[I. OPENING STATEMENT]
[00:00:10]
REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING FOR THE MONTGOMERY BOARD OF HEALTH. WE ARE STARTING AT 7:30 P.M. AND IT IS JULY 9TH. IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD TO CONCLUDE THIS MEETING BY 9:30 P.M. ANY AGENDA ITEM NOT CONSIDERED BY 930 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 PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AND FILED WITH THE TOWNSHIP CLERK. A REMINDER THAT 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 STATE NEW JERSEY STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, NOT THE TOWNSHIP, AND WE ARE EMPOWERED TO ENACT LOCAL HEALTH ORDINANCES FOR THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE AND TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE TOWNSHIP AND ITS RESIDENTS. BEFORE WE DO ROLL CALL, CAN WE HAVE DOCTOR FRATTI LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? YES. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I CANNOT MAKE THIS SEAT TALL ENOUGH TO SEE ANYBODY. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO DO ROLL CALL. WE HAVE DOCTOR GRAYSON HERE. DOCTOR MCGARRY.
NO. THAT'S OKAY. I KNEW YOU WERE COMING. DOCTOR MCGARRY'S HERE. DOCTOR FAISAL IS NOT HERE.
DOCTOR SHARMA. HERE. YES, OKAY. DOCTOR NEWMAN HERE. DOCTOR MOHAN IS NOT HERE. AND MR. J, I'M HERE. DOCTOR JOSEPH HERE. AND DOCTOR NEHA. SARIAH IS NOT HERE. HEALTH OFFICER DEVANG PATEL IS ON VACATION. AND WE HAVE KRISTEN SERGEANT STEPPING IN FOR HER. DO YOU WANT TO SAY HERE FOR THE RECORD? BUT WOULD YOU JUST SAY HERE, HERE. THANK YOU. I'M A LITTLE STRESSED. THAT'S OKAY.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH. WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS TOGETHER. WE'RE ALL GOOD. JENNIFER FOSTER IS NOT HERE. AND KRISTEN IS ALSO STEPPING IN FOR JENNIFER. SO SHE'S DOING DOUBLE DUTY. AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY SHE'S FEELING A LITTLE STRETCHED RIGHT NOW. TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE LIAISON PATRICIA TAYLOR TODD IS UNABLE TO COME. AND DOCTOR MANDELBAUM AS WELL IS UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY. OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENTS. ARE YOU PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. WE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGE INPUT FROM
[III. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
THE PUBLIC. PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. THREE MINUTES. OKAY. GOT IT. AND ALL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD. OKAY I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND SPELL IT. MY NAME IS BARBARA PRESTON. DO YOU WANT ME TO SPELL THAT I THINK I GOT THAT OKAY. THANK YOU. I WORK FOR THE MONTGOMERY NEWS, BUT I'M ACTUALLY HERE BECAUSE I'M A ROCKY HILL RESIDENT, AND ROCKY HILL HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A SUMMER OF HORRIBLE SMELL COMING FROM THE SEWER PLANT. IT'S CALLED STAGE TWO SEWER PLANT. THEY'RE DOING SOME, ACTUALLY.IT'S CALLED STAGE TWO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUT IT IS A SEWAGE PLANT. WE CAN'T SIT ON OUR PORCHES. IF YOU'RE HAVING DINNER AT THE ROCKY HILL INN, IT'S HORRIBLE. IT'S JUST REALLY BAD. IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE DINING AT ONE, FIVE, THREE, NOBODY'S GOING OUTSIDE. SO I WAS JUST WONDERING, DOES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVE ANY SAY OVER THESE HORRIBLE SMELLS? I KNOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, IN WHEN ALL SAID AND DONE, IT'S A VERY SMALL LITTLE THING, BUT A LOT OF TOWN, A LOT OF RESIDENTS ARE REALLY UPSET ABOUT IT. SO THAT'S THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS. KRISTEN, DO YOU HAVE THE ARE WE ABLE TO SHARE WHERE THAT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS? I KNOW WE HAVE A PICTURE OF IT. NO OKAY. THAT'S OKAY. BUT YEAH. YEAH RIGHT OUTSIDE OF TOWN. YEAH. YES IT'S RIGHT. DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US MORE. THANK YOU. JUST TO GIVE SO THE BOARD HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE IT'S AT.
