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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />April 21, 2010 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 9 April 21, 2010 <br />Tony Whitaker commented that he did not know the County Manager’s style of <br />management as it would relate to budget, but it seemed a reasonable premise <br />for him to open budget negotiations with a 15% across the board cut knowing <br />that it would not come out that way. To the point of why the Department would <br />offer up anything, he felt the effort should go towards shaping the outcome <br />even if we cannot dictate the outcome. He felt it was important from a <br />credibility standpoint to take a hard look at what can be cut and offering what <br />we are able to cut but then stopping short and taking a stand that the <br />Department cannot go to the 15% level. <br /> <br />Anissa Vines pointed out that this was a new County Manager for Orange <br />County. Last year when the Board submitted the budget it was accompanied <br />by a letter from the Board that the FY09-10 Budget was approved by the Board <br />of Health with serious reservations and recognizing that the cuts would <br />tremendously impact the health of the County as Christopher Cooke has <br />pointed out. <br /> <br />Jessica Lee stated she would absolutely agree with the observation by Tony <br />Whitaker and that the Department should be at the table shaping that proposal. <br />She also stated that the Board needs to go on record and state that the <br />directive is to look at non-mandated services first and then look at reducing <br />mandated programs to the minimum levels. The Board’s statement should be <br />that the Department is already at the minimum level. <br /> <br />Steve Yuhasz said that if the Commissioners were to look at mandated services <br />and look at non-mandated services as potential savings, we are not mandated <br />to provide dental services and the Board needs to keep that in mind. He stated <br />the Commissioners have had discussions about the things that we have to do <br />and the things that are nice to do. If budget restraints require that there be <br />substantial cuts, it would be regrettable, but the dental program would be <br />considered rather than cut the mandated programs to a point where they can <br />barely survive and it is a point to consider. <br /> <br />Chris Harlan stated that we are talking about a quality of life and we are talking <br />about health services for everyone, for example, what Environmental Health <br />does affects everyone in this county. A lot of the people that come to the <br />Department for personal health services are people that are at risk already. If <br />you look at any health status indicator dental is at the top. The only reason we <br />don’t have dental in healthcare plans today is that years ago people did not <br />recognize that dental is an important part of health. It is Maslow’s Hierarchy and <br />when money is tight you come down to the basic necessities and going to what <br />is mandated is only the bare minimum. That is not the bar we want to be at. <br /> <br />Steve Yuhasz said that he was not arguing that was the bar we want to be at but <br />if we in fact have to be at the bare minimum then we need to look at how we <br />protect the bare minimum. He emphasized that he was not advocating <br />anything but only pointing out that this is the way the Board of County <br />Commissioners is going to have to look at this year’s budget and probably next <br />year’s budget.