repair.
2
~
,
l
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER OM - 8
Investigate the possibility of developing a regional scheduling of
a septic pumper and large septage tanker truck which together will
pump out and haul septage from all scheduled on-site systems in a
given area, thereby providing a lower "bulk" rate to the clients
to offset the high cost of pumping out and trucking away septage
for individual systems.
Cost: 5,000 annually
Schedule/Timeline: December 1994
Funding Source: Existing budget and staff
HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO OM - 8
Jefferson County Health Department does not concur with the
recommendation.
Due to variability in when and how frequently septic tanks
require pumping it is impractical for the County to schedule
residences for pumping. In addition, we have contacted local
septic tank pumpers and the maximum capacity is 6,000
gallons/truck. Most carry 3,000 gallons. They are willing
to give a reduction in price for individuals that schedule to
have 2 or more tanks pumped. We will include information from
the pumpers in our education program.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER OM - 9
Continue the Countywide Water Quality Improvement Fund loan program
to repair failing or substandard septic systems or install
agricultural Best Management Practices. Reapply to the Washington
State Department of Ecology's State Revolving Fund program when
current funds are depleted.
Cost: 10,000 annually
SChedule/Timeline: by 1995
Funding source: existing budget/staff time for loan program
administration, plus an estimated 4 percent annual interest
incurred by County for additional SRF loam from State.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO OM - 9
Jefferson County Health Department conditionally concurs with
this recommendation.
The Health Department has managed the site identification,
evaluation, design and education portion of this program. We
are staffed to continue this part of the program and will
continue continue as long as funding allows. The Jefferson
3
;0
.
.
,
County Planning Department has managed the loan portion of the
program and we anticipate continuing our cooperative
arrangement with them.
..
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER PE - 3
Seek and provide grant or other alternative funding to:
(1) continue technical assistance and education on the operation
and maintenance of on-site septic systems for home ownersi
(2) encourage community on-site sewage
communi ty sewage treatment plants, where
public workshops and technical assistance;
disposal systems or
appropriate, through
(3) develop and install state-of-the-art community septic systems
as models for cost-effective alternative septic treatment.
Cost: 10,000 annually
Schedule/Timeline: ongoing, depending on funding
Funding source: existing budget and staff time
HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO PE - 3
Jefferson County Health Department concurs with the following
exception and comments:
The recommendation under (3) is not under local health
department authority. Experimental systems are permitted and
reviewed by the State Department of Health. We can not concur
with this section of the recommendation.
Elements (1) and (2) will be continued as long as funding is
available.
4
Please Publish: February 10 & 17, 1993
Bill: Jefferson County Commissioners
NOTICE
CHANGE IN HEALTH BOARD
MEETING DATE
The Jefferson County Board of Health will hold their meetinqs
the Fourth, Tuesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. This months meetinq is
scheduled for February 23, 1993 at 1:00 p.m. at the Jefferson County
Courthouse Commissioners' Chamber~Floor, 1820 Jefferson
street, Port Townsend, WA 98368. ~ \. .
, -\ \: ,-~----,
Hinton, Chairman
JefferSon County Board of Health
,l_
NonCE
CHANGE IN.HEALTI:I aOARD
. ~~iNG !)ATE
The JeffeflOO CountY Board 01
Health wiD hold ,\!l,eir meetings the
Fourth, Tuesday of each.l1lQf1th at 1:00
p.m. This months meeting i8 scheduled
for February 23, 1993 at 1 :00 p.m. at
the Jefferson County Courthouse
eornn1&ei.ooen'Chlimbers, First Floor,
1ll2OJeIf..-aooStreet; PortT ciwlliend,
WA ge368.
Roberl.Hinton; Chairman
Jefferson County Board of Heatth
1072~1? _
Affidavit of publication
STATE OF WASHINGTON)
SS
COUNTY OF JEFFERSON)
FRANK W. GARRED, being sworn, says he is the publisher
of the Port Townsend Jefferson County Leader. a weekly
newspaper which has been established. published in the
Euglish language and circulated continuously as a weekly
newspaper in the town of Port Townsend in said County and
State. and for general circulation in said county for more
than six (6) months prior to the date of the fll'St publication
aCthe Notice hereto attached, and thatthe saidPortTownsend
Jeffersou County Leader was on the 21th day of June 1941
approved as a legal newspaper by the Superior Court of said
Jefferson County and that annexed is a troe copy of the
Notice
Change in Health Board Meeting
Date
as it appeared in tbe regular and entire issue of said paper
itself not in a supplement thereof for a period of
two consecutive weeks. beginning on the lOth
dayof Februarv .19~.andeudingonthe
1 7 t.h day of February , 19~. and
that said newspaper was regularly distributed to its subscrib-
ers during all of this period. That the full amount of
$ 2 6 . 8 0 has been paid in full. at the rate of $1.30
($6.70 for legal notices received electronic Uy. modem or
disk) per column. or. each insertion.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this
Februarv