YES. THE STAGE TWO SEWER PLANT IS ON RIVER ROAD ON THE BORDER OF ROCKY HILL. SO IF YOU STEP TO THE LEFT, YOU'RE IN ROCKY HILL AND YOU STEP TO THE WHERE THE SEWER PLANT IS. IT'S MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, RIGHT ON THE MILLSTONE RIVER. IT WOULD BE NORTH OF BLUE SPRING ROAD. IT'S ON THE LEFT
[00:05:06]
HAND SIDE, THOUGH. WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN. YES. IF YOU'RE GOING DOWN RIVER ROAD FROM ROCKY HILL, IT'S ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SEE IT FROM THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S DOWN A LONG DRIVEWAY LIKE A DIRT ROAD. YEAH, YOU COULD SEE ALL THE CONSTRUCTION THERE NOW. IT'S LIKE A QUARTER, HALF A MILE. NO, I THINK IT'S NOT EVEN THAT FAR. BUT IT'S FAR ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN'T SEE IT. THERE'S SOME TREES THERE, OKAY. IT'S JUST BY THE RIVER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RIVER. YEP. SO I'M GOING TO ASK KRISTEN JUST TO GIVE THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT FOR THIS. I CONNECTED WITH KRISTEN THIS MORNING SO SHE CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE. AT LEAST US GIVE THE BOARD MORE INFORMATION AND THEN I'LL ANSWER HER QUESTION. YES. SO THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UPGRADING AND DOING WORK AT THE STAGE TWO TREATMENT PLANT, ABOUT WHICH IS BEYOND WHAT I KNOW ABOUT MEMBRANES AND PRESSURE GRADIENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I CAN SAY. SO LOCALLY, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE ANY JURISDICTION OVER ODOR ENFORCEMENT. THAT'S AN NJDEP REGULATION WHICH FALLS UNDER THE SOMERSET COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UNDER THE COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ACT. THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY GIVES THEM THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE CERTAIN DEP REGULATIONS, INCLUDING ODOR, WHICH IS CONSIDERED LIKE A NUISANCE COMPLAINT OF THIS TYPE.I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE MULTIPLE TIMES. I'M NOT AWARE THAT THEY'VE WRITTEN A VIOLATION YET. I WAS TOLD BY THE SEWER DIRECTOR LATER THIS AFTERNOON THAT I SHARED WITH YOU THAT THEY DID A WALKTHROUGH, AND THEY'VE SET UP THE NEW AERATOR WITH THE OLD SYSTEM, AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING, BUT IT'S GOT TO REACH A CERTAIN LEVEL. MR. STURDY PROBABLY KNOWS IT'S GOT TO REACH CERTAIN LEVELS OF CERTAIN STUFF BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO RUN BACTERIA TESTS ON THE SLUDGE AND ALL THIS STUFF UNTIL IT GETS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL AND WORKS 100%. SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT NOW. THANKS, KRISTEN. SO THE SPECIFIC ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS WE DO NOT, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY. ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY'VE BEEN THERE. THEY HAVE SOME INFORMATION AND WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE US TO DO. BUT IT'S REALLY THE TOWNSHIP, NOT NECESSARILY THE BOARD OF HEALTH, BUT WE'RE WE'RE ON TOP OF IT. AND WE WILL GET MORE INFORMATION TO YOU AS BEST WE CAN. DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, JAY? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WERE. I MEAN, I'M FOLLOWING IT QUITE A BIT. OKAY. IT'S NUISANCE ORDERS. I, I'M I'M FAMILIAR WITH WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT WHERE DOES THE. THE SEWER BOARD SIT ON THAT? RIGHT. THE BOARD OF WATER FROM THE TOWNSHIP. THREE OF US. BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD. I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. SO DO WE HAVE A SEWER BOARD? WE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING UP. I DON'T KNOW, I'VE NEVER HEARD A BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES. YEAH, I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT. WE DO, I THINK WE THE TOWN DOESN'T HAVE ONE. THERE IS A NEW JERSEY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES. I GUESS THAT WOULD REGULATE THE TOWNSHIP UTILITY.