HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 June
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JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
EALTH BOARD
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Board Members:
Minutes: June 19, 1985
Staff Members:
BoG. Brown, Chairman
John L. Pitts, Member
Larry W. Dennison, Member
Glenn Ison, Member
Randall M. Durant, R.S.
Gretchen Gephart, D.O.N.
Joseph Fischnaller, M.D.
Gael Stuart, Administrator
Glenn Ison was the only member not present when Chairman B.G.Brown
called the meeting to order at the appointed time.
Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Dennison moved to approve the
minutes as submitted, for May 15, 1985. Commissioner Pitts seconded
the motion.
NURSING DIRECTOR REPORT: The following services were given in
the month ot May, Gretchen Gephart reported:
Gave a SInS update for care givers which, was co-sponsored by Children's
Orthopedic Hospital.
"Health Careers" was the subject of a training session held for
Brinnon seventh and eighth graders. .
Blood pressure screening was done at Seattle First National Bank.
Presented a health awareness program at Swan School.
Participated in a municiple sponsored "Health Fair" at the Recreation
Center in Port Townsend.
Poison prevention information was presented for 800 children in
the Port Townsend schools.
* A.session on toothbrushing was 'presented at
* "9'53 peopl", were given service at the Health
I1)Onth of May ,
* Dtd29 colorectal cancer screenings during May.
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Wanda Cotton's Pre School.
Department during the
.
The State has changed the allotments for immunizations, and are now
providing only 7~oto 80% of the allotments given in previous years. By
October of this year that allotment could be cut back to 50%. Local
Health Departments; will have to pick up more of the costs for providing
these immunizations. The cost per dose of DPT vaccine has increased
from $,11 per dose in 1983 to $2.80 per dose in 1985. There are three
shots in a series. MMR vaccine has increased 2 no to $6.85 per dose.
The Health Department needs to look at funding for these immunizations
with. one of the options being to charge for the administration of the
immunizations. This is a serious problem because most of the people
that are given the immunizations are in the group that can least afford
to pay for them.
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 2:
Poverty in Jefferson County is as follows:
* 17.7% of th~!population in Jefferson County has income that
is 125% below the poverty level.
* In the zero to four years of age group, 31.6% are poor or near
poor, which is one out of every three children in this age group.
Nationally the figure is one out of every four children.
* In the 5 to 17 yearnof age group, 20.2% are poor or near poor
in Jefferson County. Clallam County is at 16.6% in this same age
group while the national average is 12.2%.
* 38% of the people in Jefferson County with an income below 125%
of poverty do have medicaid, which is awwer rate than the
national average.
* Uninsured poor and near poor have incidence of illness two times
that of the poor in the general population.
The law mandates that all children will be immunized before attending
school, Dr. Fischnaller added.
The state estimates that the allotment to Jefferson County for vaccine
only during the 1985-87 biennium at $6,896.00. This amount represents
only 75% of the cost of the required vaccine. Other funding sources
will have to be investigated.
Gretchen advised that she will be making a presentation to the Kiwanis
in an effort to pick up money for the meningitis vaccine (See also
Minutes of May 15, 1985). It is estimated that there are 250 children in
the high risk age group who will need this vaccine. It was found upon
further investigation by Gretchen, that instead of only one case
in the last three years there were six cases seen in Jefferson County.
Only 16% of meningitis cases are reported.
Gael Stuart advised that Gretchen Gephart had also made an application
to the Fred Meyer Charitable Trust for foot care funding, as well as
working on the Early Intervention grant which has been funded for
$10,118 to December 31, 1985 and a verbal promise has been received that
this grant will be continued in 1986.
HEALTH OFFICER REPORT: Dr. Fischnaller brought to the Board's
attention that there is not much enforcement of Public Health law done
in Jefferson County and that situation has to be improved.
There are instances where a sewage system is not approved for a site and
the property owner installs one anyway. The Building Department needs
to tighten up on building permits that are issued without Health Depart-
ment approval also. In the past the Health Department hasn't had
agressive enough support in these types of situatiornand criminal charges
have never been brought against anyone, Dr. Fischnaller advised.
Planning/Building Department Director, David Goldsmith, suggested that
a Designer/Installer Program, which is currently used in a number of
other counties may be a solution. Such a program would make it illegal
for any contractor to install a septic system without a permit. This
would also open up business opportunities for the private sector in
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 3:
companies that would design systems and people to oversee the installation
of systems. These people would have to be educated in this field to
qualify for this type of work.
Randy Durant stated that the County does have an Ordinance and advised
a Designer Program has nothing to do with illegal systems. People are
required to get a permit to install a system under the County's present
Ordinance. If a Designer Program is developed, the Health Department
would test anyone seeking to be a designer or installer. Clallam County
just completed their Designer Program.
