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Home My WebLink About08-19-2020 Health & Human Services Minutes MEETING MINUTES HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES BOARD August 19, 2020 5:00 PM Room 1284-County Board Room St. Croix County Government Center - Room 1284 - Government Center - 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin NOTICE. Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, Health and Human Services Board members and staff are encouraged to attend the meeting via the use of technology utilizing the Zoom platform. CALL TO ORDER The August 19, 2020 meeting of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Board was called to order at approximately 5:00 PM by HHS Board Chair Dave Ostness. ROLL CALL Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived Cathy Leaf St. Croix County Supervisor Present Carah Koch St. Croix County Supervisor Present Dave Ostness St. Croix County Chair Present Scottie Ard St. Croix County Supervisor Present Greg Tellijohn St. Croix County Supervisor Present Paulette Anderson St. Croix County Vice-Chair Present Deb Lindemann St. Croix County Board Member Present Natasha Ward St. Croix County Board Member Present Paul McGinnis St. Croix County Board Member Present Others in Attendance: Health and Human Services Director Bob Rohret, Assistant County Administrator Ken Witt, Public Information Officer Adam Kastonek, Aging and Disability Resource Center Administrator Brad Beckman, Records Administrator Tammy Wilson and many other community members Others in Attendance Remotely: Fiscal Manager Fay Strenke, Public Health Administrator Kelli Engen, Children Services Administrator/HHS Operations Manager Julie Krings, Health Care Campus Administrator Sandy Hackenmueller, CCS Administrator Rebecca Kerr HHS Board Members Attending Remotely: Natasha Ward, Deb Lindemann, Paul McGinnis, Greg Tellijohn, Cathy Leaf, Excused Absences: NA Unexcused Absences: NA APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Health & Human Services Board Regular Meeting July 15, 2020 5:00 PM Health and Human Services (HHS) Board Chair Dave Ostness asked the Board if after review of the July 15, 2020 meeting minutes if any editing was needed. With nothing noted, Chair Ostness accepted the minutes as submitted. RESULT: ACCEPTED PUBLIC COMMENT Health and Human Services (HHS) Board Chair Dave Ostness opened the meeting to public comment for items on or off the agenda. A resident from the Town of Forest, addressed the Board regarding the potential health effects and improper siting of industrial wind turbines . A large crowd was in attendance tonight, of which a significant number of community members addressed the Board regarding the role of the Public Health Officer and their desire for transparency in communication regarding this position and any actions taken by a potential subcommittee. Another resident addressed the Board regarding health concerns around implementation of 5G. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. 8096 : Public Health - COVID-19 Update A report was provided by Epidemiologist Elle Klasen and Public Health Administrator Kelli Engen highlighting their work on COVID 19 (Coronavirus). A power point was reviewed providing some of the updated data and information regarding the ongoing response from St. Croix County (SCC) Public Health. Skipped to agenda item #5 RESULT: DISCUSSED 2. Health and Human Services Monthly Financials July 2020 Fiscal Manager Fay Strenke reviewed the Health and Human Services (HHS) monthly financials with the Board. RESULT: DISCUSSED 3. Health and Human Services Board Orientation Presentations Informational power point presentations were provided by Health and Human Services Division Administrators from Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) and Records for the purpose of Health and Human Services Board orientation. Brad Beckman ADRC Administrator reviewed a power point with the Board providing information on the various programs and work within this division. ADRC continues to strive to support the senior citizens of St. Croix County throughout the pandemic. Becky Kerr CCS Administrator provided a power point to inform the Board on what CCS is, it's guiding principles, and the current status of hiring and enrollment. CCS continues to grow and provide meaningful services. Tammy Wilson Records Supervisor shared information regarding what the various tasks that the records division does to support all of Health and Human Services and county residents, as well as some history on the St. Croix County records division. RESULT: DISCUSSED 4. Wind Siting Council Update Health and Human Services Director Bob Rohret informed the Board that a letter was drafted and sent to the members of the Wind Siting Council as well as legislative representatives for St. Croix County. He has had no response. Supervisor Ard shared some correspondence that she obtained from the Public Service Commission (PSC) website under the Wind Siting Council PSC Docket 128. Supervisor Ard voiced her concerns regarding commercial wind turbine projects and solar energy farms that are being considered for St. Croix County and the State. She would like this to be further addressed in a future agenda item. RESULT: DISCUSSED 5. Consideration of Creating a Health and Human Services Subcommittee to Review and Introduce Public Health Communication Strategies and a Public Health Officer Duties Ordinance Skipped from agenda item #1 to this agenda item. Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Bob Rohret addressed the Board regarding this agenda item. He shared that this agenda item comes before the Board after a request by County Board Supervisor Leaf at the County Board of Supervisors meeting on August 4, 2020. Director Rohret would like the HHS Board's feedback on the formation of a HHS Subcommittee to address public communication around all things COVID-19 related as well as the Public Health Officers duties. Supervisor Leaf commented that she would want this subcommittee formed to create good communication and to support our small public health department. We want to educate the community to help encourage and create compliance and transparency. She would like to see us all work together as a community to keep moving forward while protecting each other. Chair Ostness shared that he also feels that there is a need for a subcommittee to work on ways to disseminate information to county residents and community partners. Public Information Officer Adam Kastonek informed the Board regarding what he has learned in his position over the last few months and what he has been working on to best communicate across all county departments. He has assisted several departments and divisions across the County, one of which is Public Health. Moving forward he will continue to support Public Health in making changes to the website and in with information sharing to be sure it is clear and concise. This will include info on school openings and tips to stay healthy, and mechanisms for the public to ask questions. Kastonek will use information that is gathered to determine how to better address communication needs. Questions and discussion followed, in particular discussion around an ordinance and duties of the Public Health Officer. Corporation Counsel Cox shared that the ordinance would provide an enforcement mechanism. The Public Health Officer has broad authority to do what is reasonable and necessary to suppress communicable diseases. The ordinance would allow for additional Public Health Officer authority to enforce an allowable order, possibly countywide, if it becomes reasonable and necessary in a worse case scenario. There is a draft almost ready for review if a subcommittee is formed. Additional conversation was held around the importance of educating, informing and being transparent based on the feedback from public comment. After some robust conversation the consensus of the HHS Board was that there is a need for this subcommittee. A motion was made by Supervisor Leaf to form a HHS Board Subcommittee/Workgroup to address communication needs related to COVID-19 including the possibility of the PH Officer duties ordinance, which was seconded by Supervisor Tellijohn. A voice vote was taken and all approved. It was determined that the subcommittee would be made up of 3 Board members: Supervisors Ostness, Tellijohn and Board Member McGinnis will serve as the voting members. Serving as advisory members will be: Public Health Officer Kelli Engen, Public Information Officer Kastonek, HHS Director Bob Rohret and possibly Corporation Counsel. Suggestion of a member of the public to be added was made, but after discussion it was determined that woul be difficult. The ordinance is a legal matter and the public can have input if the ordinance is proposed to the Board. Public Information Officer Kastonek will work throughout the process to get public input, as well as to inform and educate county residents. Discussion on the timeline of the proposed subcommittee was had. The subcommittee will plan to meet and work to complete the communication plan as well as the draft of the ordinance to bring it to the next HHS meeting on September 16, 2020 for Board consideration. It would then go to the full County Board in October if approved. 5 min break then back to agenda item # 2 RESULT: DISCUSSED REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS *Wind turbines and solar energy ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE No announcements or correspondence tonight. ADJOURN Health and Human Services Board Chair Ostness called this Aug.19, 2020 meeting of the Health and Human Services Board adjourned at approximately 7:35 PM. DATE OF NEXT MEETING September 16, 2020 @ 5:00 PM in the Government Center Boardroom , Hudson, WI