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE A SEWER BOARD LIKE NO TOWNSHIP LEVEL. NOT THAT I KNOW OF. OKAY. WE DO NOT.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION THOUGH. BUT WE I'M ALSO GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH OUR TOWN COMMITTEE LIAISON, MRS. PATRICIA TAYLOR. TODD IS NOT HERE, BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH HER AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE I THINK THE MAYOR FROM ROCKY HILL HAS YOU'VE ALSO ENGAGED THEM OR THE CONCERNED RESIDENTS. AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A CONNECTION POINT AND SEE IF THEY CAN'T LEARN MORE FROM THE COUNTY AND UNDERSTAND, OKAY. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. OKAY. NEXT
[IV. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA. SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY TWO SETS OF REPORTS BECAUSE WE HAD TO CANCEL OUR MEETING IN JUNE. SO WE HAVE OUR SORRY ALL MATTERS LISTED HERE UNDER ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE IN NATURE AND WILL BE APPROVED IN ONE MOTION. ANY MEMBER MAY REQUEST THAT AN ITEM OR ITEMS MAY BE REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. SO WE HAVE TWO SETS OF REPORTS FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORT. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF REPORTS FOR THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORT. AND WE HAVE TWO SETS OF REPORTS FROM ANIMAL CONTROL. AND WE HAVE ONE MEETING, ONE SET OF MEETING MINUTES FROM MAY. SO CAN I HAVE DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THOSE ITEMS. NO, NO OKAY. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION TO APPROVE.[00:10:03]
SECOND THANK YOU. OKAY. SO THOSE WERE BOTH APPROVED OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE SALARY[V. SALARY ORDINANCE 2025-01 FIRST READING ]
ORDINANCE. SO WE ARE THE SALARY ORDINANCE IS IN YOUR PACKET. I HOPE YOU CAN ALL REVIEW IT. THIS IS THE FIRST READING. SO WE'RE JUST BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD FOR THEIR REVIEW. AND THEN THE NEXT MEETING WE WILL VOTE ON IT. SO THIS IS AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE SALARY AND WAGE PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY BOARD OF HEALTH AND TO PROVIDE FOR ITS ADMINISTRATION IN 2025. SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS LOOKED AT, WORKED WITH THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AND OUR TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE SALARIES ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT IS BEING PASSED AT THE UNION LEVEL AS WELL. BUT THESE ARE FOR NONUNION EMPLOYEES. SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S THE PAY SCALE THAT YOU SEE THERE. AND THEN WE PASS IT AND THEN THESE THESE SALARIES, WE WILL BE ADMINISTERED IN 2025. OKAY. SO I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS A SECOND. AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK FOR DISCUSSION. AND THEN WE CAN. ONCE WE DO THE SECOND READING AND IT PASSES THAT'S WHEN IT SALARY WILL CHANGE. RETROACTIVE. YEAH IT'S RETROACTIVE TO JANUARY 1ST OKAY. ACTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO PASS IT ON THE FIRST. I'M READING THE AGENDA MORE CAREFULLY NOW. AND WE ARE GOING TO PASS IT ON THE FIRST READING AND GET ON THE READING. SO TAKE A MINUTE TO LOOK AT IT MORE CAREFULLY, MORE CAREFULLY THAN I LOOKED AT THE FIRST READING.JUST IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SIZE OF SALARY. YOU'RE GOOD. YOU'RE GOOD. I SAID, AM I GOOD? SO IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC CONCERNS ABOUT THE SALARIES, LET ME KNOW. THERE. SO THEN, DO WE NEED ANOTHER SALARY? SALARY NEXT YEAR. YEAH OKAY. WE HAVE TO DO EVERY YEAR. EVERY YEAR OKAY. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO WE USUALLY ALSO HAVE AN ACCOMPANYING RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT WHEN THE TOWNSHIP PASSES IT AS WELL, JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALL ALIGNED. OKAY. OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION. QUESTIONS? NO, JOE. NO, I'M JUST ASKING IF YOU CAN SHUT THAT.
