[00:00:03]
NO, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE. HIGH. SHE'S BEEN ON ALL THE TIME. WELCOME, EVERYBODY. WE'RE
[I. Opening Statement]
GOING TO START OUR MEETING. SO WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING. BUSINESS MEETING. OUR START TIME TONIGHT IS 8:12 P.M. IT IS THE INTENTION OF THIS BOARD TO CONCLUDE THIS MEETING BY 9:30 P.M. ANY AGENDA ITEM NOT CONSIDERED BY 9:30 P.M. WILL BE TABLED UNTIL THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING. ADEQUATE NOTICE OF THE MEETING, AS REQUIRED BY SECTIONS THREE D AND FOUR A OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETING ACT, HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AND FILED WITH THE TOWNSHIP CLERK. THE BOARD OF HEALTH IS AN AUTONOMOUS BODY APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR TO MAKE PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY FOR THE TOWNSHIP. WE OPERATE UNDER THE REGULATION OF THE NEW JERSEY STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, NOT THE TOWNSHIP, AND ARE EMPOWERED TO ENACT LOCAL HEALTH ORDINANCES FOR THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE AND TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE TOWNSHIP AND ITS RESIDENTS.WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL NOW. SO BOARD MEMBER DOCTOR GRAYSON HERE, DOCTOR MCGARRY HERE.
DOCTOR FEISAL. OOPS. HE'S NOT HERE. DOCTOR SHARMA IS NOT HERE. DOCTOR NEWMAN IS NOT HERE.
DOCTOR MOHAN HERE. MR. YES, DOCTOR PRATT HERE. AND DOCTOR SARIAH HERE. HEALTH OFFICER, DR.
BONNIE PATEL HERE. JENNIFER. STAFF SECRETARY JENNIFER FOSTER HERE. TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE LIAISON. PATRICIA TAYLOR TODD HERE. AND ADVISOR BURT MANDELBAUM IS NOT HERE. AND DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? WE DO NOT. WE DO NOT. OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. IDRIJA. OKAY. IDRIJA IS ALSO I WANT TO ADD A RESIDENT MONTGOMERY ALUM AND A PUBLIC HEALTH MAJOR. YES. WE'RE AT. AM I READY TO START? WHERE? WHERE IS YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH MAJOR? WHERE ARE YOU STUDYING? RUTGERS. RUTGERS. OKAY. CAN YOU STATE YOUR FULL NAME? GOTHAM CITY. AND WHAT YEAR ARE YOU IN YOUR PROGRAM? I'M IN LIKE THE BS MPH PROGRAM. SO I'M A SENIOR IN THE IN UNDERGRAD, BUT I'M ALSO TAKING GRADUATE CLASSES RIGHT NOW. OH GREAT. WELCOME. THANK
[V. MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP FOOD INSECURITY ASSESMENT]
YOU FOR JOINING US. YEAH. OF COURSE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO TODAY IS BASICALLY PRESENT MY RESULTS ON THE FOOD INSECURITY ASSESSMENT THAT I CONDUCTED. LIKE OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I SHARED THIS, I SHARED MY SCREEN WITH LIKE THE DOCUMENT WITH ALL MY RESULTS.I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH IT. AND AT THE END, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, YOU CAN ASK THEM AND I'LL ANSWER TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES. DO YOU WANT US TO HOLD THE QUESTIONS TILL THE END? YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST. YEAH. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WRITE THEM DOWN AND, YOU KNOW YOU CAN ASK ME AT THE END. OKAY. SO FOR THIS PROJECT, WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT IS LIKE BARRIERS AND NEEDS IN OUR TOWN REGARDING FOOD INSECURITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF LIKE A LOT OF EFFORTS IN OUR TOWN, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL COORDINATED. SO THAT'S WHAT I WENT INTO THIS PROJECT TRYING TO FIND. RIGHT. AND THE WAY I DID IT IS I MET UP WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR TOWN WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE, AND I INTERVIEWED THEM AND GATHERED INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW AND WHAT THEY DO IN IN THIS ARE. AND THIS DOCUMENT COMPILES ALL OF MY RESULTS FROM THAT. I ASK YOU FOR A MINUTE. YES, QUESTION, BUT CAN YOU DEFINE LIKE FOOD INSECURITY? LIKE FOOD INSECURITY IS WHEN LIKE LIKE, SAY, A FAMILY DOESN'T HAVE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO RELIABLE LIKE LIKE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO RELIABLE AND HEALTHY FOOD. SO THEY WOULD EITHER HAVE TO RESORT TO EATING UNHEALTHY FOOD OR, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVE ANY FOOD TO EAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. SO THE FIRST THING THAT I DID IS OUTLINE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN OUR TOWN. SO WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF TWO FOOD PANTRIES AND ONE FOOD BANK IN OUR TOWN. AND THEY GET DONATIONS FROM A LIST OF VARIOUS SOURCES THAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT, SUCH AS THE PBA SCHOOL DRIVES, DENTIST DONATIONS, RESIDENTS, ETC. SO FIRST WE HAVE THE MONTGOMERY FOOD BANK, WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE PRINCETON ELKS LODGE, AND THIS IS RUN BY ALAN. AND THIS FOOD BANK SERVES AROUND 44 FAMILIES, AND THEY OFFER PERISHABLE GOODS, NONPERISHABLE GOODS AND TOILETRIES. IN TERMS OF TIMINGS, IT'S SIX HOURS A WEEK OR SO AND ALSO BY APPOINTMENT. AND ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT ELON DOES THIS AS LIKE A VOLUNTEER. AND THE COMMUNICATION IS MOSTLY THROUGH
[00:05:02]
SOCIAL MEDIA. AND WE ALSO HAVE A FOOD PANTRY CALLED MONTGOMERY FOOD PANTRY AT THE OTTO KAUFMAN COMMUNITY CENTER. THIS SERVES AROUND 40 FAMILIES. THE POINT PERSON FOR THIS IS DENISE CROWLEY, AND SHE IS A FOOD PANTRY MANAGER THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP FOR TEN HOURS A WEEK.THEY OFFER NONPERISHABLE GOODS, SHOPRITE GIFT CARDS AND TOILETRIES. THEY DON'T DO ANY KIND OF PERISHABLES, SO THEY, YOU KNOW, SUPPLEMENT THE SUPPLEMENT WITH THE SHOPRITE GIFT CARDS TO KIND OF MAKE UP THE GAP. THEY ONLY DO APPOINTMENTS, SO THERE'S LIKE NO TIME WHERE IT'S JUST LIKE OPEN, WHERE ANYONE COULD COME. BUT THEY THEY CAN ALSO ARRANGE FOR PICKUP IF YOU'RE NOT AVAILABLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WHEN DENISE IS THERE. AND FOR BOTH OF THESE, YOU HAVE TO BE LIKE A RESIDENT IN MONTGOMERY OR LIKE A NEARBY OR SOME SPECIFIC OTHER LOCATIONS LIKE ROCKY HILL, TO GET ACCESS TO THE PANTRIES. AND THERE NEEDS TO BE LIKE A MEMBER WHO'S EITHER LIKE AN ELKS MEMBER AT THE ELKS LODGE AND A TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEE AT THE TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY PRESENT FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY ACCESS. LIKE THE FOOD PANTRY RESOURCES. THERE'S ALSO A SMALLER FOOD PANTRY AT THE MONTGOMERY EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH. THIS IS LIKE A MORE MORE OF LIKE A GRAB AND GO KIND OF PANTRY. IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH, SO CARS CAN JUST DRIVE BY, GET WHAT THEY NEED AND DRIVE OFF. AND THEY HAVE AROUND LIKE TEN CARS A WEEK STOPPING BY. AND THEY OFFER ONLY NONPERISHABLE GOODS. SOMETHING TO NOTE IS THAT ALL OF THESE, LIKE FOOD BANKS AND FOOD PANTRIES, ARE RUN ON A DONATION BASIS. SO YEAH, JUST THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO POINT OUT. NOW I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PART. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO FIND OUT IN MY INTERVIEWS IS WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY BARRIERS THAT ARE PREVENTING INDIVIDUALS IN OUR TOWN FROM ACCESSING HEALTHY FOOD? RIGHT. AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT SEEM TO BE COMING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THE FIRST THING IS TRANSPORTATION. SO NOT HAVING RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO LIKE A FOOD STORE OR A FOOD PANTRY LOCATION. NEXT IS STIGMA. SO BEING UNCOMFORTABLE OR ASHAMED TO ASK FOR HELP DUE TO CULTURAL OR SOCIAL STIGMA IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THEM. NEXT IS TIMINGS, BOTH THE TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY AND THE ELKS FOOD BANK HAVE LIMITED TIMINGS WITH THE RELIANCE ON LIKE A STAFF MEMBER TO BE PRESENT FOR THE CLIENTS TO ACCESS FOOD RESOURCES. SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP. NEXT IS AWARENESS. SO NOT HAVING A RELIABLE, CONSISTENT, ACCESSIBLE PLACE TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE LIKE A LOT OF CONFUSION AMONG RESIDENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MONTGOMERY FOOD, THE MONTGOMERY FOOD PANTRY. AND LIKE THE FOOD BANK, SINCE THEY HAVE SIMILAR NAMES, BUT THEY'RE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. THEY'RE RUN BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT OFFERINGS. RIGHT. IT GETS CONFUSING. SO THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN. ANOTHER BARRIER IS MENTAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS. I KNOW THIS IS LIKE A VERY BROAD TOPIC, SO IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN BY THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MENTIONED THIS, LIKE THEY SAID IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT HOW I UNDERSTOOD IT IS LIKE A COGNITIVE OR PSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE THAT MAY BE HINDERING YOUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF EVERY DAY, WHICH MIGHT ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, TRANSLATING INTO FOOD INSECURITY, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE FOOD YOU NEED.
