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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH July 28, 2005 Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 4 July 28, 2006 Motion to approve the Cost Settlement money and forward their recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for approval was made by Alice White, seconded by Sharon Freeland, and carried without dissent. V. Reports and Discussion with Possible Action A. Mill Creek Road Environmental Assessment Earlier this spring, Environmental Health staff met with a small number of residents from the Mill Creek Road area located in Cedar Grove Township. These residents voiced concerns at that time about well water problems in their neighborhood and what options were available for relief including well repairs, well replacements and the extension of public water lines. Subsequent to that meeting, one community member in attendance at a Board of County Commissioners meeting asked the board for a groundwater study as he stated that several community members had developed cancer as a result of the water. The BOCC members agreed to attend a community meeting to further discuss the matter with the residents and to authorize a study of the problems. That meeting occurred on June 29th. All five commissioners were in attendance as was Environmental Health staff, the Orange County Engineer and a Planning Department representative. Local media was also present. The commissioners committed to the community that the health department would spearhead a study of the water problems and other possible environmental exposures in the area and whether it is related to the disease incidence. They asked for a list of past cancer patients in the area and that has now been provided to health department staff. The county manager has committed to provide a plan of action to the BOCC at its first meeting in August and to meet that obligation, staff provided a draft for the Board’s review and input. Board members expressed concern about raising the community’s expectations that there would be a cancer cluster identified or a link between cancer and the water. Dr. Carey identified the difficulty in conducting such studies with reliability. The staff acknowledged that this would be difficult and that the intent was to keep the community informed at each step of the process. Examining the data that is available and helping to interpret that to the community is hoped to assist with understanding. Findings from the water study, even though they may be unrelated to cancer will also hopefully help individual well owners with possible improvements in their water quality. Rev. Freeland asked about the cost of the water samples and staff replied that the proposal was for the county to pay for those samples for this study. This is a practice that has been followed in the past with other communities that the Commissioner’s have authorized. B. Orange County/TJCOG Active Senior Project Summary Ellen Young, Health Promotion Coordinator, presented a report on the Active Seniors Project, highlighting recommendations to help promote walking and biking in the neighborhoods surrounding the new Southern Orange Senior Center on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill. It is a