COULD YOU SHUT THE DOOR, PLEASE? THANK YOU. OKAY. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF HEALTH OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE. HE BE HEREBY PASSED ON ITS FIRST READING, AND THAT THE THAT THE SAME BE PUBLISHED IN AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER AS REQUIRED BY LAW, TOGETHER WITH A NOTICE OF PENDING ORDINANCE FIXING THE SALARIES ON AUGUST 13TH. THAT'S OUR NEXT MEETING, 2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 P.M, AS THE DATE AND TIME WHEN SAID ORDINANCE WILL BE FURTHER CONSIDERED UPON ADOPTION. MOTION TO APPROVE MOVED SECOND. OKAY, NOW DO ROLL CALL. OH, DO YOU WANT TO DO ROLL CALL, KRISTEN OR SHOULD I DO IT? I WANT TO BE HELPFUL SO YOU LET ME KNOW. I THOUGHT YOU ALREADY DID IT. NO, I'LL DO IT. I HAVE TO DO IT FOR THIS ONE. FOR THE MOTION. I CAN DO IT. I CAN DO IT. IT'S FINE. OKAY. ARE YOU SURE? OKAY. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. I DON'T WANT TO. IT'S OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS TOGETHER. ROLL CALL IS DOCTOR GRAYSON. YES, DOCTOR. YES. DOCTOR IS NOT HERE. DOCTOR SHARMA. YES, DOCTOR.
NEWMAN. YES, DOCTOR. I'M SORRY. MR. YES. SORRY, DOCTOR. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE NEXT
[VI. BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERSHIP ]
ITEM IS BOARD OF HEALTH. WE'RE GOING TO GET TO EMILY, I PROMISE. BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERSHIP OKAY. SO WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS WHOSE TERMS COME TO A CLOSE. SO I JUST WANT TO AT THE END OF. WHAT WAS THAT? TELL US WHO THEY ARE. I WILL IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN YOURS COMES TO A CLOSE, LET ME KNOW AND I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. BUT I JUST WANTED OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO JUST MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT. SO AT THE BYE, IF YOUR TERM COMES TO A CLOSE, YOU ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND YOU SERVE AT HER PLEASURE. I WOULD SAY SO SHE WILL. SO SHE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF WHO IS INTERESTED IN CONTINUING. SO I IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, FOLLOW UP WITH ME AFTER TODAY AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TURN COMES TO A CLOSE AND LET YOU KNOW. SO WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR THAT? I MEAN, I MINE IS ENDING BY THAT. OH YOU DO FOR THAT. I WAS GOING TO SAY SO ACTUALLY JAS IS NOT GOING TO END. MINE IS NOT GOING TO END.[00:15:05]
JEREMY'S IS NOT GOING TO END. I THINK YOURS YOU HAVE ANOTHER YEAR. YEAH. AND JOE, I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER YEAR BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE TWO. OH YEAH. NO, THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE ON THE BOARD. BUT YES. SO JUST LET ME KNOW AND I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH THE MAYOR AND LET HER KNOW THAT IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO STEP DOWN EITHER WAY, JUST LET ME KNOW AND I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH MAYOR AND THEN SHE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. SOUNDS GOOD.OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WE ARE OPEN FOR OTHER PEOPLE THERE. AS PEOPLE ROLL OFF, SOMETIMES THEY WE DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE. AND THERE'S ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF HEALTH. OKAY, EMILY,
[VII. STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE ]
YOU'RE UP. SO EMILY HAS BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING, NOT ONLY TONIGHT, BUT ALSO FOR US TO HAVE A QUORUM SO SHE COULD TALK TO US ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN. SO WE ARE. WE HAD HOPED TO DO THIS LAST MONTH, BUT WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE HER HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND ALL THE WORK SHE'S DONE TO DEVELOP IT. SO WELCOME AND THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IS THIS WORKING? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP. OH. HOLD ON. SORRY. YOUR CABLE RIGHT. YEAH. HEAR ME CUT IT OFF. MAYBE STABLE OFF. MAYBE THIS ONE. OKAY. WHAT'S THE MATTER, JACK? I HAVE AN ACTION ITEM FOR THE FIRST TOPIC. IS THAT WORKING? THERE WE GO. OKAY. OH, GOOD. YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT AT THE END. YEAH, WE'LL DO IT IN THE NEW BUSINESS. IS THAT OKAY? THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO THE STRATEGIC PLAN THIS IS SORRY, I'M EMILY SCHREINER. I'M THE PUBLIC HEALTH PLANNER. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DEEWANGI ON UPDATING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS IS THE 2020 TO 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN. WE KIND OF HAD TO UPDATE IT A LITTLE BIT. IT WAS NEVER OFFICIALLY FINALIZED DURING THIS ACTUAL PERIOD. SO WE WANTED TO MAKE THE FINAL VERSION OFFICIAL. AND THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FROM 2025 TO 2030 WILL LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO THIS. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME OBJECTIVES. SOME THINGS MIGHT CHANGE, BUT IN GENERAL IT WILL LOOK SIMILAR. SO I JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE PRETTY QUICKLY. SO THE FIRST PRIORITY IS TO FULFILL OUR ADMINISTRATIVE AND ORGANIZATIONAL STATE MANDATES. SO THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE RETAIL FOOD INSPECTIONS, PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE CODE VIOLATIONS, IMMUNIZATION AUDITS, DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS, RADON AWARENESS, THINGS LIKE THIS, THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE FOR US TO ENFORCE, REQUIRED BY THE TOWNSHIP, AND OTHER ORDINANCES.PRIORITY TWO IS SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT. SO THESE INCLUDE THINGS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES, PUBLIC HEALTH INTERNS WHO ARE YOUNG ADULTS IN COLLEGE.
WE ENCOURAGE AND HELP RUN YOUTH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS SO THAT YOUTH CAN GET INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC HEALTH. AND, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OF HEALTH AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE DO YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND WE HAVE WE DON'T YET HAVE AN AGE OF SALE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, BUT THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR THIS PRIORITY. ALL RIGHT. PRIORITY THREE IS SENIORS AND OLDER ADULTS. SO THIS PRIORITY, WE DO A LOT OF EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMING FOR SENIORS. OUR SENIOR CENTER AND LOTS OF EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AS WELL. AND WE ALSO DO CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION EDUCATION EVENTS FOR SENIORS SPECIFICALLY JUST THINGS THAT ARE MORE PREVALENT, DO BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. PRIORITY FOUR IS HEALTH EDUCATION. SO WE DO SOME THINGS LIKE INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION EDUCATION EVENTS, COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PREVENTION EVENTS, AND THEN JUST IN GENERAL, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON THE WEBSITE, THROUGH OTHER PUBLICATIONS. PRIORITY FIVE IS PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, WHICH WE DO HAVE A LARGER EMPHASIS ON IN THIS VERSION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND WE WILL IN THE UPCOMING VERSION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON UPDATING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ANNEX AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL STAFF ARE UP TO DATE ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TRAININGS, WHETHER THAT'S IN
[00:20:03]
GENERAL, OR TRAININGS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO PARTICULAR EVENTS. PRIORITY SIX IS PUBLIC HEALTH CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. SO FOR THIS, WE ARE MAINTAINING OUR FAB ACCREDITATION. WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH REACCREDITATION, BUT WE JUST WORK CONSISTENTLY TO MAINTAIN THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THAT. WE ALSO UPDATE OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND OUR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND MAINTAIN TRACKING OF THOSE OBJECTIVES. MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING OUR OUR GOALS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY MAKING IMPROVEMENTS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN WE ALSO AIM TO MAKE UPDATES REGULARLY TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN PRIORITY SEVEN IS HEALTH DEPARTMENT SERVICES, RESOURCES AND ACCESSIBILITY. SO THESE ARE JUST WAYS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY BE AVAILABLE. SO WE DO LOTS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES IN VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE COMMUNITY, IN SCHOOLS, IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES, OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN WE ALSO COMMUNICATE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THE WEBSITE AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS SO THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE AWARE OF THINGS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON. ALL RIGHT. SO IN GENERAL, THE STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNS WITH A LOT OF OUR OTHER GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SO WE PULLED OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES FROM SOME OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE. SO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN WAS DEVELOPED WITH SOMERSET COUNTY. AND WE PULL SOME OF THE GOALS FROM THAT. WE PULL GOALS FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE STANDARDS FOR NEW JERSEY, FROM