The situations that are occuring more and more all the time, Randy
continued, are people bringing in a mobile home without a building
permit, and septic system and tanks going in without building permits.
A couple of ways to approach this problem wouWbe to 1) when a person
brin~in a mobile home without a building permit and the Health Department
denies it after the fact, there should be a mechanism to make the mobile
home move out before a septic tank is installed, 2) when there is a
situation where a mobile home and a septic tank have both been installed
without a permit there should be a way to make the owner move the mobile
home off the property so the septic system can not be used and then the
system would have to be redone to meet health standards, if possible.
The Health Department needs the Prosecuting Attorney's help in these
matters. If a health hazard is created by the use of an unauthorized
system then the Health Officer does have some authority to protect the
public health.
The following methods of public notification of the requirements for
building permits and septic tank permits were discussed:
* Notice given when power is installed on property.
The power company in Jefferson County is private and is
in the business of selling power.
* Notice given when septic tank is purchased.
Would work for septic tank dealers in this area but many
people buy the tank from a dealer in another area such as
Clallam County.
* Notice given when mobile home is purchased.
Again, would not work for dealers out of the area or if
the mobile home was purchased from a private party.
* Notice given when property is purchased.
* Notice put on a property deed that the septic system was
installed without a permit and will have to be brought up
to code if the property is sold.
* Fine -- if charged a fine and it is not paid then the person
would be in contempt of court.for not paying the fine.
Randy Durant pointed out that attaching a notice to the deed is a good
idea, but from a health standpoint, the system should not be used and
the notice would only warn potential buyers, not stop the present owner
from using the system. A notice such as this would not help if the
continued use of the pro~erty is allowed.
The Board directed the Planning/Building Department Director and the
Environmental Health Director to develop a policy to improve enforcement
and public awareness and report back to them at the August meeting.
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 4:
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR: Randy Durant reported that there
were over 1.UUU in'ottice contacts with the sanitarians and secretaries
in May and over 4,000 for the year. Highlights of June's services
were as follows:
* Conducted noise testing in the Port Townsend School shops.
* Paralytic Shellfish Program continuing: Discovery Bay is
closed for butter clams only.
* Five appeals of site evaluations and sewage disposal permits
were dealt with directly by Randy and two additional appeals
were handled by Randy and Dr. Fischnaller. Two of these appeals
resulted in field trips by the staff for followup.
* The proposed Winslow Sludge Disposal site was reassessed, and
the permit will be issued in the next few weeks.
* There is an on-going review of the Port Townsend Paper Company
Industrial sludge proposal.
* Followed up on a complaint in Port Townsend of a herbicide
application of Roundup. This was resolved with no problem, and
the landscaper involved will not be using Roundup in the City.
* The summer sanitarian, John Hayes, began May 13. Has been working
on the sewage program and with the schools and handling alot of
the office and telephone calls.
* Inspections were done at 3 private and 2 public schools.
* Fielded 30 complaints, which resulted in 17 field investigations.
* A presentation was made by a woman from Thurston County of a water
quality study done in that area.
* Randy Durant and a representative of the Planning Department attended
a meeting on the North Hastings Loop water project held by the PUD.
Concerns about bluff stability and septic tank installations in
that area were discussed.
Mr. Frank Vane of the Ocean Grove Homeowner's Association invited tre
Environmental Health Director to a general discussion meeting on June
28th at 2:00 p.m. at the PUD Offices regarding the expansion of the
City's sewer system.
ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT: Good news was received on the Health
Department insurance in the form of a lowered premium as well as a
$1,000 audit refund from last year.
Clallam County has sent their recommendation on a proposal to share
an Environmental Health Specialist. Clallam County has raised their
fees to partially fund their part of this proposal. Gael will explore
this matter further and possibly report to the Board at one of the
Commissioner's meetings before the next Board of Health meeting.
It looks like the County will get at least $25,000 of the 205j grant
monies. How these funds have to be used is still not known.
Letter of Resignation; Jeanne Hibbard,R.N.,P.N.P.: Gale Stuart
advised that Jeanne Hibbard the Maternal Child Health Nurse who is under
contract, has resigned effective August 15, 1985. This position will
be very difficult to fill. The County may have to look into obtaining
a variance from the Maternal Child Health Program to allow the use of
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 5:
of a person with a lesser degree of training. The only other choice
if a replacement can not be found would be to terminate the program.
Dan Ward; Quilcene Assembly of God Church re: Update on status of
new building: Dan Ward ot the Quilcene Assembly of God Church reported
that their new church building is progressing. The lumber is almost
completely milled, site is cleared, well has been drilled and the water
has been checked, and the engineering is being done on the water and
septic systems. When Health Department approval is given on the septic
system and DSHS approval is received on the well, the foundation will
be poured. It will be probably a month before these approvals are
received and the foundation can be started.