NEXT, I HAVE STAFFING AND SPACE. BOTH PANTRIES HAVE LIMITED STAFFING, EXCLUDING VOLUNTEERS.
SO LIKE PEOPLE WHO WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY WORKING FOR THE PANTRY AND ALSO FOR THE FOOD PANTRY AT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER, THERE WERE SOME OPINIONS THAT IT HAS LIMITED SPACE, BUT THIS SEEMS TO VARY AMONG PEOPLE. SOME THINK THAT IT HAS ENOUGH SPACE. SOME THINK IT COULD NEED MORE SPACE. NEXT IS DOCUMENTATION. SO THE TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY REQUIRES SOME DOCUMENTATION TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE SIGN UP FOR THE FOOD PANTRY, FOOD RESOURCES. AND THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT NOT EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE GIVING. SO THAT MIGHT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GOING OUT AND ASKING FOR HELP. AND LASTLY, FOR BARRIERS, LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND COMPUTER LITERACY MIGHT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ACCESSING COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE NEXT. I JUST HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT BECAUSE I ALREADY MENTIONED MOST OF IT. THE NEXT THING I WAS LOOKING AT IS WHAT KIND OF GROUPS OR POPULATIONS EXPERIENCE THE MOST NEED. SO THE FIRST THING THAT SEEMED TO COME UP A LOT IS LIKE CIRCUMSTANTIAL NEED. SO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE LOST THEIR JOB OR HAVE SOME CHANGE IN
[00:10:04]
CIRCUMSTANCES, SO THEY NEED TEMPORARY SUPPORT FOR THEM TO GET THROUGH THAT TIME. NEXT THERE'S LOW INCOME GROUPS. SO THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE CONTINUOUSLY STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. SO THESE MAY INCLUDE GROUPS THAT ARE LIVING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES.AND I JUST LISTED SOME OF THE HIGH NEED HOUSING COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOWN.
ANOTHER GROUP THAT SEEMED TO COME UP IS UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS. THESE THESE GROUPS MAY HAVE INCREASED NEEDS DUE TO A LACK OF SAFE SPACES AND TRUST IN GOVERNMENT ENTITIES. AND LASTLY, IT COULD ALSO INCLUDE PEOPLE SUCH AS CHILDREN, SENIORS OR FAMILIES THAT ARE NEW TO OUR COMMUNITY. THE NEXT THING I WAS LOOKING AT IS HOW HAVE THE FOOD INSECURITY NEEDS CHANGED OVER TIME? IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP? SO OVERALL, THERE IS JUST AN INCREASE IN POPULATION AND SIZE.
SO THERE'S ALSO LIKE AN INCREASE IN NEED IN GENERAL. NEXT, THERE'S A SHIFT WITH A GREATER PROPORTION NEEDING CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AS OPPOSED TO TEMPORARY SUPPORT. AND SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IS THAT LIKE OUR TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY IS WAS BUILT IN WITH KEEPING IN MIND THAT IT WAS FOR LIKE TEMPORARY SUPPORT. SO IT'S UNABLE TO LIKE ADEQUATELY SUPPORT LIKE THAT CONTINUOUS NEED. SO THAT WAS LIKE SOMETHING THAT JUST SEEMED TO COME UP WHEN I WAS TALKING TO MY INTERVIEWEES. NEXT IS SOCIAL SERVICES. THERE'S BEEN INCREASING SOCIAL SERVICES NEEDS OVER TIME, SO THIS MIGHT INCLUDE NEEDS REGARDING FOOD, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, HOUSING, UTILITIES, ETC. LOW INCOME. THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IN OUR TOWN, BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN LIKE A PROPORTIONAL INCREASE IN RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEM.
LASTLY, JUST LIKE ANY KIND OF FLUCTUATIONS IN FOOD INSECURITY NEEDS THAT COULD BE BASED ON LIKE LOCATION, ECONOMY, ETC. NEXT SLIDE. I JUST LIKE OUTLINED SOME POINTS ABOUT COLLABORATION BECAUSE COLLABORATION IS LIKE ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE GOING FURTHER. SO THE BULLET POINTS THAT YOU SEE ARE JUST LIKE SOME IDEAS ON WHAT COLLABORATIONS MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL. RIGHT? SO THE FIRST THING IS TO HAVE IS TO HAVE LIKE A LEAD THAT IS COORDINATING COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL PARTIES THAT ARE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE. THEN THERE'S LIKE PROMOTING INTERFAITH COLLABORATIONS TO SHARE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, ENCOURAGING PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT AND FOOD DONATIONS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES, PROVIDING FARMERS AN AVENUE TO DONATE THEIR ABUNDANT FOOD, AND ALSO LIKE WHERE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION. COLLABORATING WITH CULTURAL SCHOOLS OR ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS USING VOLUNTEER AND STAFF SUPPORT TO BRIDGE THE GAP IN STAFFING, AND ALSO COLLABORATING WITH LOW INCOME BUILDING OWNERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. COMMUNITY LEADERS TO IMPLEMENT SATELLITE FOOD PANTRIES AND EDUCATIONAL CLASSES ON SITE IN THESE HIGH NEED LOCATIONS. THE NEXT TABLE I HAVE IS JUST OUTLINING POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS THAT COULD HELP ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY. SOME OF THESE MIGHT BE LIKE PARTLY IMPLEMENTED ALREADY, BUT YOU KNOW, SINCE I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, I JUST WROTE DOWN INFORMATION THAT SEEMED TO COME UP LIKE DURING THE INTERVIEWS. SO THE SO THE WAY LIKE THIS IS ORGANIZED IS I HAVE LIKE A TOPIC AND THEN I WRITE DOWN LIKE WHAT BARRIERS ARE ADDRESSED AND THEN POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS AND LIKE DESCRIPTIONS AND MORE DETAILS REGARDING ALL OF THOSE. SO FOR AWARENESS, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE BARRIERS THAT WAS MENTIONED, ONE POTENTIAL SOLUTION IS HAVING MORE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION. SO THIS COULD HAPPEN THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP OR THE SCHOOLS OR BOTH, PREFERABLY BOTH RIGHT THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP. WE COULD COMMUNICATE INFORMATION ABOUT DIFFERENTIATING THE OFFERINGS BETWEEN, LIKE THE FOOD BANK AND THE FOOD PANTRY AND WHAT WHAT KIND OF OFFERINGS THEY HAVE, WHAT KIND OF POPULATIONS THEY SERVE, WHEN ARE THEY OPEN THINGS LIKE THAT HAVING JUST LIKE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD RESOURCES FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HIGH FOOD NEEDS WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL. AND LASTLY, SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IS THAT FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE THAT WANT TO DONATE TO HELP WITH THIS CAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION ABOUT LIKE THE FOOD PANTRIES AND FOOD BANKS, LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO DO THAT. SO PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN
[00:15:05]
