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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />April 24, 2003 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by V. Anne Miles 3 April 24, 2003 <br />3. SB927: Certification of On-Site Wastewater Contractors – This bill is an act to <br />license contractors that install septic systems. <br />4. HB560/SB463: Funds for Interpreter Services/Local Health Department – This <br />bill is an act to appropriate funds for interpreter services in local health <br />departments. <br /> <br />Motion was made to show Board of Health opposition to SB672 and SB907 and support <br />of SB927 and HB530/SB463 by Jonathan Klein, seconded by Alice White and carried <br />without dissent. <br /> <br />B. Health Director’s Report <br /> <br />Dental Position: The position for a dentist has been approved and recruitment is under <br />way. <br /> <br />Awards: Two staff members have won awards. Tom Konsler won the Environmental <br />Health Supervisor of the Year award from the Association of Environmental Health <br />Supervisors. Karen Seifert was awarded the Outstanding Young Dietician for the state. <br /> Her nomination came through the Orange-Durham Dietician Association. <br /> <br />State of the Environment Report: This is a report the Orange County Commission for <br />the Environment through the Environment and Resource Conservation Department <br />produced. The recommendations made in this report are in the areas covered by the <br />Health Department. Rosemary Summers suggested the Board of Health committees <br />look into these recommendations and consider if and how the Board would propose <br />working these into the new long-range plan. <br /> <br />Emergency Management Policy Analysis: As a result of continued concern over <br />terrorism, the County received a grant to study the I-40/I-85 corridor for evacuation in <br />the event of an emergency. The report was presented to the Commissioners at their <br />last meeting. <br /> <br />Communicable Disease Update: We are still dealing with SARS and receive several calls <br />per week of possible cases. The Department is working with the state on tracking <br />these probable or suspected cases. The Health Director has the power to quarantine. <br />Orange County has had one case, the first in the state, and six that have been <br />investigated and ruled out. <br /> <br />Strep: There is a strep throat outbreak at an area preschool. More than 50% of the <br />children in the classroom tested positive for strep over a recurring period of time. In <br />consulting with the state they wanted the department to prophylaxis the entire <br />classroom at the same time. There was objection to this from several parents; <br />therefore, parents were given the option of prophylactic antibiotics or obtaining a <br />negative throat culture before the child could be readmitted to the classroom. <br /> <br />Emergency Planning: We are looking at participating in two field exercises that the <br />state is planning, one in July and one in August. The July exercise is to diagnose and <br />test the surveillance system for a bioterrorism outbreak of a disease agent. It will be <br />run as a “live exercise” with an EPI center of Guilford County. The August exercise is <br />going to test the ability to acquire and distribute the strategic national stockpile (the <br />national pharmaceutical stockpile). This will involve the access, security, storage,