Public Health Board Meeting Minutes

DATE: March 9, 2005

PRESENT: Earl, Schlender, White, Haugen, Clement, Kriegl, Midthun

ABSENT: None

ALSO PRESENT : Muhlenbeck, Bodendein, Konkel

Meeting was called to order at 6 p.m. by Earl and compliance with the open meeting law was noted.

Moved by White, seconded by Clement to adopt the agenda.
Motion carried.

Moved by Schlender, seconded by Haugen to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2005 meeting. Motion carried.

COMMUNICATIONS:

Muhlenbeck handed out three documents:

2004 Health Department Annual Report

2004 Environmental Health statistics

Wild and Dangerous draft applications and permits

BUSINESS ITEMS:

Moved by Kriegl, seconded by Clement to approve $1,500 towards a semester of schooling for Michele Wolf for a Masters of Science in Nursing Administration from bioterrorism funding.
Motion carried.

Moved by White, seconded by Haugen, to approve Walter Clark to attend the out-of-state Public Health Disaster Conference held in Los Angeles, CA.
Motion carried.

Appearance by Karen Torgerson and Dave Macmaster (Mac), representatives of the Sauk County Tobacco Free Coalition. Karen informed the Board that Mr. Macmaster has been the leader in integrating tobacco addiction and drug addiction. It is becoming a nation wide practice to address both drug and tobacco addiction problems together, rather than one at a time. Usually the person who is a drug addict is also a tobacco addict and is open to altering both addictions together rather than on at a time. Mr. Macmaster is the leading advocate for this new type of counseling. The Tobacco Coalition wanted the Board to know of this remarkable man who started this new treatment theory. Mr. Macmaster asked the Board for support on raising the tobacco tax on a package of cigarettes $1. This would help fund the Medicaid deficit as well as restore funding to the Tobacco Cessation group. Moved by Clement, seconded by Kriegl to support the resolution endorsing asking the Sauk City and Prairie du Sac Village Boards to adopt smoke-free workplace ordinances.
Motion carried.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES:

Moved by Clement, seconded by Schlender to accept the monthly reports. Motion carried.
Moved by White, seconded by Midthun to approve the February vouchers totaling $25,147.89. Motion carried.
Considerable discussion followed. Muhlenbeck informed the Board that Greg Pallaske made an offEr to have the Sauk County Health Department inspect licensed establishments that were on tier 1. They would be a low risk for health issues. Examples would be campgrounds, vending machines, etc. The State would contract with us to provide the inspections, and would keep the enforcement issues so we would not have to have ordinances. Mr. Pallaske assured Muhlenbeck that they could then handle all of the high-risk establishments and would see them on a yearly basis. Mr. Pallaske also said they could provide funding to us to cover the cost of our inspections, while still funding their program. Mr. Pallaske will be providing Muhlenbeck with figures in the near future. Muhlenbeck will be sending the information to the Board as soon as she receives it from Mr. Pallaske. The Board would like to invite Mr. Pallaske to the next Board of Health meeting if he has given out the figures.
Muhlenbeck informed the Board that in October, the Health Department will be going through a 140 review, and all of the Board will be invited. This is an audit done by the Division of Health every five years.
Haugen gave a legislative WALHDAB report.

Next meeting is scheduled for April 13, 2005 at 6 p.m. in the ETN room.

Moved by White, seconded by Clement to adjourn.
Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted: Rose White, Secretary