QUINNIPIACK VALLEY HEALTH DISTRICT
BOARD OF HEALTH MINUTES
North Haven, CT
March 23, 2017
4:30 PM
In attendance: A. Mulvihill; J. Donaldson; B. Weeks; D. Cofrancesco; P. Marone; A. Levison; R. Ivins; R. Martinello; J. Solimene.
Ex officio: L. Balch. Staff: D. Culligan.
Not in attendance: C. Goldberg; V. Gallo; A. Sofair; K. Blake; J. St. Peter.
President Donaldson called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. She welcomed new board member, J. Solimene, representing North Haven. She noted that R. Wilson has resigned from the board and J. St. Peter has been made a permanent board member rather than an alternate. President Donaldson offered condolences to management staff, all of whom have lost a parent since the last Board meeting.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by D. Cofrancesco, seconded by A. Levison to accept the January minutes with the following corrections: The name A. Mulvihill should be used throughout the minutes (instead of A. Hanke); in the health education report, it should be noted that A. Mulvihill discussed the benefits of added liability protection for volunteers when recruiting for the MRC (Medical Reserve Corp.) The motion was accepted unanimously.
FINANCIAL REPORT
L. Balch reported:
- In November a representative report was presented to the board while a new report format is being designed. Grant fund allocations are unclear in the current report format.
- The February 28, 2017 report is an overall cash basis report, including grant funds without specifying grant fund allocation.
- Separate grant reporting will be included in the Board reports in FY18. P. Marone asked if there is a template that will be used, and L. Balch answered not at this time. J. Donaldson charged the Finance Committee to work on the new format.
- The budget target is 67%; revenue is 68% and expenditures are 62%. The budget is tight and close, but the amount of reserve-funds needed should be lower than indicated in the original FY17 budget.
- Since March 1st, QVHD has received $13,000 from an MRC NACCHO Challenge grant and $20,000 for the FY17 CoRE grant (September, 2016 through August 2017) For details on the CoRE grant, see administrative reports.
A motion to place the financial report on file was made by was made by R. Ivins, seconded by P. Marone and accepted unanimously.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Personnel Committee
D. Cofrancesco reported that the Personnel Committee was charged with reviewing management contracts for a salary adjustment. The committee’s recommendation was passed to the Finance Committee who approved their recommendation. D. Cofrancesco made a motion on behalf of the Personnel Committee: Management staff shall receive a 2% bonus in lieu of a salary increase, excluding pension, payable in this fiscal year, and will be reviewed each subsequent year for consideration. It was clarified that the bonus is 2% for a six month period. The motion was seconded by A. Levison and passed unanimously.
Finance Committee
P. Marone presented the draft FY18 budget on behalf of the Finance Committee.
Comments:
The town per capita is $5.75. The state per capita has not been finalized yet but the Governor's draft budget includes a 10% cut.
A final draft will need a board vote before the 5:00 p.m. public hearing to be held at the April 27 board meeting.
R. Ivins suggested that QVHD will need to increase the per capita request to towns annually in order to achieve the dollar amount needed to sustain operations.
P. Marone estimated that QVHD would need an additional $1.17 per capita if no grants were received in order to fund current level operations.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
Health Education reported by D. Culligan
- QVHD participated in the Let’s Move Wellness fair in February, held at Dunbar Hill School, Hamden. The theme focused on healthy food choices using the wheel for a game with children. There was also a display for adults on prediabetes.
- QVHD received a $13,000 MRC challenge award grant from NACCHO (National Association of City and County Health Officials.) The money will fund a project called “Preparedness Pals” in which volunteers will be matched with a senior adult or disabled person in the community in order to help them be prepared for emergency events. The project will focus on building a supply kit, making a plan and ways to stay informed. Volunteers are being solicited from a high school student council and several scout troops as well as from QVHD volunteers.
- Mom’s Clinic, the school based health center at Hamden High, received a $1,000 grant from the Hamden Rotary Club. The Rotary Club has been a longtime supporter of Mom’s Clinic.
- The draft Community Health Assessment report is posted on the QVHD website and its availability has been posted in numerous places, including local print media, town website home pages and social media to solicit community input. The next step is to develop a Community Health Improvement Plan. The first workgroup meeting will be held on April 25, from 2:30 to 4:30, currently scheduled to be held at the Energize CT facility in North Haven.
Director’s Report, L. Balch:
- The CoRE grant is for activities related to opioid use. QVHD is one of 6 CT health departments to receive this funding. Primary activities will focus on data collection and sharing and will attempt to get more doctors trained to give treatment in the office setting. It also strives to increase the availability of Narcan. The primary intent of the statewide initiative is to save lives. It also seeks to decrease the stigma associated with opioid addiction. Yale New Haven Hospital and QU primary care students have partnered with QVHD for this project. QVHD's proposed plan includes a navigator to assist finding appropriate treatment.
- Board members have been asked to review a draft Code of Conduct and a Confidentiality Agreement for inclusion of these documents in the QVHD policies for staff and Board members. Signature will be required at the April Board meeting. L. Balch will re-email the documents to Board members.
- QVHD has a UMASS doctoral intern who has been researching African Diaspora and Alzheimer's disease. A community presentation on Alzheimer's and dementia is planned for April 11, 2017 from 6-8 PM at the Keefe Community Center in Hamden. Residents from all towns are welcome. Please spread the word.
- QVHD has an intern working on mosquito-borne disease awareness with a focus on Zika. L. Balch has heard from both Hamden and North Haven that they would like updated information about Zika. L. Balch has offered education to all towns. The intern will be representing QVHD at the Hamden Earth Day, April 22, with a display on backyard mosquito source reduction and personal protection.
- Approval to post the Legal Notice of the availability of the QVHD Annual Financial Report for the year ending in June 2016 was requested. R. Ivins made a motion to authorize L. Balch to place this announcement in the paper, seconded by D. Cofrancesco and passed unanimously.
- QVHD is looking to hold a “walk and talk” program in the fall. Several other health departments/communities are sponsoring such walks. The concept is to develop a walking group of residents and health professionals who will walk together and have the opportunity to discuss general health issues with participant providers. Ideas for walks include “Back to School”, “Pumpkin Patch” and “Fall Foliage.”
- It has been reported by the CT Association of Directors of Health (CADH) that 47 people testified at the hearing on regionalization. Of the 47, 46 testified against the proposed bill, and one person from the Department of Public Health testified in favor. Although the concept of shared services is generally supported, L. Balch does not think it the bill will pass as it stands, but with modifications it could be tacked onto another piece of legislation. She will continue follow.
At 5:50 pm. a motion to adjourn was made by D. Cofrancesco, seconded by R. Ivins and passed unanimously.
Minutes prepared by D. Culligan and L. Balch
The next regular QVHD Board meeting will be held April 27, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. at the QVHD office. The public hearing for the FY18 budget will be held at 5:00 p.m. during that meeting.