DONATE AND WHERE IS THAT GOING TO, LIKE HAVING INFORMATION ABOUT THAT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL. AND IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION THROUGH THESE SCHOOLS, WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNSELORS, NURSES AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT INTERACT WITH HIGH NEED STUDENTS ARE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE SO THAT THEY CAN PASS IT DOWN TO WHO WHO REALLY NEED THEM, RIGHT. AND ALSO MAKING SURE THE INFORMATION ABOUT FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM AND THE ELIGIBILITY FOR IT, HOW TO REGISTER FOR IT, DETAILS ABOUT THAT ARE COMMUNICATED. AND ANOTHER IDEA IS TO USE THE MAILING LIST FOR LIKE THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM TO PROVIDE THESE LIKE FAMILIES WITH OTHER RESOURCES THAT COULD ALSO BE BENEFICIAL FOR THEM. AND LASTLY, JUST BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS AND EVENTS LIKE BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT AND PROVIDE THEM OFFICIAL RESOURCES THERE. THE NEXT THING WITH AWARENESS IS TO PROVIDE LIFE SKILLS CLASSES. SO THIS COULD INCLUDE LIKE COOKING, BUDGETING, LEGAL SUPPORT, ETC. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CLASSES ARE HAPPENING IN THE HIGH NEED LOCATIONS SO PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM HAVE ACCESS TO IT. ALSO HAVING MAYBE LIKE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES AND LIKE CLASSES TO COPE WITH STRESS AND MENTAL ILLNESS WOULD ALSO BE BENEFICIAL. THE NEXT THING I HAVE HERE IS ACCESSIBILITY. SO THE FIRST PART OF THAT IS TO MAKE SURE, LIKE THE FOOD PANTRY OFFERINGS ARE ACCESSIBLE. SO THIS COULD INCLUDE FORMALLY EXPANDING THE TIMINGS OF THE FOOD PANTRIES, PRIORITIZING EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS WHERE WORKING INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO IT, AND THEY CAN STOP BY SETTING UP SATELLITE FOOD PANTRIES IN HIGH NEED LOCATIONS. THAT COULD BE LIKE ANOTHER STEP TO MAKE SURE THOSE WHO NEED THE SUPPORT GET IT. AND ALSO HAVING LIKE MAYBE FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE SO THAT THE FOOD CAN BE DELIVERED TO THEM INSTEAD OF THEM HAVING TO COME TO A LOCATION TO PICK IT UP. THE NEXT SECTION IS ABOUT SCHOOL FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, SO FOR THIS IT COULD INCLUDE LIKE PROVIDING A BREAKFAST PROGRAM. RIGHT NOW OUR SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE A BREAKFAST PROGRAM, SO THIS WOULD INCLUDE PROVIDING SOMETHING WHERE LIKE THE STUDENTS CAN COME IN THE MORNING, GRAB A QUICK, NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST FOOD ITEM SO THAT THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO BE HUNGRY UNTIL LUNCH. OTHER IDEAS INCLUDE PROVIDING MAYBE LIKE A SCHOOL BACKPACK PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS CAN RECEIVE FOOD FOR THE WEEKEND DISCREETLY, DISCREETLY IN A BACKPACK. THE NEXT IS JUST IN GENERAL TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION. SO WHATEVER INFORMATION WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S MULTIFORMAT AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS, MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. AND, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER THINGS LIKE MEDICAL, DENTAL, SOCIAL WORK, MENTAL HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION, FOOD INSECURITY, COUNTY RESOURCES, ETC. AND THE LAST SECTION OF THIS IS SOCIAL SERVICES. SO TO ACCESS SO TO KIND OF ADDRESS LIKE THE SOCIAL SERVICES NEEDS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN OUR TOWN, THESE ARE SOME STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE. SO PROVIDING ACCESS TO LIKE A SOCIAL WORKER AT HIGH NEED LOCATIONS AND LIKE LOW INCOME HOUSING COMMUNITIES WOULD BE HELPFUL. ALSO CREATING A SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD SO THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE ON DECISIONS RELATED TO THESE TOPICS AND PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION ABOUT COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES RESOURCES WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE, AND JUST ENCOURAGING RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, BUILDING WITH BETWEEN SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE HIGH NEED RESIDENTS. SO THIS COULD INCLUDE HAVING LIKE A COUPLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS COME INTO TOWN MULTIPLE TIMES SO THAT THEY GET FAMILIAR WITH THE RESIDENTS, AND THEN THE RESIDENTS ALSO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE ASKING FOR HELP BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE SOCIAL WORKER ALREADY. THAT IS THE END OF MY RESULTS. REGARDING THE INTERVIEWS. THE REST OF THIS DOCUMENT, IT HAS SOME INFORMATION ABOUT, LIKE SOME DATA THAT'S RELEVANT TO OUR TOWN AND FOOD INSECURITY. I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH A FEW THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT. SO. SO LIKE THESE LIKE MAPS. THEY ARE FROM THE, THE, THE TRENTON HEALTH TEAM. SO THEY LOOKED AT LIKE VARIOUS ZIP CODES AND SOME METRICS LIKE FOOD INSECURITY INDEX, SNAP UNDER UTILIZATION SEGMENT AND LIKE A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS. BUT WHAT I WANT YOU TO GET OUT OF THIS IS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THERE IS A CLEAR LOCATION THAT IS EXPERIENCING[00:20:04]
HIGHER NEED, AND IT'S LIKE EVIDENT IN ALL OF THESE MAPS, RIGHT? SO IF YOU WANT TO GET THE HELP TO THOSE WHO NEED IT, THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. AND THEN I HAVE SOME MORE DATA.THIS IS ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE. SO THESE ARE THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH NUMBERS IN OUR SCHOOLS IN 2023 AND 2024. SO IT WENT FROM 216 TO 364, WHICH IS ALMOST LIKE A 68.5% INCREASE. AND THIS IS JUST ONE YEAR. RIGHT. SO THIS SO THE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS, THEY ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE. RIGHT. SO IF THERE'S AN INCREASE IN NEED IN OUR SCHOOLS, THAT ALSO TRANSLATES TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEM. SOME FEEDBACK I GOT ON THIS IS THAT THIS IS A NUMBER, NOT A PERCENTAGE. SO THIS COULD JUST MEAN THAT THERE'S JUST MORE STUDENTS. SO THAT'S WHY IT INCREASED. BUT LIKE EITHER WAY LIKE JUST BY LOOKING AT THE NUMBER, IT'S CLEAR THAT EITHER THE PROPORTION OF STUDENTS THAT NEED THE HELP INCREASE OR JUST THE OVERALL NEED BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION INCREASE. SO EITHER WAY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE. IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I AM READY TO ANSWER THEM BEFORE YOU, BEFORE WE ASK HER SOME QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO FRAME THAT. THIS IS DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANDRIJA. AND WITH EMILY, OUR LOCAL OH MY GOODNESS. WHAT'S YOUR TITLE? PUBLIC HEALTH PLANNER. SHE WAS A COLLABORATOR ON THIS AND THIS WILL BE PART THIS OVERALL ASSESSMENT AND DATA WILL BE PART OF OUR. ACCREDITED REACCREDITATION PLANS. SO AFTER WE CONCLUDE WITH DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS, WE'LL VOTE ON THIS RESOLUTION FOR HAVING THIS BE PART OF OUR ACCREDITATION PLANS. I'D ALSO AFTERWARDS I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE SOMEBODY WHO'S SITTING VERY QUIETLY IN THE AUDIENCE. ELLEN ROBBINS IS HERE.
