HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Health February 2 20161
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Whatcom County Council
Board of Health
February 2, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. in the
County Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Satpal Sidhu, Barry Buchanan, Ken Mann, and Carl
Weimer
Absent: Rud Browne and Todd Donovan
1. PUBLIC SESSION
Susan Sloan stated she heard about the boy who was killed on his bicycle in Maple
Falls. Install a bike path or walkway to make it safer for citizens.
Brenner stated she spoke with Sherriff Bill Elfo, who is working with the State Patrol
to get something done. The State Representative sponsored a bill to fast track funding.
2. DIRECTOR /HEALTH OFFICER REPORT
Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, stated she emails her Director's
Report every other month. She has also emailed the Community Health Improvement Plan
annual report to all of the councilmembers. The five -year planning report is an update of
what has been accomplished.
Greg Stern Whatcom County Health Officer, stated that during the flu season, there
have been two human influenza types, Type A and Type B, Within those groups, there is a
lot of genetic variation. There is an increase in flu activity, and it is happening later than
last year. He described the number of reported cases this season compared with previous
seasons. Matching the vaccine with the circulating influenza type seems to be working well.
Mann asked if there is enough vaccine locally. Stern stated he's heard of some
places in the private sector with shortages for adults. The Health Department tracks the
State's supply for children. There were shortages of the injectable vaccine for the kids who
can't take the flu mist. There is no system to know what private pharmacies are stocking.
There is no shortage nationally. He will provide an availability report.
Brenner asked if it's not too late to get vaccinated. Stern stated it's not. They
encourage early vaccination. It takes about two weeks for maximum immune response.
It's best to get vaccinated before it hits the community, but it's not too late.
Brenner stated she's heard that having the flu won't be as bad for people who have
been vaccinated if they contracted another strain. Stern stated there can be some cross -
protection between strains. Each vaccine contains three or four strains.
Board of Health, 2/2/2016, Page 1
1 Buchanan asked how long the vaccination protects. Stern stated it may be less
2 effective later in the season, but people should still get the vaccine when it's available, so
3 more people are protected. It might be somewhat less effective as time goes on, but it is
4 still important to get vaccinated.
5
6 Stern reported on the history of the Zika virus. The virus seems to be spreading.
7 Eighty percent of people with the virus will not have symptoms. The virus involves fever,
8 conjunctivitis, and muscle aches. It usually clears up in a few days and provides long -
9 lasting immunity. The concerns are with potential problems in fetal brain development,
10 which are being investigated. The main response is to not get bitten by mosquitos.
11
12 3. PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD (PHAB) UPDATE
13
14 Ben Schultz, Public Health Advisory Board Chair, submitted a handout (on file) and
15 stated laws banning smoking in public places do not cover e- cigarettes. There were
16 arguments for and against using e- cigarettes, but the Advisory Board encourages the Health
17 Department staff to draft policy on banning e- cigarettes in public places.
18
19 Sidhu asked what are the arguments in favor of e- cigarettes. He asked if the
20 similarities between regular and e- cigarettes are enough to ban them as regular cigarettes.
21 Schultz stated the arguments in favor were civil liberties and personal freedom. Don't ban
22 activities frivolously.
23
24 Mann asked what is the PHAB recommendation. Schultz stated the PHAB
25 recommends that the Board of Health ask the Health Department staff to draft policies
26 regarding e- cigarettes.
27
28 Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, stated there aren't any State rules
29 about e- cigarettes and smoking in public places right now. Many local jurisdictions are
30 moving forward with local ordinances. They will see what happens in the next State
31 legislative session.
32
33 Mann stated it's up to the Health Board, not the Advisory Board, to direct staff. He
34 supports staff creating draft language that the Council can have a public hearing on.
35 Delahunt stated staff and the PHAB are working on a list of policies to bring to the Board of
36 Health.
37
38 Schultz described the relationship between the PHAB and staff.
39
40 Mann stated the Health Advisory Board must be a group of folks who are
41 knowledgeable about health issues and make policy recommendations, just like any other
42 advisory board. The councilmembers don't have the time to research every issue. If the
43 recommendation is to expand the rules on smoking in public places to include electronic
44 smoking devices, then that's great. Schultz stated the staff asked the PHAB if it
45 recommends that they put work into policy on e- cigarettes and the ban on smoking in public
46 places. He recognizes that the PHAB must make specific recommendations to the Health
47 Board.
48
49 Weimer asked if the County has the authority to restrict e- cigarettes. He's never
50 gotten a clear answer from legal counsel, but five other counties have already done so.
