In Attendance: J. Donaldson, A. Levison, N. Spector, R. Ivins, C. Goldberg, K. Blake, R. Martinello 

Absent:  P. Marone, T. Mitchell, J. Solimene, J. O’Neill St. Peter, B. Weeks 

Ex Officio: L. Balch 

Staff: A. Mulvihill, L. Fox 

President Donaldson called the meeting to order at 4:45 PM and declared a quorum present with three of 4 towns represented. 

President’s Comments 

President Donaldson wished all a happy holiday season. The proposed Board of Health meeting schedule for 2019 was distributed for review. A motion to adopt the meeting dates was made by C. Goldberg, seconded by R. Martinello and voted unanimously.  

Approval of Minutes  

A motion was made by C. Goldberg, seconded by K. Blake, to accept the October 2018 minutes. The motion to accept the October minutes passed with 1 abstention from N. Spector. 

F. Notaro left her position at QVHD of Bookkeeper on November 30, 2018 and Premiere Bookkeeping in Hamden has been retained to provide services.  

Per Capita Request to Towns   

In preparation for submission of the FY19 budget request to the towns, L. Balch asked the Board to consider a $0.15 per capita increase.  The current town per capita per is $6.00.  Discussion followed.  A motion to increase the per capita $0.15 to reflect a $6.15 per capita contribution was made by R. Ivins, seconded by A. Levison and voted unanimously. 

Public Hearing 

At 5:01 PM C. Goldberg made a motion to open the Public Hearing concerning changes in the food establishment regulations, new classifications, related fees and new grading system scheduled for FY 2019 as published in the New Haven Register on November 21, 2018, seconded by A. Levison, and voted unanimously.   

L. Balch noted no requests for information were received by QVHD after publication. The final CT regulations or inspection form have not yet been approved by the Department of Public Health (DPH), but drafts have been circulated and discussed. Training by DPH Food Protection program will take place once it is finalized and provided.  

At 5:10 PM, President Donaldson noted one member of the public was present at the Public Hearing, Kevin Smith from Eli’s on Whitney. 

L. Balch read the changes in the classification of Retail Food Establishments as contained in the CT General Statutes. L. Fox distributed a copy of and read the QVHD fees for retail food establishments previously accepted by the Board (see attached) and the new CT requirements for Certified Food Protection Managers in all Class 2, 3, and 4 establishments.  Discussion followed. L. Balch noted the rating system criteria will be established after the new inspection form and protocol has been implemented and utilized for approximately 6 months. 

There were no questions from the public.  

At 5:34 PM R. Ivins made a motion to close the Public Hearing and return to regular session, seconded by K. Blake and voted unanimously. The member of the public departed.  

A motion to accept Connecticut’s Retail Food Establishment Classifications as presented was made by C. Goldberg, seconded by R. Ivins and voted unanimously. 

A motion to accept the proposed fees was made by A. Levison, seconded by K. Blake and voted unanimously. 

Food establishment and itinerant license fees will be will be reduced by 50% for those establishments operating for 6 months or less.  

A motion to edit QVHD’s regulations to include and reflect changes in the CT General Statutes and the DPH regulations when available was made by R. Ivins, seconded by R. Martinello and voted unanimously. 

Management Reports  

A. Mulvihill reported: 

Radon Awareness: Messaging accompanied by free radon test kits has been well accepted.  

School Based Health Center (SBHC): Enrollment is at 32% of the student population.  The SBHC at Hamden High School had the highest number of medical visits out of all CSHH-C SBHC’s for the months of October and November. Outreach activities for November included staff presence and information at: An Information Night; Winter Sports Parent Night; and a SBHC Open House during the Parent/Teacher Conferences. QVHD is working in partnership with school staff to develop a SBHC Student Ambassador program at HHS to engage the student population in promoting health knowledge, health literacy and use of the SBHC services. Collaboration with the HHS Health Education Department is underway to present a Substance Abuse Panel at the high school in the spring.  

