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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />April 23, 2009 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 8 April 23, 2009 <br />Rosemary Summers reported staff was sent a survey by the Manager listing <br />possible areas to cut funding and asked to rank items by importance. <br />There was little new to report as the Manager and Commissioners are still <br />reviewing options available to balance the budget. Many staff members <br />felt they were unable to express other options that might work instead of <br />staff cuts and prepared memos with these suggestions to the Manager. <br /> <br /> c. Directory of Mental Health Services <br /> <br />Donna King stated that the Orange County Healthy Carolinians recently <br />published a directory of Mental Health Services for Orange County. All <br />providers wishing to be listed were included under their specialty or field <br />of practice. This is similar to the Teen Therapy listing published several <br />years ago. The directory is available online and hard copies have been <br />provided to all schools. The Manager’s office has received hard copies <br />for Commissioners. <br /> <br /> d. Swimming Pool Requirements – Virginia Graeme Baker Act <br /> <br />Tom Konsler reported that the Virginia Graeme Baker Act (VGB) prompted <br />a federal law that requires public pools to comply with drain devices and <br />designs to prevent suction hazards and entrapment. Compliance was <br />required for all public pools effective December 19, 2008. It is in effect for <br />all public swimming pools. Before staff issues permits for operation of <br />public pools for the 2009 season, the pool owner must provide verification <br />that the requirements of the VGB act have been met. This is being <br />required despite a statement issued by the NC Division of Environmental <br />Health that enforcement by the state of the standard for multi-drain pools <br />would likely be delayed until the 2010 swimming season. Staff has <br />reviewed the issue with the Environmental Health Committee and <br />presented this approach in the interest of public health and safety and to <br />assure compliance with the federal law currently in effect. <br /> <br />The Board of Health has the authority to make rules to protect the public’s <br />health and safety. Any appeals by pool owners would go to the state. <br />Jessica Lee brought up the point of what ramifications there could be if <br />we did not have a rule in place. Annette Moore clarified that should the <br />local Environmental Health not approve a permit, the owner’s recourse <br />would be to obtain the permit from the state. Tim Carey pointed out the <br />seriousness of the liabilities the county could face should a pool be <br />permitted without the required upgrades. <br /> <br />Motion to make a local rule based on the Virginia Graeme Baker Act was made by <br />Steve Yuhasz, seconded by Sharon Freeman, and carried without dissent. <br /> <br /> e. Media Clips <br /> <br />Newspaper articles on various topics of interest to the Health Department <br />were included for information.