SHE IS THE PERSON WHO SHE NAMED AS THE RUNNER OF THE FOOD BANK AT THE FOOD PANTRY. EXCUSE ME. I GOT TO USE THE RIGHT TERM, FOOD BANK. THE OLDEST ONE IS A FOOD BANK. IT'S A FOOD BANK. SORRY, SORRY. AT THE ELKS CLUB. SO I'D ALSO LIKE TO. WHEN YOU ARE READY, IF YOU'RE READY. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO DO THAT AS WELL. SO JOE'S READY TO GO, I CAN TELL. OH, I MADE A LIST OF QUESTIONS, BUT I WON'T. I WON'T THROW THEM ALL AT ONCE. FIRST QUESTION. AND THIS IS JUST FOR MY UNDERSTANDING. YOU MENTIONED FOOD BANK AND FOOD PANTRY INTERCHANGEABLY. I'M JUST IS THERE A IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BANK AND A PANTRY? I THINK A FOOD BANK JUST HAS MORE OFFERINGS AT LEAST, LIKE IN OUR TOWN, THE FOOD BANK IT OFFERS LIKE PERISHABLE GOODS ON TOP OF NONPERISHABLE GOODS. BUT FOR THE FOOD PANTRIES THEY DON'T. THEY JUST HAVE NON-PERISHABLES. AND FOR THE ONE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER, THEY HAVE SHOPRITE GIFT CARDS. SO IT'S JUST IT'S JUST DIFFERENT ON HOW THEY'RE RUN AND WHAT THEY PROVIDE. GOTCHA. OKAY.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO ASK ALL MY QUESTIONS AT ONCE. I CAN GO NEXT TIME. OKAY. WELL, ONE AT A TIME, THEN GO AHEAD. OKAY. LIMIT TO ONE THEN. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, THIS WAS DEFINITELY AN EYE OPENING PRESENTATION. AND I THINK I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. ONE THING IS THAT THE FIRST TABLE THAT YOU SHOWED THAT HAD LIKE 44 OR LIKE 150 FAMILIES AND SO FORTH, YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN ON LIKE HOW MANY STUDENTS OR HOW MANY KIDS, WHAT'S THE AGE GROUP? WHAT IS THE YOU HAVE? LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, SUBDIVISION OF? YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THE BREAKDOWN FOR IT. THESE NUMBERS I GOT FROM INTERVIEWING LIKE THE LIKE DENISE AND ELLEN. SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK THEM FURTHER FOR ANY BREAKDOWN ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT THEY SERVE. OKAY. THE SECOND PART IS I THINK IT KIND OF CORRELATED. THE LAST THING THAT YOU SHOWED WITH THE MONTGOMERY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE NUMBER AND THE WAY THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED. AND I THINK THOUGH IT MIGHT BE A RAW DATA, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD WE SHOULD TAKE IT, YOU KNOW, SERIOUSLY IN THAT ASPECT TOO. SO IT KIND OF CORRELATES WITH THE OVERALL BIG PICTURE ON THIS, YOU KNOW, SNAPSHOT AS WELL TOO. SO YES, FOR SURE. YEAH, I WOULD AGREE. LIKE THIS IS LIKE IF YOU GOT IF YOU GET LIKE ANYTHING OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S PROBABLY LIKE THIS STATISTIC BECAUSE IT LIKE ENCOMPASSES WHAT OUR TOWN IS EXPERIENCING IN TERMS OF FOOD INSECURITY. AND YOU WERE ABLE TO MATCH. IS IT LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THESE FOOD BANK OR FOOD PANTRY AND THE SCHOOL LIKE WHERE THEY ARE GETTING THESE REDUCED? I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL WE GOT FROM THE
[00:25:04]
SCHOOLS AND THE PANTRIES, FROM THE PANTRIES, THEY DON'T REALLY COMMUNICATE AS MUCH RIGHT NOW.OKAY. BUT IN THE FUTURE, I'M SURE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MORE DISCUSSED. I THINK THERE'S PRIVACY CONCERNS THERE. YEAH, I DON'T THINK EITHER THE SCHOOL CAN'T SHARE WHO IT IS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. SO I HAVE A COMMENT. SO GREAT PRESENTATION. THE BACKPACK IDEA IS A GREAT ONE. AND I KNOW I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD A REPORT ON NPR. THERE'S A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MAYBE DURING COVID ABOUT THE STIGMA AND HOW TO DESTIGMATIZE THE NEED FOR FOOD, YOU KNOW, BASIC NECESSITY. AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO IMPLEMENT POTENTIALLY HERE AS A, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE RUN BASICALLY ON DONATIONS. SO IF WE TRIED TO PILOT A PROGRAM LIKE THAT AND HAVE A SUGGESTION OF, YOU KNOW, FOR THE WEEKENDS, POTENTIALLY, THAT'S FOR SURE. YEAH, I REALLY LIKE THAT IDEA. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED. A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. ALONG THOSE LINES, I ALSO WANT TO APPLAUD YOU. THIS IS TREMENDOUS WORK. THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS IN GOOD HANDS WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU. THE VOLUME MAYBE THERE MIGHT BE A PLACE IN MONTGOMERY IN THE FUTURE. COULD YOU GUYS GIVE ME FUNDING AND I'LL BRING IT? YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. TELL US WHEN YOU GRADUATE. YEAH, BUT JUST A COMMENT. ONE OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS, I THOUGHT WAS I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY GOOD SUGGESTION, BUT ABOUT POTENTIALLY INCREASING THE, YOU KNOW, HOURS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I REALIZE OF OUR FOOD BANKS AND PANTRIES, TWO OF THE THREE ARE VOLUNTEER BASED. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THESE ARE THESE ARE INDEPENDENTLY RUN. SO NOT SOMETHING THAT I GUESS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY CAN HAVE CONTROL OVER. AND I KNOW BEING AN EMS, WHICH IS ALL VOLUNTEER, ASKING VOLUNTEERS TO DO MORE IS ALWAYS VERY HARD. AND I KNOW ELLEN IS PUTTING IN A LOT OF HOURS. SO IT WE NEED WE NEED TO EITHER HELP FIND ELLEN MORE HELP. OR OR PERHAPS MAYBE THERE'S A. YEAH EXACTLY. BUT TO THAT POINT FOR THE FOR THE FOOD BANK, THE MONTGOMERY FOOD PANTRY I'M SORRY. I'M GETTING THE ONE THAT'S AT THE OTTO KAUFMAN BANK PANTRY. BANK, PANTRY, PANTRY, PANTRY. WHERE DOES THAT GET ANY TYPE OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT FROM? FROM THE TOWN. SO THEY'RE ALL DONATION BASED. OKAY. THE ONE AT THE CHURCH AND THE PRINCETON ELKS LODGE IS RUN BY VOLUNTEERS. AND THE ONE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. DENISE IS THE ONLY EMPLOYEE THAT HAS THAT.
LIKE THAT GETS LIKE LIKE, LIKE MONEY FROM THE TOWNSHIP TO WORK FOR IT FOR TEN HOURS A WEEK, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. NOTHING. AND THEN THE TOWNSHIP WAS ABLE TO GET SOME, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL BLOCK GRANTS DURING COVID AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US, YOU KNOW, REALLY MEET THE NEEDS DURING COVID. BUT THE OTHER THING TO REMEMBER, TOO, IS THAT IF WE HAVE A BIG EMERGENCY IN TOWN, THE LIMITED, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES AND VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF THAT WE HAVE RUNNING THESE PANTRIES ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, REALLY, YOU KNOW, OVERWHELMED IN EMERGENCIES. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND. PREPAREDNESS. YEAH. RIGHT NOW THERE'S LIKE A LACK OF STABILITY IN TERMS OF LIKE HOW THESE PANTRIES AND THE FOOD BANK IS GETTING THEIR RESOURCES. SO IF LIKE SUDDENLY WE EXPERIENCE LIKE A SURGE IN NEED, LIKE THEY ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.