Public Health Accreditation efforts are moving forward with a Quality Improvement (QI) project focused on a more efficient and community responsive file-retrieval system.  

Substance Use Disorder: In November, two Narcan Trainings were arranged by QVHD.  One was at the Quinnipiac University Medical School, which resulted in 33 people now equipped with Narcan Kits and how to administer if needed. The second Narcan Training was at the Woodbridge Public Library and was co-sponsored by QVHD, the Woodbridge Town Library and BH Care. One of the head librarians was trained on how to respond to an overdose, as well as individuals with at risk family members. 

Reportable Diseases: Influenza activity has begun to increase in Connecticut during the past week. Reported hospitalized and fatal cases in the District cases do not yet reflect this increase.  

Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Olivia Chamberland, SCSU Graduate Intern has updated Memorandum of Understandings and prepared an executive summary to be distributed to Superintendents that oversee schools that are designated as Points of Distributions and has completed an update of QVHD’s Emergency Preparedness Plan. 

Board members are invited to attend QVHD’s upcoming Community Health Coalition Meeting on January 17th offered at two times, either 3:00-4:30 or 6:00-7:30. 

Environmental Health by L. Fox: 

QVHD been awarded 2 FDA grants: $20,000 to digitize food inspections and purchase tablets for use in field and $3,000 to cover travel expenses for FDA regional meetings and or training events.  J. Donaldson expressed that L. Fox has the Board’s appreciation for her work in obtaining the FDA grant funding. 

Directors Report  

L. Balch read a Memorandum of Understanding between Quinnipiack Valley Health District and the Director of Health required by DPH.  A motion was passed by R. Martinello to accept the MOU, seconded by C. Goldberg and voted unanimously.   

L. Balch asked the board for approval to continue teaching outside of QVHD office hours at Southern Connecticut State University.  This was unanimously approved. 

School Based Health Center (SBHC) at Church Street School: L. Balch shared that the Department of Public Health has not yet received CSHH-C’s application for Church Street School’s SBHC. QVHD is working with CSHH-C to track the application that has been reported as sent, but not received.  

Other: As desired by members 

K. Blake expressed that she is interested in information regarding plastic bag bans or other efforts to decrease the retail use of plastic bags in Hamden. L. Balch will research other CT Town efforts and share information. 

A motion to adjourn was made at 6:12 PM by K. Blake, seconded by A. Levison and voted unanimously.  

Minutes prepared by A. Mulvihill, Temporary Clerk  

Attachments: 

Connecticut’s New Food Service Establishment Classification 

Certified Food Protection Manager needed for all Class 2,3, and 4’s 

 "Class 1 food establishment" means a retail food establishment that does not serve a population that is highly susceptible to foodborne illnesses and only offers (A) commercially packaged food in its original commercial package that is time or temperature controlled for safety, or (B) commercially prepackaged, pre-cooked food that is time or temperature controlled for safety and heated, hot held and served in its original commercial package not later than four hours after heating, or (C) food prepared in the establishment that is not time or temperature controlled for safety.  

 "Class 2 food establishment" means a retail food establishment that does not serve a population that is highly susceptible to food-borne illnesses and offers a limited menu of food that is prepared, cooked and served immediately, or that prepares and cooks food that is time or temperature controlled for safety and may require hot or cold holding, but that does not involve cooling;  

 "Class 3 food establishment" means a retail food establishment that (A) does not serve a population that is highly susceptible to food-borne illnesses, and (B) has an extensive menu of foods, many of which are time or temperature controlled for safety and require complex preparation, including, but not limited to,  

handling of raw ingredients, cooking, cooling and reheating for hot holding;  

"Class 4 food establishment" means a retail food establishment that serves a population that is highly susceptible to food-borne illnesses, including, but not limited to, preschool students, hospital patients and nursing home patients or residents, or that conducts specialized food processes, including, but not limited to, smoking, curing or reduced oxygen packaging for the purposes of extending the shelf life of the food; 

QVHD Fees for Retail Food Establishments 

 

 

* Voted unanimously by QVHD Board of Directors on December 6, 2018.