Randy Durant advised that he is waiting to see the design of the septic
system, which will have some bearing on where the building is place~
and approval for starting the foundation can not be given until after
tg~S.system receives local approval, and the water system is approved by
The variance that was given to the Assembly of God Church to use the
present location they rent for their church activities will expire in
July, Randy Durant reported. Commissioner Pitts moved to approve a
three month extension of that variance since the church is actively work-
ing on a new site. Commissioner Dennison seconded the motion. This
extension is for 90 days from the July expiration of the variance.
Charles Laws' application for on-site sewage variance: Letters:
Gael Stuart read the letters written to DSHS on behalt ot Mr. Laws
variance application for on-site sewage disposal and the reply to that
letter from DSHS. (See also Minutes of May 15, 1985). Randy Durant
advised that Mr. Laws was sent a copy of the reply from DSHS.
Captain's Gallery Restaurant re: Waivgr()f Sect:ion IV (4.1.a) 0 f
Ordinance 2 77: Gael Stuart read a letter trom Leslie Scogum ot the
Captain's Gallery which outlined her request for a waiver of the sections
of Ordinance 2-77 which require a restroom be provided for each sex.
Randy Durant then reported that this establishment is downtown and has
applied for a permit to sell expresso coffee and candies. The owners
are not opposed to the public using the one restroom they have if nec-
essary.
Commissioner Pitts moved to grant the waiver as requested by the Captain's
Gallery. Commissioner Dennison seconded the motion.
Building code recommendation on definition of bedroom classification:
Randy Durant presented a list ot options he noted were a result
of a request made by the Board several months ago for the development of
a policy for the determination of what constitutes a bedroom in relation
to the Building Code and how that relates to on-site sewage. Randy added
further that his recommendation would be to use #2.
Currently, due to direction given in 1978, the determination of bedrooms
is done by the builder's house plan wLth no speculation on what additional
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 6:
rooms could be turned into bedrooms. A change in policy is needed to
give the Building Department a set of guidelinffi to follow so that they
can determine at the time of application, how many bedrooms are likely
or that could occur in that residence in the long term not just at the
time it's built.
David Goldsmith, Planning/Building Department Director, noted that he
had called other counties (Kitsap, Mason and Whatcom) and all of them
have had the same problem, where plans are submitted listing rooms as
sewing rooms, dens, etc. in an effort to circumvent having to meet the
on-site sewage system size requirements which are directly related to
the number of bedrooms in a home. All three of the counties asked,
have Come to the conclusion that a bedroom is any room that has a door
and a closet and is obviously not the front room. Two of the counties
have done this by policy, while one has stated this in an ordinance.
David concurred with Randy's recommendation that item #2 should be used
and added that he felt it should be used in conjunction with item #3.
Discussion ensued of the five listed suggestions. The effects each
suggestion may have and how each would be interpreted, were reviewed.
Commissioner Dennison suggested that a notice be attached to each original
house building permit advising the permitee that if the structure is
changed or increased in the future that that change or addition may re-
quire a larger septic system which has to be done with Health Department
approval. This would alert people to the need for planning their
septic system for the maximum amount of use and would explain up front
why some strutures could not be expanded.
Commissioner Pitts moved to accept the definition of bedroom as a com-
bination of items #2 and #3 with a review of this policy in six to
eight months. Commissioner Dennison seconded the motion for the purpose
of discussion.
One problem that could arise is with the part of item #2 that states
"and every additional 500 square feet or portion thereof shall equal
an additional one bedroom ", Commissioner Dennison noted, because of
what may be proposed for that addition. This part of the policy may
be a little to tight. Possibly adding the statement "every additional
500 square feet or portion thereof will be a bedroom if it meets the
criteria of #3," would help clarify the policy better.
Commissioner Dennison moved to amend the previous motion to include
this additional clarifying statement. Commissioner Pitts agreed to
amend his motion in this manner, and thus seconded the motion. The
whole policy will be rewritten into one statement incorporating items
2 and 3, Chairman Brown added. The Chairman called for a vote on the
amended motion with Commissioners Dennison and Pitts voting in favor
and Chairman Brown voting against the motion.
Policy regarding review of building permits for remodeling or
alterations: Water system requirements: Anytime a building permit
is applied tor, the Health Department reviews it for adequacy
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 7:
in terms of a public water supply (which is defined as a water system
with more than 1 tap) as being whether it is an approved or unapproved
system. If it is an approved public water system and all of the
sewage requirements are met, the building permit is issued, if however,
it is an unapproved public water system the building permit is not
issued, Randy Durant reported.
David Goldsmith, Planning/Building Department Director, recommended
adoption of the policy with it restated as follows: "For those structures
utilizing a public water system, every application that requires
additional plumbing or additional bedrooms or in any other way increases
the use of the water system shall not be approved unless the public
water system that serves the existing structure has been approved
as per WAC 248-54."
