Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 June COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING VITAL STATISTICS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HEALTH EDUCATION JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 802 SHERIDAN PORT TOWNSEND, WASH. 98368 (2061385.0722 HEALTH BOAHD BOARD MEMBERS: STAFF MEMBERS: B. G. Brown, Chairman Larry W. Dennison, Member George C. Brown, Member Cynthia Howarth, Director Environmental Health Irene Senior-Pomeroy, Director of Nursing Kathy Stafford, Administrator J. Peter Geerlofs, M.D. Health Officer City of Port Townsend Representative: Karen Chang MINUTES: JUNE 20, 1989 Commissioner Larry Dennison opened the meeting at the appointed time, in the absence of Chairman B.G. Brown. Commissioner George C. Brown was present as well as Administrator Kathy Stafford, Health Officer Peter Geerlofs, Nursing Director Irene Senior Pomeroy, and Environmental Health Director Cynthia Howarth. City Representative Karen Chang was not in attendance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner George Brown moved to approve the minutes of the May 16, 1989 meeting as read. Commissioner Dennison seconded the motion. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. ADMINISTRATORS REPORT: following items: Kathy Stafford reported on the Developmental Disabili ties Contract: Kathy Stafford reported that this contract for services to developmentally disabled clients runs from Health Board Meeting Minutes: June 20, 1989 Page: 2 July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990. The Health Department received $35 per service hour per client in the previous contract. After discussion and review of the services provided with Ella Sandvig, Human Services Coordinator, it was agreed that the Department will be charging $60.00 per client for service hour. The overall contract amount is the same, but was not fUlly utilized in the past. Physical Therapist for the Child Development Proqram: Nurse Wendy White has requested that a physical therapist be employed to work with the Child Development Program, Kathy Stafford reported, because some of the children in this program need these services. A therapist has been contacted about this work and will charge $25 per hour which is less than the going rate for these services. This addition to the program will be evaluated at the end of six months. Commissioner George Brown moved to approve the addition of a physical therapist as requested. Commissioner Dennison seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. New Grant Funded Positions: Irene Senior Pomeroy has been appointed Director of Nursing but will still be the WIC Program Coordinator, the Department requested approval to add a full time clerical position that would serve the nursing section and the Environmental Health section. A part time PHN and clinic nurse position is also being requested. Kathy Stafford then explained how these positions can be funded through grant funds currently approved for the Department. These additional positions would only require $647 from County funds in 1989 and in the future only require $1,096 per year to continue. The duties of each position were then reviewed. Commissioner Dennison asked for an estimation of what would happen two years in the future if some of the grants were not renewed. Kathy Stafford reported that the nursing positions would be eliminated if the grant funding is not provided. The clerical position would still be necessary and justified, if only to handle the increase in the volume of septic system permits. Commissioner George Brown moved to approve the posi tions as requested. Chairman Dennison seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. Summer Youth Employment: A summer youth employment program will be used to provide clerical help for the environmental health section. The program is funded by the Northwest Services Council, Kathy Stafford added. DIRBCTOR OF NURSING RBPORT: Director of Nursing, Irene Senior Pomeroy thanked Board for their vote of confidence in appointing her to that position, and then reported on the following activities of the Nursing section of the Health Department. Health Board Meeting Minutes: June 20, 1989 Page: 3 Visit to Queets/Clearwater Area: Irene Senior Pomeroy reported on her trip to the west end and noted that AIDS education and STD testing are items that need attention in the Queets/Clearwater area. This will be discussed with the new PHN when that person is hired. Proposed Changes to the Community Health Nursing Advisory Committee: Irene Senior Pomeroy asked if the Community Health Nursing Advisory Committee can be made a joint nursing/environmental health advisory commi ttee. If this is approved she asked that the membership be increased to 15 to accommodate the expanded scope of the committee. An advisory group is a requirement of the WAPCAN grant, and Irene Pomeroy asked if this committee could fulfill that requirement? The Board concurred that this committee work on the WAPCAN grant as required. Commissioner Dennison stated that 15 member committee can be unwieldy. Irene Pomeroy responded that if there are 15 members, then it is hoped that seven or eight will be able to attend the meetings on a regular basis. She further noted that there is a consensus in the Department that this change is a good idea. Commissioner George Brown asked that any action on this request be delayed until the full Board is present. Physician Volunteer: Dr. Addison, who is new to Port Townsend, has volunteered to help the Health Department, in any way they may need, Irene Pomeroy reported. The Department is looking into ways to use his services. Nursina Outreach: Wendy White will be doing Quilcene once a month beginning in September. are also scheduled to be held in Quilcene. Well Child Clinics in Immunization clinics AIDS Update: Thirty persons attended a meeting at the Fairgrounds on AIDS which provided misinformation, Irene Senior Pomeroy reported. Nurse Yuko Umeda attended the meeting, as an interested person, and then wrote a letter to the Leader to set the facts straight. Voluntary testing for AIDS will be done for jail inmates, and AIDS education will be provided for County employees at risk (jailers, deputies, etc.). In-Service Training: In-service training will be provided to doctors office nurses and Health Department staff members in the future. