board of health minutes Oct 2000

The regularly scheduled meeting of the Salt Lake Valley Board of Health (Board) was held Thursday, October 5, 2000, at the Salt Lake County Government Center, 2001 South State Street, N2003. The meeting was called to order at 7:35 a.m.

1. Minutes (Action Item)

(Tony Tidwell, Acting Chair)

Tony presented the minutes from the September 7, 2000 Board meeting.

Dr. Kristen Ries made the motion to approve and accept the minutes. Sue Lemmon seconded the motion. All members were in favor. Motion carries.

2. Chair’s Report (Information Item)

(Tony Tidwell, Acting Chair)

Tony stated that he hopes the Board is unified in the decision to support fluoridation especially since the issue is getting a lot of attention.

Two changes were made to today’s agenda. First, the Fluoride Resolution will be postpone until the November 2, 2000 Board of Health meeting. Second, the Board will go into Executive Session immediately following today’s meeting.

3. Director’s Report (Information Item)

(Dr. Kathryn Vedder)

For sometime, the Health Department has been reviewing functions and assessing the needs in the community. Patti Pavey and Dr. Vedder have been working to develop the Salt Lake Valley Health Care Coverage Coalition which works to provide access to health care and specifically the underinsure and uninsured. A spin off group is the Primary Care Coalition, which is a group of safety net providers who are trying to accomplish that same purpose. The committee has been looking at different funding opportunities, but focusing on more of an accomplishable idea of trying to fix the safety net system for one particular community. The group is working to come up with a way to net all of our services together into something that is reasonable in one community then replicate it. One area in particular is the Rose Park/Glendale area. In partnership with the State Health Department we have completed a cluster survey for that area which points out some of their needs. The Primary Care Coalition and the Salt Lake Valley Health Care Coalition recently completed a capacity assessment to review what services are available in those areas.

At the Board Retreat last month we discussed the need to have a community forum to answer citizen’s concerns and questions about community water fluoridation. We wanted to talk about the safety, advocacy and public policy issues surrounding this. The League of Women Voters, who is a good objective group, has agreed to host and chair this community forum. The forum is scheduled for October 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers. The format will be five minutes for each person to discuss safety, cost and public policy followed by questions from the audience. The people who will be discussing the pro concept will be Dr. Bernie Machen, President of the University of Utah who is a pediatric dentist, Dr. Vedder, and Julie Valentine who is a nurse and the parent of six children. We are working with the League to schedule two other potential dates in the future.

4. Commissioner’s Report (Information Item)

(Commissioner Mark Shurtleff

Tabled. Commissioner Shurtleff is excused from today’s meeting.

5. Budget/Fiscal Report (Action Item)
(Suzanne Kirkham)

Suzanne gave a brief overview of the expenditures to date then turned time over to Leslie Workman who presented the 2001 budget request. A copy of the budget request was distributed to the Board. Leslie pointed out that three different proposals will be submitted to the Commissioners… one is without merit and COLA, the second includes merit and COLA. If the commissioners decide to give those increases we have to absorb those costs. The budget includes two new personnel requests and a 4.6% increase in personnel. The department is asking for 12 new vehicles which is the first year of a five year plan to build up a fleet of sixty. There is also $500,000 set aside for a new building.

Tom Guinney commented that having had the opportunity to observe the budgeting process it is thorough and well thought out. The Board can take pride in reassuring the citizens of the community that the Health Department is fiscally well managed. Tom motioned that the Board adopt and send the budget to be ratified to the Council. Donna Tanner seconded the motion. All members were in favor. Motion carries.

6. Multicultural Report (Action Item)

(Joyce P. Valdez)

On October 4, 2000 the Multicultural Advisory Committee had their second meeting. The group is an extremely qualified and experienced community with representatives who have agreed to work through a process of assessing and prioritizing the barriers faced by all the underserved population in the Salt Lake Valley. The committee would like to go beyond making recommendations and hope to see actions with measurable results.

The Multicultural Advisory Committee distributed their bylaws and a membership roster to the Board for their approval. It was mentioned that the committee has several nominations that are being pursued and additional names will be brought to the Board at a later date. The committee made two recommendations to the Board and asked that they be considered as an action item at the next meeting. One is that the Board of Health reaffirms its opposition of the English only legislation. The second recommendation was that the Board considers supporting additional funding legislation for expansion of public transportation. Since so many of our clients depend on public transportation to travel to our clinics and other services. Joyce P. Valdez motioned to ratify the bylaws of the Multicultural Advisory Committee. Tom Guinney seconded the motion. All members were in favor. Motion Carries.

Joyce motioned that Multicultural Advisory Committee membership roster be accepted as submitted. Lorena Riffo-Jenson seconded the motion. All members were in favor. Motion carries.

Tom Guinney extended an invitation to everyone that on October 12, at 6:00 pm, at Baci Restaurant there will be reception of approximately 100 people that are in opposition of the English only legislation. Jeff Wright will host the reception and Senator Hatch is expected to be in attendance.

7. Cluster Survey Report (Information Item)

(Ilene Risk and Diana Thurston)

Ilene Risk distributed the results of the Cluster Survey to the Board members. The report contained information on a survey that was performed in the northwest area of Salt Lake County. The survey is a sampling of 1209 households and 4000 individuals with a focus on obtaining information on healthcare, status, identifying needs and gaps in services. Time was turned over to Diana Thurston who gave a detailed overview of the report. Diana indicated that the survey contains a breakdown of the following information:

Racial and ethnic background

Languages

Education Level

Income

Employment status

Religious preference

Lifestyle results

Healthcare and dental coverage

Healthcare and dental payment

The report’s major findings were 42% of all residents pay for dental care out of their own pocket. Nearly 25% do not have coverage for medical care. Nearly 4% have never seen a doctor and 40% of persons from the ages of 18-34 have never seen a doctor. Less than 50% of children under age18 receive fluoride supplements.

The next step will be to take this information back to the community and work to develop strategies around the issues that have been identified.

8. Food Safety Report (Information Item)

(Royal Delegge)

A hand out regarding the Food Protection Bureau’s program redevelopment was distributed to the Board. The bureau has initiated a major redevelopment in the program for several reasons. First, food service is generally identified as the primary issue that people identify with Environmental Health services. Second, there is a bureau that was resolving public controversy over enforcement policies and the web site. Third, there was a bureau that was in the process of revising procedures and inspection forms. The redevelopment team included: Donna Cooper, Kerry Cramer, Gerry Bourke, and Eric Peterson. The scope of the redevelopment team was as follows:

- Form a regulatory foundation

- Train regulatory staff

- Provide inspection protocols and standardization

- Food borne illness response

- Prepare compliance and enforcement procedures

- Provide a comprehensive review of the website and operating policies

- Provide a training program for support resources

9. UALBH (Information Item)

(Donna Tanner)

Donna presented an overview of the UALBH Symposium held September 21, 2000. Tony Tidwell, Cecilia Walker, Donna Tanner, Sue Lemmon and Lewis Garret represented the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

10. Fluoride Resolution (Action Item)

(Tony Tidwell)

Item was deferred until the November 2, 2000 Board of Health meeting.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:50 a.m.

Suzanne Kirkham

Bill Davis

Craig Anderson

Leslie Workman

Dan White

Patti Pavey

Lewis Garrett

Royal Delegge

1. Minutes (Action Item)