THE FOUNDATIONAL CAPABILITIES WE PULL FROM OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND OUR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN ON THINGS THAT WE WANT TO WORK ON IMPROVING AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AS I SAID, WE FULFILLED THE STATE REQUIREMENTS. WE PULL THINGS FROM THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND THEN THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS THAT COME UP THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THROUGHOUT THE TIME PERIOD. SO WE HAVE ALSO OTHER EMERGING PRIORITIES. ALL RIGHT. SO AS I SAID BEFORE, THIS PLAN IS GOING TO LOOK PRETTY SIMILAR TO THE NEXT PLAN. SO SOME OF THE UPDATES WILL BE MADE TO THE STRATEGIES. BUT THE PRIORITIES ARE GOING TO REMAIN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. THOSE PRIORITIES ARE ARE BROAD. AND THEN WE JUST HAD AN UPDATE OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. AND THE PRIORITIES ARE VERY SIMILAR GOING FORWARD. SO WE AIM TO HAVE SOME STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK SESSIONS AS WE WORK ON THE 2025 TO 2030 PLAN WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT WE CAN FIND OUT IF THERE'S OTHER EMERGING PRIORITIES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON AND INCLUDE UNDER THE CURRENT PRIORITIES. AND THEN WE ALSO AIM TO. HAVE A PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN SUBCOMMITTEE WITHIN THE BOARD OF HEALTH, WHICH WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST WITH THE, YOU KNOW, COVID PANDEMIC. IT WAS PUT TO THE SIDE, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE INVOLVEMENT REGULARLY WITH SOME OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FROM THE BOARD OF HEALTH, AND THAT IS MY PRESENTATION. DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? YES. SO FOR THE NEXT PLAN FOR 25 TO 30 WOULD BE EXPECTED CHANGES THAT WE'RE GETTING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE POTENTIAL TRICKLE DOWN THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET AT THE STATE LEVEL, DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THE NEXT THIS UPCOMING ELECTION, WHAT DO WE WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COMMUNITY TO SAFEGUARD OUR PRIORITIES SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE? AND SHOULD THAT BE INCLUDED WITHIN WHAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS SO THAT WE DON'T WE'RE NOT SUCCUMBING TO THE WHIMS OF WHAT PROBABLY WILL NOT BE GOOD IDEAS. YEAH. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE INCLUDE THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US AND THE PRIORITIES IN THE PLAN, BECAUSE WE CAN THEN USE THE PLAN TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE BEING INCLUDED IN FUNDING, AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY ARE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON. SO, YEAH, SO I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY IS TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM OTHER STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT THOSE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE GET DONE ARE DEFINITELY IN THE[00:25:04]
STRATEGIC PLAN. IT WOULD BE HIGHLIGHTING THEM SPECIFICALLY, LIKE, I MEAN, WE CAN IDEALLY EVERYTHING IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN ARE THINGS THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET. WE DO THINGS OUTSIDE OF THAT AS WELL. SO. BUT YEAH, WE CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS SPECIFICALLY. YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED IS THAT WE ARE AN EVIDENCE BASED BOARD. SO IS THERE A WAY IN THE NEXT. BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THEM ARE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. SO IN THE NEXT ITERATION I APPRECIATE HOW IT'S IT READS THROUGHOUT EACH OBJECTIVE. AND THERE'S A VERY CLEAR STATEMENT ABOUT THE EVIDENCE BASE. I'M WONDERING IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO PULL TO THE TOP JUST TO ELEVATE THAT WE ALL OF OUR DECISION MAKING, ALL OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, ETC. WILL BE BASED ON DATA AND EVIDENCE FROM OUR TOWNSHIP. SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY FROM OUR TOWNSHIP, BUT ACTUALLY THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE. SO PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE GOING TO USE SCIENCE AND EVIDENCE TO DICTATE OUR DECISION MAKING.RIGHT. SO YOU'RE SAYING TO PUT THAT LIKE STATEMENT AT THE TOP OF THE PLAN? YEAH. YEAH. LIKE TO JEREMY'S POINT, THIS IS REALLY WHAT TRIGGERED IT FOR ME IS IN ADDITION, LIKE SOME OF THE BAD IDEAS AS HE'S DESCRIBED, THAT MIGHT NOT OR NOT GREAT IDEAS. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A METRIC AND A DECISION MAKING TOOL FOR US TO SAY WE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE EVIDENCE, THIS IS THE SCIENCE. WE ARE USING THESE ELEMENTS TO, TO AS INPUT FOR OUR DECISION MAKING.