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR REPORT, The following items were reported and discussed by Cynthia Howarth, Director of Environmental Health after she handed in her resignation effective in two weeks. Myron Offstein, Cape George Area reo Status of Cape George Health Hazard Evaluation: Myron Offstein asked for an update on the County's Health Board Meeting Minutes: June 20, 1989 Page: 4 request to the State to review the County health hazard evaluation for the Cape George area. Cynthia Howarth reported that she has discussed this matter with the State Department of Social and Health Services. They responded that the State relies heavily on the local Health Officer. Since the County is continuing to permit septic systems at Cape George and repair failures, it appears to the State that the County is handling the situation. The State does not have money to do special studies and neither does the County. The State feels that the community will have to do something if more is required. More information would be required for the study Mr. Offstein is requesting to qualify for grant funding of such a study. Cynthia Howarth will provide Commissioner Dennison wi th Dave Lenning I s phone number. Dave Lenning is the On site Program Manager, Environmental Health Section of DSHS. Mr. Offstein stated that he will attend every future Health Board meeting to work for having the health hazard designation rescinded. Public Food Service ProQ"ram Policies: Gwen Howard, Environmental Health Specialist who does the public food service inspections, reported that she is here to discuss enforcement. Education programs have been held for owners and workers in grocery, meat, and restaurant establishments. There are a few establishments that are not in good shape and have not improved over the last year. Public Food Service program infractions are divided into groups by importance and if there are too many "red" items a re-inspection is required. "Blue" items are not as serious but they can still cause problems and need to be corrected. Commissioner Dennison stated that we need a policy that outlines the steps to be taken on "blue" items that are not corrected in a certain period of time. Gwen Howard suggested that a time limit be put on how long is given to make corrections of "blue" items, and what will be done if the corrections are not made. An escalating re-inspection fee was also suggested to deal with these infractions. Commissioner Dennison stated that other Health Departments should be contacted to see how they handle this type of situation. Gwen Howard will contact other Counties and develop a draft policy for the Board's consideration. Cynthia stated that an emergency policy is needed immediately, however to deal with one restaurant owner with which the Department has had on-going problems. The Board suggested that a letter be drafted from the Health Board to the problem restaurant owner, setting a deadline for the repairs that are necessary. Gwen Howard will draft a letter for the Board's signature, and the Health Officers signature. Health Board Meeting Minutes, June 20, 1989 Page: 5 Problems with grocery stores that are going into the delicatessen business were then discussed. Reauest for Variance from Ordinance 2-77 Section IV (4.1.al Restroom for Each Sex: Saucy's Pizza: Cynthia Howarth read a letter of request from Saucy's Pizza to be allowed to have one restroom. Saucy's is moving to space at other end of mall from their current location. Their new space will have 12 to 15 seats for restaurant patrons. The public will be allowed to use the restroom in the new facility because they will not have to walk through the food preparation area. Cynthia Howarth recommended that the variance be granted. Commissioner George Brown moved to approve the variance as requested by Saucy's Pizza. Commissioner Dennison seconded the motion. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. Statement Watershed time. of Concurrence Non-Concurrence for the Quilcene Dabob Action Plan, No action was taken on this statement at this MEETING ADJOURNED JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH B.G. Brown, Chairman Larry W. Dennison, Member George C. Brown, Member 'U" ' ! i\: 'J <", .. ;\.' j !I i .". {' (.!" ~ i, ,j; _ :';'!' ~: '~.~. 'j un~' 20-;:t 9gB Dr. Peter Geerlofs, MD, Health Officer Jefferson County Health Department 802 Sheridan Port Townsend, Washington 98368 Dear Dr. Geerlofs: In reference to the Health Department meeting of June 20th last, we feel that, according to the report given by Cynthia Hayworth, the alleged health hazard at Cape George has once again been placed in your court. It is our opinion that Cape George is well able to correct its faults if forced to do so, and this is constantly ongoing; witness the repairs made by Ted Strickland. I submit that the health hazard that orginated with Ralph Anderson is a Frankenstein, and that you in all good faith breathed life into it, and still keep the chimera alive. Please, Doctor, lets get all this costly con- jecture behind us. You have now in your hands the power to quickly call a halt to this feud, and let us at Cape George continue our lives in quiet enjoyment. We would hope for a positive decision from you by the next meeting to be held on July 18, 1989 to rescind your past statement of a health hazard. Very truly yours, cc: Jefferson County Commissioners. MF:ejc