Board of Health Minutes

March 23, 2011

Members present:  Don Bodeau,  Michael Murray, John Paddock, Merey Price, Liz Spencer, Jackie Pavelski

Staff Present:  Richard Thoune, Kitty Rahl, Courtenay Johnson, Roberta Boyea

Others present:  UW EC Nursing Students

Bodeau called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. 

Program Presentation:  Richard Thoune, Health Department Director, presented information on the Eau Claire County Healthy Communities initiative, co-sponsored by the Health Department, United Way, and the County Department of Human Services.  History, accomplishments, and thoughts on potential future directions were discussed. 

Business Items

Item 3a.  Motion:  Adoption of resolutions 11-01, 11-02, 11-03, 11-04 regarding fee revisions for licensed establishments to become effective July 1, 2011 and April 1, 2011 for new and change of ownership establishments.  Tabled item from February meeting pending provision of additional information.  Price/Paddock moved to adopt resolutions 11-01, 11-02, 11-03, 11-04 regarding fee revisions for licensed establishments to become effective July 1, 2011 and April 1, 2011 for new and change of ownership establishments.  Motion carried.  Board request to staff to explore development of policy to be followed for setting the percent of service cost covered by fees for April meeting.  Pavelski request that the Department look at the county that identified a five year plan. 

Item 3b.  Renewal of contractual agreement with the State Department of Health.  The agent agreement reimburses the state and reflects language clean up.  Motion Pavelski/Paddock.  Motion carried.

Item 3c.  Resolution 11-05 Regarding bath salts.  Motion Pavelski/Paddock.  Motion carried.

Item 3d.  Review of 2010 Financial Statements and undesignated fund balance.  Motion Bodeau/Paddock.  Discussion:  Required per Board adopted policy.  Undesignated fund balance needs to be maintained at $288,000, one month’s worth of tax levy expense.  Fund balance exceeds this amount for 2011, no further action required.  Trendline in the chart noted as troublesome, but is based on the assumptions noted on the fact sheet.  Expense and revenue will be balanced in the 2012 budget.  Impact of state/federal budget proposals will be dealt with as they come.  Motion carried to approve the statement.  Pavelski abstained. 

Item 3e Proclamation recognizing National Public Health Week.  Motion Paddock//Murray.  Motion carried.

Item 3f.  Parents Who Host Lose the Most Month Proclamation:  Motion Pavelski/Paddock.  Andrew Draper, Youth Advocacy Advisor described the project, in its second or third year.  Works to reduce underage drinking in the county.  There are consequences for minors as well as parents. Motion carried.

Item 3g.  Prenatal Care Coordination Fees.  Motion Price/Pavelski.  Discussion:  Question concerning lack of difference in the current cost for in clinic versus home care coordination visit. Information on how cost is calculated requested.  Medical Assistance is aware of the cost to provide service versus reimbursement rate on unit or hourly basis through completed Medicaid Cost Report each year.  Cost information to be brought back in April for review.  Motion to table by Pavelski/Price.  Motion carried.

Consent Agenda

Motion to approve minutes of February 23, 2011 meeting.  Pavelski suggested that to get discussion on any item, members can request an item be pulled from the consent agenda, discussed and then action taken.  Price questioned minutes reflecting Director of Nursing present at the meeting.  Staff confirmed the error.  Minutes will be corrected.  Motion Murray/Paddock to accept the three reports and corrected minutes.  

Director/Health Officer Report.  Thoune clarified the resources available through the Achieve Project, beginning with $12,000 for training and travel expense supporting participation in an Action Institute, San Diego, CA.  The remaining resources would be used to support achieving the goals and objectives of the ACHIEVE Community Action Plan.  Update on management communication with Organizational Consulting and EAP provided.  Current status regarding state budget repair bill and WRS contribution requirement provided. 

Director of Nursing Report.  Rahl reported on February visit to state Board of Nursing on behalf of all public health departments involved in school health services.  Positive response received from Board of Nursing supporting nursing practice carried out in the schools.  Nurse-practitioner nurse consultant for DPI will be working with Rahl to revise and incorporate the Board of Nursing recommendation.  Badgercare basic waiting list for core plan has been frozen.  Monitoring proposed changes to application process for Medicaid eligibles and communicated potential impact on people who need assistance with the process.   

Other Information Items from Staff for the Board

Item 5a Building Space Needs Update.  Report on Zimmerman Architectural Studios drawings shared with County Building Committee and other key points raised by committee members.  Outsourcing of public health laboratory services brought up.  In the short term, will need to build out Lobby space.  Shared Services Commission will meet 3/24 at 7:30 a.m.  North Conference Room city hall.   Thoune and Bodeau to attend.

Requests from Board members for future agenda items to be given consideration:

Request for recognition of Kathy Nuenke for her long service.  Resolution to be prepared.  Plaque or certificate of appreciation discussed for departed BOH members.  Spencer: Requested more information on the process used to prioritize county programs/services as discussed in recent It Seems To Me article by DA White.  Paddock:  request to discuss Strategic Planning.

Next business meeting.  Ability of members to attend April 27 meeting assessed. 

Adjourn.  Motion Paddock/Pavelski.  Motion carried. 

The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:30 pm.

Roberta Boyea

Recorder