51 Whatcom Transit Authority (WTA) has banned e- cigarettes on their property. The question
52 is whether a public person who is walking through vapors has the same health risk as
53 someone exposed to cigarette smoke. That's not addressed in this information. He would
Board of Health, 2/2/2016, Page 2
1 like more information on that question. Schultz stated there may not be data on the risk
2 comparison of secondhand e- cigarette vapor with cigarette smoke. The PHAB felt it can
3 endorse the policy despite the absence of that data. There are other good reasons. The
4 staff's ability to find up -to -date information is a good example of having the staff involved in
5 policy making. They are eager to collect the information, which makes local policy decisions
6 stronger.
7
8 Brenner asked how this is different from smoking in a public place. She asked if it is
9 toxic. Schultz described the e- cigarette and its difference from cigarettes. There is a
10 legitimate public health concern about risks from tobacco use, especially with youth. There
11 is a correlation between e- cigarette use and tobacco use.
12
13 Delahunt stated there is some evidence there are toxins that people can inhale if
14 they are exposed to the vapor. The body of evidence is not as strong as it is with tobacco,
15 because it's new.
16
17 Sidhu asked about the baseline for the statistics in the handout and how many
18 people are in the study. Schultz stated the baseline is number of youth who do not use e-
19 cigarettes. The statistic shows 18 out of 100 tenth - graders use e- cigarettes or e- cigarettes
20 and tobacco in some form. They would like a to see a decline in youth tobacco use.
21 Including e- cigarette data shows an increase in use. It reverses the overall trend in
22 declining use.
23
24 Buchanan asked if the Board would like staff to continue working on this issue.
25
26 The Board concurred.
27
28 Brenner stated she would like the data to include actual numbers, not just
29 percentages.
30
31 4. HEALTH IN PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS
32
33 Rachel Lucy, Public Health Advisory Board Vice - Chair, described the history of the
34 Healthy Planning Resolution. She read from the presentation in the Board packet (on file).
35
36 Melissa Morin, Health Department, continued to read from the presentation in the
37 Board packet, beginning with the outline of today's presentation.
38
39 Brenner asked if they will present information on the Comprehensive Plan after June.
40 Morin stated they will not. They will be working to build the process and the system.
41
42 Brenner asked if they will go through all the Comprehensive Plan recommendations.
43 Morin stated they've already done that. They will present their recommendations.
44
45 Morin continued and concluded the presentation.
46
47 Mann stated he supports the Department's requested action to approve the process
48 for implementation. However, the language sounds more like an economic justice
49 document than a health outcomes document. He's not sure economic justice is one of the
50 main goals of their healthy planning initiative. He prefers to eliminate the entire column
51 explaining why Whatcom County residents will be better off. Morin stated the community
52 health assessment and community health improvement plan include a major finding that
53 Whatcom County, which is one of the healthiest counties in the state, has a great disparity
Board of Health, 2/2/2016, Page 3
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in actual health outcomes. The disparity falls along the lines of income, education, and race
and ethnicity. When they talk about allocating resources, they talk about making sure folks
who have poorer health outcomes are being cared for and that they are reducing those
disparities. The county isn't healthy unless everyone is healthy.
Mann stated he agrees they need a balanced approach, so highlight other benefits
that don't necessarily relate to disparity, which is an admirable goal. Morin stated this
presentation just explains the process necessary to guide their work. They can change the
bullet points in that language.
Weimer stated this is very heavy on process. He would like to focus more on end
results and whether they will be successful. The Comprehensive Plan goals that the Health
Department recommends aren't in the Comprehensive Plan that the Council is working on.
They have to come up with a clear way to communicate. The recommendations from the
Health Department should come forward separate from the Planning Commission
recommendation. Some of this discussion should be done at the Council's Planning
Committee meetings.