ANYTHING ELSE? GO AHEAD. GREAT PRESENTATION AND GREAT RESOURCE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE FINDINGS. SO YOU KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE STATISTIC THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS KIND OF THE SCHOOLS, RIGHT. HOW THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN 24 OVER 23. SO MY QUESTION IS LIKE IN YOUR INTERVIEWS THAT YOU DID DO YOU DID YOU GET THE SAME KIND OF FEEDBACK, WHAT THE FOOD PANTRIES AND THE FOOD BANK, WHERE THEY HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR OR NOT. SO THE PEOPLE THAT I INTERVIEWED THAT ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED MORE FROM LIKE THE FIRST HAND. SO THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT LIKE THE DATA. SO THEY TALKED MORE LIKE IN ANECDOTES LIKE LIKE THEY'VE SEEN KIDS EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCING THIS AND HOW THEY HELP THEM, WHAT KIND OF THINGS THEY THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BREAKFAST PROGRAM. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY THOUGHT LIKE THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE SCHOOLS, BUT SINCE THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH COLLECTING THE DATA, THEY DON'T
[00:30:01]
HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. NO, I MEANT ABOUT THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE YEAR OVER YEAR. ARE THEY SEEING, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE DONATIONS THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY NONPERISHABLE ITEMS HAVE KIND OF MOVED ALONG? RIGHT. THEY'VE SEEN THAT INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR OR NOT. IT'S HARD FOR LIKE ONE PERSON TO LIKE NOTICE THAT BECAUSE LIKE, YOU CAN'T IT'S NOT LIKE A SUDDEN CHANGE, RIGHT? IT HAPPENS LIKE OVER TIME. EVEN THOUGH LIKE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STATISTICS, LIKE IN ONE YEAR THAT THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN NEED, THAT DOES NOT MEAN EVERYONE LIKE, COMES FORTH AND ASKS FOR HELP. SO YOU CAN'T REALLY JUDGE BASED ON ONE PERSON'S OR TWO PEOPLE'S ACCOUNT ON WHETHER THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE. RIGHT. AND JUST YOU JUST ADD TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE DON'T HAVE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS OF THIS, BUT WE HAVE HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, KEY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE WHO HAVE HEARD FROM SCHOOL STAFF.AND THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT INFORMATION. WE DON'T HAVE FIRSTHAND DATA ON THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM THE SCHOOLS. AND WE DIDN'T REALLY GET THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT WE WERE HOPING FOR. SO IF WE HAD, MAYBE THAT WOULD HAVE ANSWERED YOUR YOUR QUESTION. BUT WE THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT WE ARE HEARING ABOUT. WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FIRSTHAND TO SHARE WITH YOU. AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT YEAH, IN TERMS OF YOUR STAFFING NEEDS, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VOLUNTEER BASED SYSTEM. AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU HAVE YOU CONSIDERED OR HAVE YOU EXPLORED THE IDEA OF, SAY, COLLABORATING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SEE EVEN HIGH SCHOOLERS WHO MIGHT BE WHO MIGHT VALUE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND WHO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE OPEN TO PARTICIPATING IN IT AS WELL.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY A GOOD OPTION FOR VOLUNTEERS. BUT WHEN I SAY STAFFING IS A BARRIER, WHAT I MEAN, WHAT I MEAN IS THAT WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE DEDICATED FOR THIS ISSUE, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO CONTRIBUTE TO IT, LIKE A HIGH SCHOOLER MIGHT COME HELP WITH, LIKE RESTOCKING, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HELP MANAGE IT, LIKE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED THE SUPPORT MORE. YOU WANT 3 OR 4 MORE? ELLENS SURE. IT WOULD HELP OUR. THANK YOU. SO FOR YOUR SCHOOL FOOD ASSISTANCE RECOMMENDATIONS. I THINK THEY'RE A GREAT IDEAS. SO THIS MIGHT NOT BE A QUESTION FOR YOU. THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A QUESTION FOR YOU. DEVAANSHI WHO PULLS THESE STRINGS WHO LIKE WHO'S RUNNING THIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW. IS THIS THE BOARD OF HEALTH A BOARD OF HEALTH OR IS THIS THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE PANTRIES? NO, NOT THE PANTRIES FOR LIKE THE ASSISTANTS AND THE LUNCH FOR THE LUNCHES, THE LUNCHES AT SCHOOL. SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. OKAY, SO WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET SOME OF THIS, SOME OF THESE FINDINGS THAT YOU FOUND INTO YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL THESE STRINGS. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET THEM TO, TO SEE THIS. YEAH. AND EMILY, SO FOR THE SCHOOLS, THE STATE MANDATES WHEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE A SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM AND WHEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE A BREAKFAST PROGRAM. SO THE PERCENTAGE FOR LUNCH IS 5% OF STUDENTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE. THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE A LUNCH PROGRAM FOR BREAKFAST. IT'S 10%. AND I ACTUALLY DID THE MATH ON THE NUMBERS EARLIER TODAY.
MONTGOMERY IS ALMOST 8%. SO WE'RE JUST UNDER THE STATE MANDATED LEVEL FOR BREAKFAST.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE SCHOOL CAN'T DO IT. IT'S JUST THAT THEY'RE NOT MANDATED TO DO IT THAT WAY. WELL, LOOKING AT YOUR DATA THAT YOU COLLECTED BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024, AT THAT RATE, WE'RE GOING TO HIT IT BY NEXT YEAR. YEAH, WE SHOULD PROBABLY HIT THE HIGH SCHOOL ALONE, DOUBLED OVER, DOUBLED AND WENT FROM 66 TO 133. THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. WE SHOULD GET PREPARED. AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE ANTICIPATING LIKE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING INTO TOWN AS WELL. SO THEY JUST BUILT A NEW BUILDING THAT WAS PROBABLY BEFORE THE ONE OF THE BIGGER I SHOULDN'T SAY ONE OF THE BIGGER ONE OF THE COMPLEXES, HIGH DENSITY COMPLEXES WAS BUILT TO.
SO THAT IS TRUE. WELL, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP IT MOVING. SO I'M GOING TO ELLEN, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? PLEASE. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. I'M ELLEN ROBBINS, I AM THE FOUNDER OF THE FOOD PANTRY AT THE ELKS.
YOU STARTED IT IN 2020 WHEN COVID STARTED, AND I WORKED VERY CLOSELY FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY DURING COVID. THAT IS HOW I STARTED MEETING THE FAMILIES AROUND TOWN. AND MY NAME JUST WENT EVERYWHERE. THE TEACHERS KNOW ME. BOARD OF ED, IT'S A NEW REGIME THERE NOW THE LAST TWO YEARS. SO BOARD OF ED DOESN'T KNOW ME AS MUCH ANYMORE, BUT I
[00:35:06]
AND I HAVE TO SAY, AND I'M GOING TO PUT IT ON RECORD, THOSE NUMBERS ARE WRONG. I KNOW IT FOR A FACT. WHEN IN 2020, WE HAD 210 STUDENTS ON THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS A DIFFERENT FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER. AND THEN I WORKED WITH BOARD OF ED. THEY PUT ME ON THE COMMITTEE TO CHANGE THE PROVIDER BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT KEEPING UP TO PAR. THEY WERE THE FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER AT THAT TIME. DURING COVID, WAS DOING THE BARE MINIMUM BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING PAID NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS IN THE SCHOOL BUDGET. SO WE FORMED A COMMITTEE, WE WORKED TOGETHER, WE GOT THE FOOD SERVICE COMMITTEE CHANGED. SO THEY NOW MARCIANO'S, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS THE FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER THERE CURRENTLY. THAT BROUGHT IN A LOT MORE HEALTHY FOOD, MUCH MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, SO ON AND SO FORTH. JUST HEALTHIER OPTIONS THAN WHAT CHARTWELLS USED TO. I KNOW FOR A FACT RIGHT NOW THERE'S 440 STUDENTS ON THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM, AND I WILL NEVER SAY WHERE I GOT IT FROM. BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES NOT WANT TO PUBLICIZE WHERE THEY ARE BECAUSE OF OUR STATISTICS. NOW, I'VE BEEN AROUND MONTGOMERY FOR OVER 30 YEARS, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN. THE LAST 20 YEARS, STATISTICS HAVE CHANGED.NOBODY WANTS TO ADMIT THAT ANYBODY IN THIS TOWN HAS FOOD INSECURITY. JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY LIVES IN A BIG HOUSE DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE WEALTHY. THEY ARE PAYING THEIR MORTGAGE.
THEY'RE PAYING THEIR BILLS. YES, A MAJORITY OF OUR FOOD INSECURE FAMILIES ARE LIVING IN OUR LOW INCOME HOUSING. THEY ARE IN THE APARTMENTS ON BLUE SPRING ROAD AND PIKE RUN. WE HAVE THEM ALL OVER, BUT THERE'S THREE GENERATIONS LIVING IN THESE APARTMENTS BECAUSE THAT IS HOW THEY CAN AFFORD IT. THE RENTS IN THIS TOWN ARE ABSURD ON SOME OF OUR APARTMENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO RENT CONTROL RIGHT NOW. IT WAS CONTROLLED DURING COVID, BUT THE PEOPLE HAVE MOVED HERE TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN INTO THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. BUT AS I SAID, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT WANT TO PUBLICIZE ANY BAD DATA. I WAS A KEY PART WHEN MONTGOMERY CROSSING OPENED UP. I KNEW THE FIRST DEVELOPERS WHAT THEIR PROMISE WAS TO THEIR RESIDENTS. THAT PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD. WHEN IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT INTO MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, THEY HAD SOCIAL A SOCIAL SERVICES BRIDGEWAY IN THAT COMPLEX. IT WAS A COUNSELOR THAT WOULD COME IN ONCE A WEEK FOR TWO HOURS. YOU COULD MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEM. THEY WOULD HELP WITH MENTAL SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH. THEY WOULD HELP RESIDENTS FILE PAPERWORK, SNAP BENEFITS, ANYTHING THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED, I CANNOT I DO NOT KNOW IF IT WAS BRIDGEWAY LEAVING US, LEAVING THE DEVELOPMENT WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT CHANGED HANDS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO WE CAN BLAME FOR THAT. SO DEVON AND I HAVE TALKED FOR YEARS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, WHAT'S NEEDED HERE BECAUSE I BECAME PART OF IT DURING COVID. I SEE IT EVERY DAY WHEN I RIDE WITH EMS, I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH THEM.
