Board of Health Minutes
May 18, 2011  5:15 PM
County Courthouse, Room G-330 (Ground Floor)
AMENDED

Members present: Don Bodeau, John Paddock, Elizabeth Spencer, John Prince, Wm Bethke, Merey Price.
Staff present:  Richard Thoune, Kitty Rahl, Courtenay Johnson, Roberta Boyea

Absent:   Dana Wachs, Michael Murray.

Don Bodeau called the meeting to order at 5:20 p.m.

2.  Program Presentation – The annual presentation on how Health Department Budgets are developed was presented by Roberta Boyea, Administrative Services Manager.

3.  Business Items:
Agent Contractual Fee-Setting Plan:
This was a follow-up on previous discussions.   It is necessary to decide what proportion of program costs will be covered by fees vs. tax levy.  The Board expressed a desire to be flexible with fees.  Members commented that we must consider fee levels and increases with our current economic conditions.  Fee increases are a direct result of reduced or limited increases in tax levy.  Per President Bodeau, the Board has the responsibility to balance the budget.  Johnson pointed out program costs are increasing.  An explanation was provided by staff through the Director of Environmental Health’s board report documenting why it was not possible to use La Crosse County for direct comparison purposes.

PADDOCK/BODEAU  MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED APPROACH TO REVIEWING AND SETTING FEES AS DESCRIBED IN THE FACT SHEET.  MOTION CARRIED.

4.  Consent Agenda:

THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 27 WERE APPROVED AS MAILED.

Director/Health Officer Report – Richard Thoune
The Board reviewed Thoune’s written report.  Updates on emergency preparedness, strategic planning, management communication, compensation study, and media activities were provided.  A separate Parking and Signage Update was provided.  Thoune noted that the County Administrator now has more flexibility and authority to address parking and signage issues around the courthouse associated with the construction project.  Compensation study surveys have been sent out by the consultant and are awaiting return.  He reported that the managers are reviewing an “Appreciative Inquiry” approach to improving communication.  Many of the issues identified in team survey could be addressed through this method.  Additional information will be provided in the next HO report.

Director of Nursing Report – enclosed - Kitty Rahl
Rahl reviewed her written report.  Updates were provided on the reproductive health program, communicable disease (chicken pox and quarterly report).  The chicken pox outbreak has reached 31 cases.  A copy of a Health Alert sent to all Eau Claire County School Staff Members was also provided. 

Director of Environmental Health Report – Courtenay Johnson
Johnson reviewed her written report and noted that item #8 did not have the map attached, nor was the color version available at the meeting. These maps will be provided to the board at the June board meeting. 

MOTION: PRICE/PRINCE MOTIONED TO ACCEPT ALL REPORTS.  MOTION CARRIED.

5.  Other information items from staff for the Board

a.  Review of Preliminary Draft of 2012 Budget.   An in-depth review of the Budget for 2012 was provided by Thoune.  He reported that the Community Development Block Grant funds which support the Intensified Housing Code Enforcement program, which starts in August, will experience a 16.5% decrease in funding beginning in August 2011.  The expiration of the State Incentive Grant for underage alcohol prevention could result in the loss of some FTEs if we are unable to identify new funding source(s) to continue the project.  Liz Spencer requested to have a list of acronyms shared in conjunction with the next budget review. 

b. Public Health Laboratory Services – Outsourcing Review.  Members reviewed and discussed the information provided.  Feedback comments on content were provided to staff.  The difficulty and time consuming process involved in conducting a study to outsource laboratory services was clarified, and staff informed the Board that should they desire to pursue a study, a consultant would need to be hired for this purpose.  Staff also advised that this activity should be conducted only in conjunction with a larger more comprehensive review of all programs and services provided by the Department to the community.  Laboratory space does not factor in to our current efforts to resolve short-term space needs.  The Department did not support outsourcing public health laboratory services.  The Board reached consensus to continue to support the provision of public health laboratory services and did not direct staff to take any further action. Board members may use the fact sheet or its contents for future talking points. 

c. Body Art Regulation.  The Department’s informational fact sheet to discuss a local Board of Health Body Art Regulation was presented. Bethke favored charging body art at higher fee levels, as these procedures are elective in nature. The board would be interested in what other jurisdictions charge for these licenses.  City and county codes would still reflect a requirement regulating body art, but refer to requirements and enforcement by reference to State and BOH regulation.  The state law and existing city and county codes provide a structure but do not keep up with current body art trends. A BOH regulation would give more flexibility to set and adjust fees, change requirements, etc. as the industry changes.  The Board expressed an interest in a regulation and this will be put on a future agenda.  Johnson was asked to research Madison/Dane.

d. Space Needs Update.  Zimmerman Architectural Studios did some additional work on the project.  The drawings provided are not significantly different, but included a column of common space gain by Division/functional area.  The possibility of the Health Department going off-site was discussed. Suggestions:  Relocated with the University/CVTC; create an opportunity for a one-stop visit for clients within a family or people’s centered cooperative.  Build out of lobby is moving forward as part of the courthouse remodeling project.  We need the additional space provided for the short term.  Paddock suggested we develop a business plan for how to move forward to address the space needs.  The Board would like to have the reports from the department teams that are studying the space needs for the department.
e. Correspondence Media:

6.  Board member informational items.

a. Strategic Planning.   Spencer requested copies of documents from current strategic planning activities be shared as informational items in future Board meetings.  Questions were raised concerning the role of the Board in department strategic planning.  The Board must look at items that do not match the strategic plan.  Thoune advised that Board members have participated in the past in this activity with staff.  Two members participated in the 2007-2009 strategic planning process.  Key questions:  What health services are we going to deliver?  How are we going to deliver them?  What outcomes do we want to achieve?
b. Friends of Public Health Awards – Tabled to next meeting.

7.  Next business meeting – June 22, 2011

MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE AND SECONDED BY JOHN PADDOCK/JOHN PRINCE.  ALL WERE IN FAVOR. 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 p.m.