Brenner stated she agrees with the goals regarding access to health. She referenced
the Council's resolution 2015 -038 and stated the sixth Whereas statement should be
amended, "Whereas, data show that people living in poverty... experience Faeia' eF et
discrimination...." Any kind of discrimination is damaging, especially with kids. Also amend
the Whereas statement, "Whereas plans and policies implemented... sector can significantly
affect access...." Regarding the statement of policy from the National Association of City
and County Health Officials (NACCHO), there are many things they are already doing, but
may need to do better.
Sidhu stated good health outcomes are necessary for society. If one isn't healthy,
nothing else matters. He asked if the County administration has consulted with other
departments, and if they approve of the process. Morin stated they have talked with other
department leaders. The implementation plan includes having those conversations with
staff from other departments.
Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, stated staff in several departments
are starting to understand the importance of all the planning they do from a health
perspective. Making a policy change will have the greatest impact on the community. She
thanked the Council for passing the resolution.
Sidhu stated he supports the goal for agricultural diversity. People should garden
more so there is fresh produce available.
S. LOCAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
John Wolpers, Health Department, introduced the local management plan and stated
this is a presentation on the update to the plan. He introduced Waste Water Supervisor
Mike Kim. Today, staff is asking the Board for approval of the plan update.
Mike Kim, Health Department, stated there are 28,114 septic systems in the county.
He read from the presentation in the Board packet regarding the onsite sewage system
(OSS) local management plan.
Brenner asked if the rebate is open to everyone. She prefers the rebates to go to
people who have financial problems. She asked why they are no longer sending follow -up
Board of Health, 2/2/2016, Page 4
letters to homeowners with maintenance needed and if they are contacting them personally.
Kim stated it was ineffective to send letters to every single property owner with
maintenance needed items that have come up during the evaluation. The evaluation has
been done. The property owner knows what needs to be done. It's their responsibility to
take care of their system. If there are critical items that may lead to failure or substantially
affect the functionality of the system, staff will contact the owner to highly recommend that
they address the issue.
Brenner asked if homeowners are going to be notified when the system needs to be
inspected. Kim stated they are not now, but there will be a system in place by 2018. Their
goal is to have all the systems in the Portage /Nooksack watershed evaluated at least one
time by 2018. Many have still never been evaluated. Once all systems have been
inspected once, they will begin routine notification. They have completed the first time
inspections in the watersheds for Drayton Harbor and Lake Whatcom. As they work through
Portage Bay, they will continue their work in Drayton Harbor.
Brenner asked if they know for sure that Victoria, British Columbia doesn't cause any
problems with the shellfish areas. Kim stated they don't know for sure.
Wolpers stated the Department of Health's shellfish program is working on mapping.
It would be nice to know the answer to that question.
Sidhu referenced the pollution identification and correction (PIC) program and stated
there is a discussion among several agencies. It's very important to identify contributions
from dairies compared to contributions from the failing septic systems. He asked if other
areas, such as Bertrand, are priority areas. Kim stated their priority areas currently are
Bertrand, Kamm, and Fishtrap watersheds. If the Public Works Department identifies areas
with high test results, he helps them identify whether a septic system is contributing to that
pollution. At the same time, he uses their data to help him focus on where they want to
begin and spend resources.
(Clerk's Note: Councilmember Sidhu left the meeting at 12:30 p.m.)
Weimer asked if the updates to the plan change the code. Wolpers stated they do
not.
Weimer stated one change that should be in the code is the requirement for
homeowners doing their own inspections to submit pictures. That's not in the code.
Wolpers stated that's an administrative decision. Homeowners are allowed to do their own
evaluations. How staff goes about allowing that evaluation isn't necessary for the code. A
homeowner has never questioned it because it's not in the code.
Kim stated the intent of the photo is to minimize staff time in site inspections. They
are verifying the work is being done to establish a baseline dataset. They want to know the
ratio of folks who are really doing these evaluations. So far, a great majority are doing
evaluations. If a homeowner sent in a picture with their evaluation form, it would be more
efficient. They don't intend to start enforcement if there is no picture.
Weimer asked the percentage of homeowners who are doing their own evaluations
versus professional evaluations. Kim stated he doesn't know. In the most recent
notification area, it's far higher than in the past in other areas. In the Lynden North area,
about one - quarter of the inspections have been homeowner evaluations.
