Quinnipiack Valley Health District

A Regional Health Department Serving Bethany, Hamden, North Haven and Woodbridge, CT

1151 Hartford Turnpike  .   North Haven  .   CT  .   06473  .  tel  (203) 248-4528  .   fax  (203) 248-6671  .   www.qvhd.org

Thursday, October 28, 2021

(Remote Meeting Via Zoom)

4:30 pm - Regular Board of Directors Meeting 

Present: C. Goldberg, D. Celemente, J. O’Neil St. Peter, P. Sandor, R. Ivins, R. Martinello, S. Yarbrough, A. Levison, K. Blake, C. Lewis, E. Thornquist

Absent: J. Donaldson, P. Marone, J. Nuzzolillo

Staff: K. Wolujewicz, A. Mulvihill, L. Fox  

President’s comments:

C. Goldberg, Vice President started the meeting at 4:47 pm.

Approval of September 23, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes:

A motion was made by J. O’Neil St. Peter and seconded by A. Levison to approve the September 23, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes. The motion passed unanimously.

Financial Report

K. Wolujewicz presented the financial report on behalf of L. Altieri.

R. Ivins asked if the increase in state per capita funding from $1.67 to $2.56 was a onetime rate or likely to continue for future per capita payments. K. Wolujewicz reported that she does not have that information but can share this information once received from the State.

A motion was made by R. Ivins, seconded by R. Martinello to place the financial report on file. The motion passed unanimously.

Committee Reports:

Finance – no report

SBHC Liaisons– A. Levison and C. Lewis provided an update from the SBHC Advisory Committee meeting that was held on Thursday, October 28, 2021. A. Levison shared enrollment numbers have continued to increase at both Hamden High School and Church Street Elementary. C. Lewis shared that the SBHCs have been working closely with school partners and providing essential outreach and services.

By-Laws – no report

Special Projects Committee – C. Goldberg reported that the special project committee is still in the process of determining what is most cost effective regarding QVHD’s office space. C. Goldberg shared the committee has continued exploring building options available in the area.

Personnel Committee – no report

A. Levison acknowledged P. Sandor and B. Thornquist’s work on the nominating committee.

Administrative Reports:

Director of Health:

K. Wolujewicz reported that A. Gartman, QVHD’s full-time lead contact tracer has resigned. M. Mocarski, QVHD’s part-time contact tracer will be stepping into the full-time lead contact tracer position, which will result in a vacancy for the part-time contact tracer position 

K. Wolujewicz shared additional vacancies at QVHD which included a part-time Emergency Preparedness Coordinator and full-time Public Health Navigator. She noted QVHD is not competitive compared to our colleagues at other local health departments and the CT Department of Public Health and asked the personnel committee to consider discussing this concern. R. Ivins asked if it was possible to do a study of our peer agencies to compare their salaries and benefits to QVHD’s current salaries and benefits. K. Wolujewicz will provide C. Goldberg with a salary survey that was recently completed by local health departments.

K. Wolujewicz will be presenting the local per capita increase to $6.90 at a public hearing during the December 2021 Board of Directors meeting. Year two of the fee increases will also be presented at the public hearing during the December 2021 Board of Directors meeting.

K. Wolujewicz reported that MuniciPAY will be live on November 1, 2021, and QVHD will begin accepting electronic payment.

The full report has been placed on file.

Community Health:

A. Mulvihill highlighted the below community health activities:

QVHD staff J. Bobok and T. Harris attended the Bethany Harvest Fair on behalf of QVHD distributing information specific to the Overdose Data to Action Grant, SWAG to promote the Bethany Orange Woodbridge Drug Alcohol Action Council and to offer COVID-19 Vaccines to anyone interested.

AFSP Walk to Fight Suicide: K. Sepulveda, co-chair of the walk, attended & spoke to attendees to highlight how the issue of suicide continues to impact our own community and shared some of the work being conducted locally. More than 450 participants came out to raise awareness and spread hope. DPH Change the Rx Van was invited to share additional resources on behalf of local health.

A. Mulvihill & J. Bobok attended the Bethany Health Fair to assist with the Drive Thru Flu Vaccine clinic hosted by the VNA. QVHD provided goodie bags on emergency preparedness and QVHD’s opioid related work for the drive thru health fair.

The full report with additional community health activities has been placed on file.

Environmental Health:

L. Fox reported that QVHD has started our digital record keeping project and is currently looking into scanning contractors.

L. Fox shared she will compile an environmental report quarterly instead of monthly.

K. Blake thanked L. Fox and A. Mulvihill for their timely response to an environmental health issue reported to QVHD. L. Fox acknowledged R. Currier’s role in responding to the issue.

The full report has been placed on file.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness:

K. Wolujewicz provided an update in her Director of Health report. The position of Part Time Public Health Preparedness Coordinator is still vacant.

Executive Session:

A motion was made by R. Ivins and seconded by J. O’Neil St. Peter to go to Executive Session at 5:23 p.m. The motion passed.

A motion was made by R. Ivins and seconded by J. O’Neil St. Peter to exit the Executive Session at 5:34 p.m.

Adjourn:

A motion to adjourn was made by J. O’Neil St. Peter and seconded by B. Thornquist at 5:35 pm.