Commissioner Pitts moved to adopt this operating policy for water
systems adequacy as recommended and reworded by the Director of the
Planning/Building Department. Commissioner Dennison seconded the
motion, which carried by a voice vote.
will
from
Port Townsend Paper Permit: Randy Durant
e on vacat~on, ae tuart reporte an ~ t e approvals come in
the agencies involved, the matter will be handled promptly.
Letter from PUD re: Sewage Disposal Planning Grant: The PUD h$
applied tor a grant tromReterendum 39 tunds to look at alternative
ways of sewage disposal on a community wide basis. DOE returned a
letter to PUD advising that because there was not adequate documentaion
of water quality problems the g~ant application was ineligible. The
Health Department has been asked to provide a letter by June 20 to
document the fact that there are water quality problems. Dr. Fischnaller
and Randy Durant will write a letter and get it to the PUD so they
can forward it on to DOE, so this application can be ke~alive.
Issuance of Septic Tank Permits for areas with unstable land forms:
State Board at Health WAC (Washington Administrative Code) addresses
the issuance of septic tank permits as follows "On-site sewage systems
shall not be located on land forms which are unstable". The term un-
stable is not defined, however, Randy Durant advised the Board.
The Planning Department does have maps of URS (Unstable Recent Slide)
Zones along waterfront areas. Randy recommends that until a better
definition of unstable is devised that the Planning Department's URS
Zone maps are used in the evaluation of sewage disposal permits, for
waterfront areas. The Board concurred with Randy's recommendation to
use these maps in evaluation of sewage disposal permits.
Jefferson County Recreation District #1 re: Septic System Design:
Commissioner Pitts reported that a request had been made otthe County
to have the Health Department provide this group of Coyle residents
with free septic system design service for their proposed community
center.
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 8:
The vice-chairman of the group was advised that Randy's services
would be available to them at no cost for a one time planning session,
Commissioner Pitts noted.
Letter of complaint from Al Weisenberger re: Dumping of sewage
sludge in pit at the County's Miller Road Landtill: Mr. Weisenberger
addressed a letter, read by Gael Stuart, to Randy Durant to complain
about the dumping of sewage sludge at the Miller Road Landfill. Mr.
Weisenberger owns property near the landfill and expressed concern about
the possible contamination of wells in that area from groundwater
leaching through the dumpsite and getting into the aquifer. A letter
from Bret Betts of the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding
two illegal dumping complainffi in the County was also read.
A ban on dumping sewage at the landfill was imposed in April of 198~
Commissioner Pitts reminded those present and was lifted due to a
variety of hardshi~caused by this action from the economics of
septic pumping companies having to go to Port Angeles or Kitsap County
to dump these wastes.
Randy Durant reported that the City of Port Townsend has, in their
preliminary design for a secondary treatment plant, included enough
capacity for treating 750,000 gallons of septic tank waste. This
plant however is still a few years from becoming a reality and the
County's problem is on-going. The current question is 1) do we contin-
ue to take the City's sludge and not septic tank pumpings or 2) do we
only take septic tank pumpings and not the City sludge or 3) do we close
the landfill lagoon down and not accept anymore waste of this sort?
In 1984 over 200,000 gallons of septic tank pumpings wererumped at the
landfill while about 100,000 gallons of treatment plant sludge was
dumped during the same period. 95% of the septic tank pumpings came
from one company, while another company in this area transports all
of its pumpings to Port Angeles for dumping.
Possibilities were discussed regarding the development and use of
alternative treatment methods, as well as options such as
closing the landfill that could be put into effect immediately.
Randy urged that as soon as money is available, ground water monitoring
and geology studies need to be done at the landfill. The DOE is in
the process of changing the Solid Waste Standards and reg~lations a~
they will be much more stringent in the future than they are now.
The Board directed that Randy Durant write a letter to Mr. Weisenberger
and advise him that the County is looking into solutions for the prob-
lems, but that currently the closest option available is the City of
Port Townsend's sewage treatment plant revision scheduled for 1988.
Closure of the landfill to septic wastes would be a first step, but
it will pass on added costs to people in the community, Commissioner
Pitts added. This would be his'recommendation, Randy Durant advised.
Health Board Minutes, June 19, 1985
Page 9:
Commissioner Dennison suggested closing the landfill down to accepting
septic wastes and sludge by September 1 and in the meantime look at
some possible alternatives or stop gap measures until 1987. This
possibility should be discussed with the City before any action to
stop taking their sludge is made, Gael Stuart urged. The Board will
contact the Mayor to set up a time to talk about this situation.
MEETING ADJOURNED
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF HEALTH
B.G. Brown, Chairman
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John L. Pitts, Member