Board of Health, 2/2/2016, Page 5
1 Weimer asked if they considered including the Birch Bay watershed as a marine
2 recovery area (MRA) because its shellfish beds have been closed. Kim stated they have not
3 discussed it.
4
5 Wolpers stated it was because an outfall was the cause of that special area, such as
6 600 yards. It's not big. They are looking at commercial and recreational. There isn't any
7 harvesting in that small area, so they didn't see the need to include it as an MRA for the
8 State Department of Health.
9
10 Mann stated that when the Council first allowed self- inspections, the rate for passing
11 inspections was much higher than the professional inspection's rate of passing. He would
12 like to know the rate for passing of self- inspections and of professional inspections. He
13 asked if the staff are doing spot inspections. Kim stated he can provide specific data. One
14 of staff's highest priorities is following up on homeowner evaluations.
15
16 Wolpers stated they have hired an additional operations and maintenance (O &M)
17 staff person, who will help their ability to do quality assurance and quality control. The
18 initial information over the years showed that people hadn't even dug up their tanks. As
19 they have brought on a new staff person, they have been able to figure this out. The
20 information will only get better.
21
22 Mann asked how many systems have been evaluated countywide. Kim stated about
23 half of the 28,000 systems have a complete evaluation. Within the 14,000 systems in the
24 Portage Bay watershed, approximately half have had a complete evaluation.
25
26 Mann asked the enforcement process. Kim stated that in the sensitive areas, they
27 notify property owners that it's time to complete their evaluation. Staff sends a second
28 letter giving them additional time. After that, they issue a notice of violation and civil
29 penalties.
30
31 Wolpers stated they have just finished sending out the notices of violation to the
32 North Lynden area. They sent out about 400 notices of violation, giving people their last
33 deadline in which to comply before civil penalties will be issued. To date, they have issued
34 between six and eight civil penalties, all in the Drayton Harbor watershed. None were
35 issued in the Lake Whatcom watershed. As of right now, they've issued 400 notices of
36 violation in the North Lynden area. They are getting a lot of calls. The new O &M staff
37 person will start soon.
38
39 Mann asked how many of those 400 who are getting notices of violation are irate.
40 Kim stated not many. Most are just clarifying their requirements and finding out what they
41 can do.
42
43 Weimer stated there is a great job of integrating all the OSS work with other
44 concerns such as manure and other pollution issues. In Portage Bay, pollution from
45 Victoria, B.C. is not the problem because the problems are coming down the river. He
46 moved to approve the plan. The motion was seconded.
47
48 Brenner asked if most of the systems that have not been evaluated are in the
49 Portage Bay watershed. Kim stated many are.
50
51 Brenner stated she really likes the first paragraph in the staff report on Board packet
52 page 27. She asked the changes that have been made to the Local Management Plan.
53 Wolpers stated they made changes to the follow up procedure for systems with
Board of Health, 2/2/2016, Page 6
maintenance needed. The original LMP's sensitive areas should be considered. When they
originally had the regulation, an O &M specialist had to do the first evaluation, but that has
changed. That change was never reflected in the Local Management Plan. The Whatcom
County Local Management Plan update is ahead of everyone in the state. The State is
trying to require an update every five years.
Brenner stated the average household size and average family size are different.
She asked how they are different. Kim stated it is the same data that was used in the initial
plan.
Wolpers stated that information came from the Planning Department.
Brenner asked how people find out if they are near a stream that meets the stream
threshold in the Shoreline Management Plan. Kim stated that if someone is close to a water
body, there is a higher risk that the septic system will impact that water body.
Brenner asked if they are any closer to finding the cause of nonpoint pollution in
areas where the pollution levels are rising. Kim stated they aren't closer to the cause.
Many agencies are working toward a solution.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Buchanan, and Weimer (4)
Nays: None (0)
Absent: Sidhu, Browne, and Donovan (3)
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:53 p.m.
,T'os C8 6i9k approved these minutes or
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on, Minutes Transcription
March 22, 2016.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Barchanan, Council Chair
Board of Health, 2/2/2016, Page 7