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MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br /> March 26, 2025 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT: To promote and protect <br /> health, enhance quality of life, and preserve the environment for everyone in Orange County. <br /> THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MET ON March 26, 2025, at the Orange <br /> County Health Department, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC. <br /> BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS PRESENT: Alison Stuebe— Chair, Tony Whitaker—Vice <br /> Chair, Keith Bagby, Bruce Baldwin, Brian Crandell, Commissioner Amy Fowler, Davia <br /> Nickelson, Lee Pickett, Shielda Rodgers, and Rachel Royce. Aparna Jonnal arrived later. <br /> BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS ABSENT: None. <br /> STAFF PRESENT: Quintana Stewart, Health Director; Erica Pettigrew, Medical Director; Dana <br /> Crews, Community Health Services Director; Dr. Stephanie George, Dental Services Director; <br /> Victoria Hudson, Environmental Health Director; Carla Julian, Public Health Nursing Director; <br /> Ashley Rawlinson, Compliance Manager; Frederick Perschau, Financial and Administrative <br /> Services Director; Libbie Hough, Communications Manager; Brenna McManus, Advanced <br /> Practice Provider I; Claudia "Gaby" Castro, Bilingual Medical Office Assistant; and Jean Phillips- <br /> Weiner, BOH Strategic Plan Manager. <br /> GUESTS/VISITORS PRESENT: Samantha Luu, Sierra Elrahal, Judith Rivera, and Aaron <br /> Bindman <br /> I. Welcome New Employees <br /> Quintana Stewart, Health Director, introduced the two new employees in attendance: Brenna <br /> McManus—Advanced Practice Provider I, and Claudia "Gaby" Castro — Bilingual Medical Office <br /> Assistant. <br /> II. Public Comment for Items NOT on Printed Agenda: None. <br /> III. Board Comments: <br /> Dr. Davia Nickelson <br /> Dr. Nickelson shared that two NC counties, Union County and Lincoln County, have banned <br /> fluoride from their local water supplies. In response to Commissioner Fowler's question, Dr. <br /> Nickelson affirmed that both counties have at least one dentist, but that there are three other NC <br /> counties that do not have any dentists. Dr. Royce asked about data and surveillance methods <br /> regarding the impact of removing fluoride from local water, and Dr. Nickelson explained that <br /> though there was no official surveillance that she was aware of, Juneau, Alaska, removed <br /> fluoride from their water in 2007 and even as soon as 2010 there had been a noticeable <br /> increase in cavities and tooth decay among the community. Dr. Pickett asked if Juneau had <br /> since refluoridated, to which Dr. Nickelson replied that they had not. Dr. Stuebe commented that <br /> the Orange County Board of Health was investigating the public health impact of fluoride when <br /> she joined the board which Ms. Stewart affirmed, saying that in 2020 the board assisted the <br /> Orange Water and Sewer Association (OWASA) in investigating fluoride, producing an <br /> S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2025 Agenda and Abstracts/ <br /> March Page 1 <br />