I SEE IT WITH THE FAMILIES THAT VISIT ME AT THE FOOD PANTRY. AND I KNOW THAT AT THE TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY, AGAIN, THERE IS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WITH SOME OF OUR CLIENTS. THEY CANNOT SUPPORT THEMSELVES. THEY DON'T. YOU CAN LEAD THE HORSE TO WATER. YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM DRINK IT. SO IT YOU KNOW, WE BOTH WORK VERY SIMILAR. THE TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY AND I WE JUST WANT TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. NOW WHEN I WITH MY FOOD PANTRY AT THE ELKS I AM OPEN EVENINGS, I AM OPEN WEEKENDS, I DO DELIVER AND I CAN I DO HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT DELIVER. WE DON'T SERVE THE SAME POPULATION. AS I SAID, I HAVE BECOME KNOWN AROUND. SO YES, I'M I, I HAVE MORE OF THE UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN TOWN. OR IF A TEACHER CALLS ME ELLEN, I YOU KNOW, I HAVE A FAMILY. THE CHILD CAME INTO SCHOOL HUNGRY TODAY. OKAY. HAVE THEM CALL ME, GIVE THEM MY PHONE NUMBER, AND THEN I MAKE SURE FOOD GETS DELIVERED TO THAT HOUSEHOLD THAT EVENING. BUT THAT'S THE CONNECTION THAT I HAVE BUILT OVER THESE YEARS WITH THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KNOW THAT, YES, THERE IS A DISCREPANCY ABOUT THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY, AND THAT IS WHY WE TRIED TO CHANGE IT TO MAKE IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT. MONTE FOOD BANK AT PRINCETON ELKS, BECAUSE WITH THE ELKS, I GET SEPARATE FUNDING. YOU KNOW, WE ARE BOTH A 501 C3. YOU KNOW, WE BOTH ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS. I CAN PUT A LIST OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I NEED
[00:40:07]
KETCHUP, I NEED FLOUR, I NEED CANNED CORN. I GET IT, WE HAVE A BOX OUTSIDE THE FOOD PANTRY. THE COMMUNITY JUST DROPS IT OFF. PEOPLE CALL ME, CAN I SEND YOU A CHECK? ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S THE WAY WE DO. I AM GOING TO BE IN THE TALKS WITH SOME OTHER FOOD PANTRIES, LARGE, VERY LARGE ONES, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. I CAME TO THE MEETING TONIGHT BECAUSE I KNEW THIS INFORMATION WAS COMING OUT, AND I WANTED EVERYBODY TO BE AWARE. YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE TWO OF YOU HAD ASKED, WHAT IS FOOD INSECURITY? IT'S BEEN IN PRINCETON, YOU KNOW, FOR 50 YEARS. AND PEOPLE THINK, OH, PRINCETON, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO POOR PEOPLE. THERE'S FIVE FOOD PANTRIES IN PRINCETON, FIVE ALL SERVING A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY, DIFFERENT DAYS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOOD THAT THEY GIVE. MONTGOMERY NEEDS TO IT DOES IT NEEDS THE TOWNSHIP, AND IT NEEDS A PRIVATE ONE.THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL ME. WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU. WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU IDRIJA. THANK YOU. OKAY. LAST CALL FOR QUESTIONS. GOOD. OKAY, I'M GOING TO. WHAT WAS THAT? I SAID THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS FOOD INSECURITY ASSESSMENT. PLEASE CAN I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. I SECOND OKAY. AND WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL? DOCTOR GRAYSON. YES. DOCTOR MCGARRY. YES, DOCTOR.
MOHON. YES, MR. CITY. YES, DOCTOR. PRATI. YES. AND DOCTOR. SARIAH. YES. THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE NEXT. DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. I SKIPPED OVER THE CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE IDRIJA WAS STANDING THERE READY TO GO. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN,
[IV. Consent Agenda]
IDRIJA. SO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ALL MATTERS LISTED HERE UNDER OUR ROUTINE IN NATURE AND WILL BE APPROVED IN ONE MOTION. ANY MEMBER MAY REQUEST THAT AN ITEM BE REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT YOUR ANIMAL CONTROL REPORT CAME UNDER A SECOND EMAIL, SO IF YOU DIDN'T SEE IT, IT'S UNDER A SECOND EMAIL THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED. SO THE MONTHLY REPORTS ARE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORT FOR JANUARY 2025. THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORT JANUARY 2025, AND ANIMAL CONTROL REPORT FOR JANUARY 2025. WE ALSO HAVE THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING. SO THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH HELD ON JANUARY 8TH OF 2025, A MOTION TO APPROVE. WANTING TO APPROVE OKAY AND[VI. PHAB REACCREDITATION RESOLUTION]
SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE. WHAT IS I KNOW IT'S PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION BOARD. THANK YOU. THAT'S P FAB REACCREDITATION RESOLUTION. AND THAT SHOULD BE EITHER IN FRONT OF YOU OR IN YOUR PACKET DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT. SO THIS RESOLUTION IS JUST A RESOLUTION BECAUSE RESOLUTIONS ARE NOT LEGALLY BINDING. THEY'RE JUST SHOWING YOU SUPPORT SHOWING OUR SUPPORT FOR SOMETHING. SO THIS IS SHOWING OUR SUPPORT FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION BOARD ACCREDITED ACCREDITATION PROCEDURES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH AS A PUBLIC HEALTH BOARD OF HEALTH AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. SO THIS GOES THROUGH ALL THE ITEMS. SO IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY IN THIS RESOLUTION YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO HIGHLIGHT THIS LAST ONE? SO THE ITEMS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO BRING FORWARD ARE THAT WE'D LIKE THE BOARD OF. WE ARE ASKING THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TO AFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH BY ENDORSING AND ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THE REACCREDITATION PROCESS. WE ARE CONSIDERED EXCEPTIONAL BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ONLY PROTECTING AND PROMOTING THE HEALTH OF ALL RESIDENTS. SO WE HAVE AN INCLUSIVITY HERE, INCLUDING ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, THROUGH THE WORK THAT WE DO. BUT WE DO IT IN A EVIDENCE BASED, DATA BASED WAY, AND WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP. SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED ME TO HIGHLIGHT? OH, THOSE LAST ONE. I DON'T THINK I HAVE THAT ONE ON MY IT'S NOT HERE. THE ONE SHE WANTS ME TO HIGHLIGHT IS OH THERE. IT'S ON THE FRONT PAGE. THANK YOU. THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S[00:45:07]
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROCESS AND SURGE NURSE PROGRAM HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AS PROMISING PRACTICE AND MODEL PRACTICE BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY AND CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS. THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE. WE HAVE MANY EXAMPLES OF THE PRACTICES OF OUR DEPARTMENT, BEING THAT THEY ARE EVIDENCE BASED AS WELL AS INCLUSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE PRACTICES, THAT THEY HAVE BECOME MODEL PRACTICES FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH AS WELL. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ONE FOR YOU TOO. SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO READ OVER THE RESOLUTION WHEN YOU ARE READY, I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE.THAT MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. ROLL CALL. DOCTOR GRAYSON. YES. DOCTOR MCGARRY. YES, DOCTOR. MOHON. YES. MR. YES, DOCTOR. PRATI. YES. AND
[VII. BOARD OF HEALTH ETHICS POLICY & PROCEDURE]
DOCTOR. SORAYA. YES. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IS IN YOUR PACKET AGAIN, IT'S THE BOARD OF HEALTH ETHICS POLICY AND PROCEDURE. THIS WAS CREATED IN 2019 AND IT WAS UPDATED IN JANUARY OF 2025. SO IT IS TIME FOR US TO. APPROVE THIS PROCEDURE. SO I'LL SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. ANY ITEMS IT SHOULD BE IN YOUR YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT VIA JEN'S EMAIL WITH ALL THE PACKET ITEMS. DO YOU WANT TO SAY A WORD ON THE ETHICS POLICY BEFORE WE TAKE A MOTION? YEAH, THIS IS ALSO PART OF OUR REACCREDITATION EFFORTS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO KNOW THAT IF RESIDENTS HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR THERE ARE DECISIONS MADE EITHER BY STAFF OR BY THE BOARD, IF THEY, YOU KNOW THAT THEY ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND APPEAL THAT. AND THAT'S PART OF LIKE OUR OUR REGULAR PROCESS. IF YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE RESIDENTS OR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS THAT THAT FEEL THAT THEY WANT TO BE HEARD BY THE BOARD, AND THEN THIS POLICY JUST IT'S ALIGNED TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT FAB WHAT FAB STANDARDS ARE. SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT THE BOARD OF HEALTH CAN IS ACTING AS OUR, YOU KNOW, ETHICS COMMITTEE. ETHICS COMMITTEE. YES. SO IT WOULD ESTABLISH THE BOARD OF HEALTH AS THE ETHICS COMMITTEE. AND ANY DECISIONS WE WOULD BE INFORMING ETHICS DECISIONS AT THE BOARD. YEAH, AT THE BOARD. SO WHEN YOU ARE READY, I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY. SECOND. OKAY. DOCTOR GRAYSON. YES.DOCTOR MCGARRY. YES. DOCTOR. MOHAN. YES. MR. YES, DOCTOR. PRATI. YES. AND DOCTOR SORIA.
