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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH SEPTEMBER 24, 1998 Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Patsy L. Bateman 2 SEPTEMBER 24, 1998 distinct outbreak centers – one in northern Orange and one in the metro area in southern Orange. Staff is recommending that due to the dual outbreak areas, 2 half-time temporary outreach worker positions be created for this grant. To be effective in the short term, an outreach worker should be a community resident familiar with the community. This is a one year grant that will be over September 30, 1999, hence the recommendation for temporary positions. This will require support from current staff, both health education support and nursing support. The question was raised as to whether or not funds from this grant could be used in order to hire another health educator, since a portion of the current health educator’s time will be spent on this grant. Rosemary Summers responded that the grant calls for outreach workers to be hired. Board members noted that one effect of disapproval of the health educator positions by the commissioners during the budget process is the strain on resources of the health department to respond to communicable disease outbreaks such as this one. The motion to accept the consent agenda item as listed was made by Beverly Foster, seconded by Brenda Crowder-Gaines and carried without dissent. III. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. ADVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH CONDITION Included in the Board of Health packet is the DRAFT of Adverse Public Health Condition Rules. The rules contain specific definitions to be considered in applying these rules in order to address problems that affect the public’s health but which are not classifiable as an imminent hazard. Board members raised a number of legal questions, and requested that County Attorney Geoff Gledhill be invited to attend a Board of Health meeting and provide feedback regarding these rules. B. ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION RESOURCES DEPARTMENT PROPOSAL The commissioners were presented the attached draft proposal at their September 15, 1998 meeting. Board of Health members expressed the most concern regarding the overlapping scope of authority of this new department with other existing departments. It was suggested that staffing for the Commission on the Environment might need to be a shared responsibility between environmental health and the new department. The collaboration between the new department and the health department should be clearly stated in the proposal. The question was asked whether or not the development of the new ECRD would affect, complicate, etc. problems/issues that are already evident at the state and local levels. At this time there is no indication that it would. The health department is the regulatory agency for the environmental health area, especially the wastewater area and drinking water supplies. The role of the new department in relation to a regulatory function has not been made explicit in the proposal.