Board of Health February 1 20111
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Board of Health
February 1, 2011
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Sam Crawford called the meeting to order at 10:33 a.m. in the Council
Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Ken Mann, Sam Crawford, Carl Weimer, Bill Knutzen
and Kathy Kershner.
Absent: Tony Larson.
1. PUBLIC SESSION
No one spoke.
2. HOMELESS HOUSING PROGRAM (10 :33 :44 AM)
Anne Deacon, Health Department, stated they purchased a program evaluation to
determine if what they're doing is working. The executive summary of that report is
included in the packet. The full report is available upon request. She described the topics
they would discuss today and submitted and read from a presentation (on file).
Gail de Hoog, Health Department, continued to read the presentation regarding
actions of the department once it decided to develop the Homeless Service Center. They
plan to focus efforts on ending homelessness, not just managing homelessness.
Discussion included administrative costs; providing lockers to homeless so they can
store their things during job interviews, and; having a central drop -in center to provide
computer, shower, laundry, and mail services to the homeless.
Greg Winter, Whatcom Homeless Service Center Director, continued the presentation
regarding a description of the Homeless Service Center client services. (10 :54 :59 AM)
Discussion included whether there is a way to provide internet services and
technology to the clients; the Comcast franchise agreement; whether clients are respected
and educated on tenant rights; whether there are any clients who can't be helped; how to
help people who are homeless by choice; a pilot project with the Bellingham Police
Department to address violence among certain homeless individuals who won't
independently seek services; (11 :14 :37 AM) whether there is access to legal services for
someone who is about to be evicted; helping clients apply for Medicaid; the percentage of
the total homeless population that become clients who are housed; (11 :40 :41 AM) how
stable the outside funding is; the outreach done in the small cities and rural areas; the
number of homeless in Bellingham and the number outside of Bellingham, and; using the
housing -first model.
3. PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING (11 :53 :40 AM)
Board of Health, 2/1/2011, Page 1
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Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, introduced Marcus Deyerin.
(Clerk's Note: Councilmembers Kershner and Crawford left the meeting.
Councilmember Knutzen assumed the duties of the Chair.)
Marcus Deyerin, Health Department, showed a video of recent events regarding the
Olympics and preparations for the H1N1 virus.
Discussion included how emergency planning is related to a recent study contracted
to Western Washington University; how the County Emergency Management Division was
involved in the Olympic Coordination Center (OCC) and incident command; (12:12:37 PM)
whether Department of Homeland Security was a main player, and; maintaining the OCC
facility post - Olympics.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:29 p.m.
Please contact the Council Office to obtain an
official, signed copy:
360- 676 -6690 or council &o.w hatcom .wa.us
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
Sam Crawford, Council Chair
Board of Health, 2/1/2011, Page 2