[VIII. HEALTH OFFICER COMMENTS]
YES. OKAY. WE ARE NOW AT HEALTH OFFICER COMMENTS. THANK YOU. DEVON, I JUST, I JUST PRINTED OUT EVERYTHING TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT. SO LET'S START OUT WITH TALKING ABOUT OUR. WE HAVE THIS ENHANCING PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE. SINCE 2023, THE STATE IS ALLOCATING AN EXTRA $12,500 TO THAT GRANT BUDGET. SO WE WILL HAVE TO DO A BUDGET REVISION.AND I'LL I'LL SUBMIT. YOU KNOW WHAT OUR PLAN IS TO USE THAT MONEY FOR? THIS IS A REQUEST
[00:50:03]
THAT THE REQUEST THAT THEY HAD WAS TO MAKE SURE WE USE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE AS THE COVID FUNDS, YOU KNOW, DRY UP PRIOR TO JUNE 30TH, THE GOAL IS TO EXPEND ALL OF THIS MONEY. SO THE 12,500 I'M PLANNING TO SET ASIDE FOR OUR REACCREDITATION FEES. SO THAT WILL COVER AT LEAST THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF OUR FEES. SO THAT'S THE PLAN. AND THERE MIGHT BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT MIGHT COME THROUGH. SO ONCE I LEARN OF WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS, I WILL LET YOU KNOW.BUT THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO BUILD UP ON OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SUPPLIES. AND POSSIBLY JUST, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SALARY OFFSETS OF STAFF. AND THAT WILL EASE THE BUDGET QUITE A BIT. SO GOOD NEWS FOR MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE GRANT UPDATE. THE OTHER UPDATE IS REGARDING BIRD FLU. SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IT ON THE NEWS.
WE'VE BEEN LEARNING FROM OTHER NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES THAT THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEAD BIRDS. WE ARE ALSO LEARNING THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE AGENCIES INVOLVED, AND THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF RESPONSE. YOU HAVE YOU HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, YOU HAVE DEP, YOU HAVE NJDOE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THOSE SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE GOING TO BE AND HOW THEY CAN HELP US IN HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AS AND IF WE START SEEING INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF SICK AND DEAD BIRDS IN IN TOWN. SO THERE WAS A JOINT NEWS RELEASE SHARED BY THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION. IT INCLUDES THE IT INCLUDES NJDEP, NJDOE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. AND THEY TALK ABOUT WHAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN AND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITIES. SO MAINLY IT'S REALLY LETTING RESIDENTS KNOW WHEN TO CALL AND HOW TO REPORT SICK OR DEAD WILD BIRDS. WE WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, MESSAGE THIS TO THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY WHERE IT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND MAYBE POSSIBLY CREATE A FLIER IF WE NEED TO. BUT ESSENTIALLY THERE'S A DEP NUMBER, THE 1877 WARREN DEP.
THEY ARE TRACKING, YOU KNOW, THE SICK AND DEAD BIRD REPORTS. THEY ARE THEY'RE NO LONGER TESTING ALL WILD BIRDS. THE FOCUS IS NOW ON BALD EAGLES AND FALCONS. SO THE TESTING WILL BE FOCUSED ON ON THOSE BIRDS, ON THOSE SPECIES. AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE MUNICIPALITIES TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR HOW TO MANAGE DISPOSAL OF BIRDS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR WITH ADMINISTRATION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ANIMAL CONTROL AND DPW TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR WHAT? THAT'S FOR WHAT THAT WILL BE. WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY IMPACTS IN TOWN. BUT AS WORD SPREADS AND AS WE'RE SEEING NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES BE IMPACTED, IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. I THINK THE OTHER THING ABOUT BIRD FLU, TOO, IS THAT. I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, LIKE FEDERALLY, THERE'S LIMITED RESOURCES AT THE STATE LEVEL, VERY MINIMAL RESOURCES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. SO THE QUESTION REALLY IS WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THE RESOURCES NEEDED FOR, FOR WHAT WE NEED FOR THE FOR RESPONDING TO THIS? AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS CONCERNED PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS MONITORING THIS ARE CONCERNED. SO THE STATE. THE STATE DEP AND NJDOE HAVE BEEN SHARING GUIDANCE WITH US. MOST OF IT HAS BEEN FOR ANIMAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE WHO HANDLE POULTRY AND CATTLE. SO WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH MESSAGING COME OUT THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT WE ANTICIPATE THAT HAPPENING. SO I WILL KEEP YOU GUYS UPDATED AS I LEARN MORE, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT RESPONSE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND THE GOAL IS TO TRY TO PARTNER AND COORDINATE WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE ABOUT THIS WAS. SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS. IF YOU KEEP GOING AND YOU CAN
[00:55:02]
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. SO I HAVE A QUESTION SO RELATED TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE POULTRY ON THEIR PROPERTY, DO WE HAVE ANY WAY OF KNOWING WHO THOSE WHERE THOSE HOMES ARE? AND DO THEY HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE CONCERNS OF BIRD FLU IN THE TOWN? I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I KNOW FOR THE ONES THAT HAVE A LARGE ENOUGH. BACKYARD POULTRY FARM, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY'RE ZONED, IT DEPENDS ON THE ZONING. IF THEY'RE ZONED A CERTAIN WAY, THEN YES. YES. IF I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO OWN CHICKENS, JUST A CHICKEN COOP. LIKE A CHICKEN COOP, JUST TO HAVE EGGS. THERE'S A YOU WOULD HAVE COULD HAVE A CHICKEN COOP IN YOUR BACKYARD. I KNOW, BUT THAT'S MY POINT. YEAH, I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHO IS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CHICKEN ORDINANCE, AND IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT. HAVE A CHICKEN ORDINANCE. JEREMY'S LAUGHING AT MY CHICKEN ORDINANCE. YES. IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT UNDER THE CHICKEN ORDINANCE THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, THEN YES. OTHERWISE, NO, WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM. OKAY. THAT'S RIGHT. I WAS LIKE, YEAH, WE HAVE THE WE DO HAVE A CHICKEN. WE HAVE A CHICKEN ORDINANCE. YES. I MEAN WE DO HAVE A CHICKEN, A CHICKEN. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO. THAT'S INTERESTING. BUT IT IS A CONCERN FOR CHICKENS AS WELL. YOU SAID YOU SAID WILD BIRDS BUT IT IS ALSO FOR. YEAH, IT'S ALSO FOR CHICKENS. OKAY. POULTRY AND POULTRY. AND WHAT IS THE HUMAN. NO RISK. SO THE RISK FOR BASED ON OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES IS HIGH. AND THAT'S WHERE THE YOU KNOW WE HAVE MESSAGING FOR THEM.BUT THE RISK TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS LOW. AND I THINK REALLY EVERYBODY'S FOCUSING ON AND LOOKING OUT FOR ANY SIGNS OF PERSON TO PERSON SPREAD. THAT'S AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN WE'LL BE HAVING A LOT OF MEETINGS AND TALKING ABOUT OUR RESPONSE, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. BUT YEAH, THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO CONFIRMED HUMAN CASES IN NEW JERSEY. YEAH OKAY.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE MORE. YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE MORE. IN YOU. CAN YOU TALK? IMPROVEMENT. OH YEAH. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. WE GAVE AND THANKS TO EMILY FOR REALLY WORKING ON AND GOING LINE BY LINE AND PROVIDING SOME GOOD FEEDBACK TO THEM. