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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />August 27, 2009 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 7 August 27, <br />2009 <br />• Health department responsibilities in the biosolids arena <br />• Viability of the current Board of Health rule on biosolids monitoring <br />• Board’s position on a “multidisciplinary” task force on biosolids policy <br />• Burden of monitoring and enforcement of local regulation of biosolids <br /> <br />Tom Konsler stated that the purpose of the forum was to get complete unbiased <br />information out to the citizens. <br /> <br />Jessica Lee stated that the Board of Health has been studying this issue from the <br />time she began serving on the Board two terms ago. She stated that when these <br />discussions began many years ago, the Commission for the Environment was <br />completely unaware that Environmental Health already had staff assigned to this <br />issue and that local rules included monitoring these sites. Dr. Lee stated that the <br />Board of Health has a long history of acting on this issue and tried diligently to get <br />a study going from the very beginning without much success. Tom Konsler <br />stated that he had spoken with David Stancil, the department head of <br />Environment and Resource Conservation Department and had received <br />favorable feedback regarding a public forum at that time. <br /> <br />Anissa Vines stated that the Board had indicated they would participate in a <br />task force but that we remain concerned about the task force’s scope of work <br />and the inherent bias of information in widespread circulation. <br /> <br />Christopher Cooke felt that even if we had the study and the forum there are still <br />those parties that are biased against the application of biosolids regardless of <br />any facts or scientific data and that no progress would be made. <br /> <br />Steve Yuhasz commented that the Commission for the Environment did not <br />include nor invite Environment Health or Board of Health to their meeting to <br />discuss this issue. He stated that the CFE’s approach is purely biosolids affect on <br />the environment, whereas the Health Department’s approach is the effects of <br />biosolids application on the environment that also affects health. <br /> <br />Tom Konsler stated that NCSU may take the forum on and continue with the <br />planning. Because of the Commissioners directive, the Department would have <br />to decline participation. <br /> <br />F. Informational Items <br /> <br /> a. Project Homeless Connect: The 3rd Project Homeless Connect Orange <br />County will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2009 from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm at the <br />Hargraves Community Center in Chapel Hill. Angela Cooke reported that PHC is <br />a one-day, one-stop center to provide people experiencing or at risk of <br />experiencing homelessness with a broad range of services including housing, <br />employment, health and dental care, mental health care, veterans’ and social <br />service benefits, legal services, and more. This year more than 200 – 250 guests <br />are anticipated being served with participation of over 50 social service <br />agencies. This program is part of the County’s 10-year plan to end homelessness. <br /> <br />Wayne Sherman and Angela Cooke are chairs of the PHC health and dental