Board of Health

Meeting Minutes for April 2, 2012

The following board members were in attendance:  Susan Dougherty CNM, Dr. Joseph Felsen, Dr. Leo Cusumano, and Douglas Burdick, Legislative Representative.

 

Members absent were:  Timothy LaFever, Dr. Rajan Gulati and Dr. Willard Simons.

 

Medical Advisor Dr. Chistopher Depner was absent also.

 

Others present were:  Lori Ballengee, Thomas Hull, and Laurie Hennessy.

 

The Board of Health meeting was called to order by Public Health Director Lori Ballengee at 7:08pm

 

The minutes from the February 6, 2012 meeting were approved with a motion from Doug Burdick and seconded by Dr. Felsen.   Motion carried.

 

Lori Ballengee asked the Board of Health members if they would like to meet quarterly instead of every other month due to the lack of business that needs to come before the Board of Health.  Doug made a motion to meet quarterly and this was seconded by Dr. Cusumano.  Motion Carried.

 

Lori will indicate the change of meeting quarterly in the Board of Health by-laws.  July 9th will be the next meeting date.  It was discussed that if something urgent came up which needed approval by the Board of Health members a special meeting would be held.

 

Lori announced the Health Department has a new accountant.  His name is Brian Thierman and he has been working for the Health Department approximately three weeks.

 

Lori announced she is actively looking for a new building to purchase to house the WIC program and the Cancer Services program preferably in the Wellsville area.  Lori indicated she would keep the board members apprised of any new leads on a building.

 

Tom Hull, Deputy Public Health Director, reported to the Board of Health on the results of an administrative hearing which was held on March 21, 2012 regarding the Respondents, Steven and Laura Sheridan vs. Allegany County Department of Health, for unresolved illegal discharge of sewage from failed septic.  The Health Department has worked with the Sheridans for a long period of time to try to help them resolve this issue.  Doug Burdick requested the findings of the hearing be brought to the county attorney.   A motion was made by Dr. Felsen and seconded by Dr. Cusumano to issue a Board of Health Order to Mr. & Mrs. Sheridan to include the following directives:

 

·         90 days from the date the Respondents receive the Board of Health Order, they shall have a septic system installed to replace the existing failed septic system serving their property.

·         If after the 90 days the Respondents still don’t have a septic system installed to replace their failed septic, a fine of $100.00 per diem will be levied on them until such time as the replacement septic system is in place.

·         If 60 days passes from the time the septic system was required to be installed such a system is still not ion place, the Health Department shall take immediate steps to have the property condemned and the Respondents removed from the property until such time as a replacement septic system has been installed.   

 

In addition, the Respondents will be ordered to implement the following interim control measures to reduce the effect of the illegal sewage discharge from their failed septic system until such time as the replacement septic system has been installed:

 

·         Have their septic tank pumped with 2 weeks of receiving the Board of Health Order and provide the receipt for this service to the Health Department as proof it was done.

·         With 45 days of their receipt of the Order, cover the area of the existing failed leach field with 2-3 inches of soil to slow and reduce the amount of sewage effluent breaking through to the surface of the ground.

·         Keep weeds and grass growth over the area of the existing leach field cut low to promote the evaporation of sewage effluent breaking out and coming to the surface of the ground.

·         Reduce their use of water to reduce the burden on the failed leach field until the septic system is replaced.

 

Tom Hull will develop the Board of Health Order and issue it   to the Respondents to convey to them the decision of the Board of Health and the requirements they will need to fulfill. 

 

Tom Hull presented a new fee schedule for permits the Environmental Health Department issues.  There has not been a raise in these fees for approximately 8-10 years.   These changes would bring additional revenue to the Health Department, in keeping with the request of the county legislature for departments to cut costs and increase revenues, and would bring the fees in line those of surrounding counties.  Tom asked the board members to review and come back to the next board of health meeting to vote on the proposed changes in fees for permits. 

 

Tom reported to the Board of Health the Commissioner of Health has issued an order to inspect businesses in Allegany County to see if synthetic marijuana is being offered for sale.  This would include conducting checks for these products at gas stations, convenience stores, and other similar retail outlets that have been identified across New York State as places where synthetic marijuana products have been found being sold.   

 

Laurie Hennessy, Director of Patient Services, reported to the Board of Health she had made updates to the LHCSA manual.  She removed a signature line off the employee health record form since it was no longer necessary.  The uniform policy was updated.  Other policies were updated and approved.    A motion was made by Dr. Cusumano to approve these changes and seconded by Susan Dougherty.  Motion Carried.

 

Laurie indicated we are the only county in New York State who had been given clearance to enter blood lead levels in the ECLRS (Electronic  Clinical Laboratory Reporting System ) program.                                                                      

 

Laurie updated the policies for the Communicable Disease program. 

A motion was made by Dr. Cusumano and seconded by Susan Dougherty to accept the changes in policy and procedures.  Motion Carried.

 

 

Laurie updated the policies to 2012 guidelines for the TB program

A motion was made by Dr. Cusumano and seconded by Susan Dougherty to accept the changes in policy and procedures.  Motion Carried.

 

In the Family Planning program, Laurie indicated the staff will be using cell phones and netbooks to reduce costs.  This will reduce the need for internet service and a cost savings for telephones as well. 

 

Lori disseminated the 2011 annual report to the Board of Health members and indicated the Health Department generated over $500,000 more in revenue than was budgeted.  The Health Department is billing more insurances, encouraging patients to sign up for the Family Planning Benefit Program, giving prescriptions to patients who have insurance rather than giving them the medications.  The Health Department is also vaccinating more patients. 

 

Tom reported the Health Department recently held a rabies clinic on March 24, 2012 and 540 animals were vaccinated.

 

Since there was no further business to come before the Board of Health a motion was made by Doug Burdick and seconded by Dr. Felsen.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:26pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Janet Norris