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE. I THINK WE WILL STILL NEED MAYBE A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE IT IS FULLY FINALIZED AGAIN. ONE OF THE ROLES OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH IS ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. WE SHARED THE FINAL COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT WITH YOU GUYS. I THINK IT WAS LAST MEETING OR IF NOT THE MEETING BEFORE, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE TO HAVE IT ON OUR WEB, ON OUR WEBSITE, IF IT'S NOT ALREADY ON THERE. AND WE'LL SHARE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN ONCE IT'S FINALIZED. IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND THE GOAL IS TO GET IT TO MEET PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION STANDARDS. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING IN, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING WITH OTHER HEALTH OFFICERS, HOPEFULLY REGIONALLY WITH HEALTHIER SOMERSET AND FINALIZE OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. AND WE WILL PRESENT IT TO YOU ALL AS WELL, BECAUSE IT IS A FAIRLY LENGTHY DOCUMENT, AND THE GOAL WILL BE FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADOPT SOME OF THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, TO MAKE IT MAKE IT PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. SO THERE'LL BE MORE HOMEWORK FOR THE BOARD TO COME. OKAY. THAT WAS IT FOR THE GRANTS. I JUST WANTED TO TALK VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE. WE ARE PLANNING A SLEW OF PROGRAMS THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GRANT AND THE YOUTH SERVICES GRANT. SO ONE IS A LUNCH AND LEARN PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THEIR THINK FAST INITIATIVE. IT'S NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S INITIATIVE. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A THIRD PARTY PROGRAM. AND THEY COME IN AND THEY IT'S ALMOST LIKE A GAME SHOW TYPE FORMAT TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON THE EFFECTS OF AND THE EFFECTS OF VAPING. AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER MODULE ABOUT DISTRACTED DRIVING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE SCHOOL SOON. AND A THIRD MODULE THAT'S FOCUSING ON SUBSTANCE USE AND ALCOHOL. SO IF YOU IF YOU COME ACROSS ANY MESSAGING ABOUT THE THINK FAST INITIATIVE, WE'RE WORKING WITH
[01:00:04]
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BRING THAT TO THE SCHOOL. WE ARE ALSO, I THINK WE HAD OUR BEAT THE WINTER BLUES EVENT AT THE END OF THE MONTH IN JANUARY. WE HAD YOUTH ACTION BOARD AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL STUDENTS COME OUT. WE HAD EXCELLENT PRESENTATIONS ON MINDFULNESS AND WE HAD A VENDOR FAIR OUT HERE IN THE LOBBY. THAT WAS GREAT. WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING READY FOR OUR THE FOR THE NEXT FARMER'S MARKET. WE WILL BE HAVING A HEART GET HEART SMART TABLE. WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE RUTGERS NURSING STUDENTS TO COME OUT AND DO AND PROVIDE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS. WE'LL HAVE A LOCAL CARDIOLOGIST WHO WILL BE AVAILABLE AGAIN. THIS IS THANKS TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HEALTHIER SOMERSET. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE TO CHAT WITH THE LOCAL CARDIOLOGIST, FEEL FREE TO COME OUT TO OUR FARMER'S MARKET.SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND WILL BE RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON. THERE'S THE FARMER'S MARKET. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE DOING TABLING AND BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS AND HEART HEALTH EDUCATION. AND THEN THE CHINESE SCHOOL IS GOING TO HAVE A FANTASTIC EVENT, I THINK, IN THE LOBBY. SO IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, JUST COME OUT HERE ON SATURDAY ON THE 22ND, FEBRUARY 22ND, FEBRUARY 22ND. I THINK THAT'S NEXT SATURDAY. AND THEN WE HAVE THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY AND CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS. THEY'RE HAVING THEIR CONFERENCE THIS YEAR. IT'S GOING TO BE IN ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE SET ASIDE SOME GRANT FUNDING TO SEND STAFF TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE. SO THIS WILL BE COVERED BY THE GRANTS. THERE'S MAKING SURE YOU KNOW THAT THE BOARD IS AWARE, AND I'LL SHARE ANY INFORMATION WITH YOU GUYS ABOUT THIS. AND THEN WE ALSO GET OUR CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS TOO, SINCE THAT CAME UP DURING THE ORIENTATION. YES, THOSE ARE NECESSARY. AND I, I THINK THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. NO MORE, NO MORE. OKAY. THAT SOUNDS
[IX. NEW BUSINESS ]
GOOD. OKAY. SO NEW BUSINESS. SO WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE BERT IS NOT HERE. NOBODY ELSE. OKAY. HOW ABOUT YOU? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FROM EMS? YEAH. SO YES.SO OUR PRESIDENT HAS FINISHED HIS DATA ANALYSIS DATA CRUNCH FOR 2024. SO HE HAS A SLEW OF STATISTICS THAT HE IS HAPPY TO COME AND PRESENT TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH. IF, IF AND WHEN WE'RE INTERESTED AND IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC STATISTICS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE, LET ME KNOW. AND I CAN PASS IT ON TO, TO OUR PRESIDENT SO THAT HE CAN RUN THAT DATA BEFORE BEFORE HE PRESENTS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SAID COME OUT TO PRESENT LAST YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING FOR TRENDS IN, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF CALLS, TRENDS. YEAH. SO ANYTHING RELATING TO TRENDS, TYPES OF CALLS, NUMBER OF CALLS, ESPECIALLY THOSE CALLS THAT ARE MENTAL HEALTH RELATED. CALLS WHERE SOCIAL SERVICES, HUMAN SERVICES WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE. OKAY. AND I GUESS WE'LL DISCUSS A MEETING WHEN WE WHEN WE CAN BRING HIM OR LIKE DO WE HAVE A MEETING IN MIND. YEAH, YEAH. WHAT MEETING WOULD YOU LIKE TO HIM TO INVITE? MARCH. APRIL. OKAY. HE'S READY TO GO.
SO YEAH. WE'LL HAVE. YEAH. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE HIM. WE'LL FOLLOW UP. OKAY. I JUST NOTICED YOUR SHIRT. OH, THAT. HENCE THE. HENCE THAT LOOK OF DISGUST THAT YOU. SORRY. WE WENT TO. WE WENT TO RIVAL SCHOOLS. IT'S A IT'S A KNEE JERK REACTION. I APOLOGIZE. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE NEW BUSINESS? I HAVE ONE ITEM. SO I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH. I SUPPOSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS CAME FROM, BUT SHE FOUND AN ARTIFACT AND IT IS THE VERY FIRST MEETING OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN MONTGOMERY. AND IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1881. REALLY? WOW. IN MARCH 14TH, 1881. AND IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA OR SOME OF THE STREETS IN THE AREA, YOU WILL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED THIS DOCUMENT ESTABLISHING THE BOARD OF HEALTH, THE NAMES WILL LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU. SO I'LL JUST PASS THIS DOWN. THIS IS THIS IS JUST AN OR THE VERY FIRST SPECIAL. YEAH. THAT ONE'S REALLY THE ONE TO LOOK AT. THIS IS JUST THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE FOR ALSO
[01:05:06]
TOWNSHIP CLERK WAS LAST NAME SKILLMAN, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S KIND OF AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT. SO YOU CAN SEE OUR BOARD OF HEALTH HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING, ESTABLISHED BODY. AND EVEN WAY BACK WHEN THEN IT WAS SEPARATED FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF ITS AUTONOMY. SO THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE TOWNSHIP HAD SOME FORESIGHT. AND WHILE YOU GUYS LOOK AT THAT, IF THERE'S NO TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS FROM YOU, PAT? WHAT'S THE QUESTION? ANY NEW BUSINESS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE YOU WANT TO BRING FORWARD? SHORT ANSWER. NO. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. AND WE'LL WORK OUT THE SO YOU RECOGNIZE WHEN EVERYTHING IS COMING DOWN THE PIKE FOR THE MEETINGS IN THE FUTURE. OKAY. SO HAVING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS THE MEETING WILL NOW ADJOURN AT. 918. MOTION TO ADJOURN. THANK YOU. MOVED BY YOUR OKAY. SHE DID FIRST AND YOU DID SECOND. THANK YOU. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERY* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.