Agenda - 08-16-2005-7c - Laserfiche WebLink

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Consultation has been sought from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the Department is utilizing the best information possible. The Health Department will be using a stepwise, epidemiological approach to this assessment, The assessment plan calls far atwo-pronged approach -one is laboratory analysis of the water in private wells that are currently in use and the second prong is an assessment of a health history and other demographic information on area residents. This is proposed to take place through a structured questionnaire and may be followed up with fiuther questionnaires depending on the results of the first questionnaire, Data that is gathered will be analyzed and compared to results that would be considered to be "normal" incidences of disease, FINANCIAL IMPACT: The total casts of performing the study cannot be determined at this time. Water samples for the entire suite of tests (inorganic, bacteriological, semi-volatile and volatile and pesticides) are at a cost of $185 per well tested, Radon kits are $20 for the water sampler and $10 for the air sampler per household. The total cost per household will be $215.. The Health Department is estimating 100 households for an out of pocket cost of $21,500, It is estimated that there will be staff time to gather the samples and staff time for conducting the questionnaire, analysis and report compilation for the first phase of the assessment, It is difficult to estimate the staff cost because more than one person will be involved in the assessment, At present, it is estimated that at least five persons will be involved in various phases of the assessment over the next six months. At this time, one FTE equivalent far six months of an environmental health specialist would be a low estimate for staff costs for this effort (approximately $34,000). These costs do not include any external contracts far data analysis or consultation that are not anticipated at this stage of the investigation, Indirect costs would also include the staff time diverted from other duties such as septic and well permits and communicable disease tracking. The out of packet costs of $21,500 for the water samples were not included in the Department's approved budget for FY05-06. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the Report and provide direction to the staff, Should the Board authorize staff to proceed, it is recommended that the $21,500 for the water sampling component of the proposal be paid through a transfer from the Social Safety Net/Critical Needs Reserve.