SO IT'S VERY CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT HOW WE'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE KIND OF UNWAVERING IN THAT AS WELL. AND I THINK IT CAN BE IN THE MISSION, THE MISSION VISION AND VALUE STATEMENTS, THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING INCLUDED IN THERE ABOUT EVIDENCE BASED EVEN. YEAH. YEAH. LIKE BEING PART OF HAVING OUR ACCREDITATION IS THE REASON WE HAVE THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE EVIDENCE BASED. SO THAT'S A COMPONENT OF IT. SO WE CAN EVEN PUT THAT AS A HEADLINE. YEAH. WE COULD ADD LIKE AN ADDITIONAL SORT OF STATEMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PLAN THAT EXPLAINS LIKE THE EVIDENCE AND ALL THAT. AND THAT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF YOUR JOB. SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND APPRECIATE YOU FOR BRINGING ALWAYS, ALWAYS, NOT ONLY THE EVIDENCE FROM OUR TOWNSHIP, BUT ALSO THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE IN LARGELY PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS, ETC. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M ALSO WONDERING, YOU TALK ABOUT KEEPING STAFF UP TO DATE ON REQUIRED TRAININGS AND STUFF, HOW MUCH OR WHERE ARE THOSE TRAININGS COME FROM? AND IF, SAY, FEMA GOES AWAY, HOW THAT WILL AFFECT TRAINING IF THAT'S USED AT ALL OR IF THERE'S A BACKUP PLAN. YEAH, WE DO USE FEMA TRAININGS. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS. SO IF THAT ENTIRELY GOES AWAY, WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH A NEW SYSTEM AND I'M SURE. YOU KNOW, THE WE USE THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAININGS AS WELL. SO I'M SURE THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES WILL BE WORKING ON THAT. IF THOSE FEMA TRAININGS ARE GOING TO GO AWAY AND WE'LL FOLLOW THEIR LEAD, BECAUSE WE LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S ALIGNED WITH WHAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS DOING AND WHO'S IN CHARGE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, LIKE, WHAT IS IT? FEDERAL. IS IT LOCAL? THE THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IT.
SO YEAH, THE FEDERAL LEVEL. BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THEN COUNTY, AND THEN WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM. SO IT'S NOT ALL YOU KNOW THERE MIGHT BE HOPE. EACH STATE HAS THEIR OWN LIKE METRICS. YEAH. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU FOR SHARING I'M KIND OF REVIEWING IT MYSELF. I WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO REVIEW IT. BUT UNDER THE MISSION WE TALK ABOUT TOGETHER, WE THIRD FROM THE TOP PROTECT FOOD, WATER AND AIR. SO WE TALK ABOUT WATER, AIR, ENVIRONMENT. I JUST DON'T MAYBE YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT MAYBE I'M MISSING IT. BUT HOW DOES THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OR PRIORITIES ALIGN WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. RIGHT. BOTH IN TERMS OF WATER AND AIR. YEAH. SO MOST OF THE OBJECTIVES THAT ARE RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FALL UNDER THE PRIORITY ONE THAT HAS THE STATE MANDATES. THOSE ARE ALL MOST OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES ARE THROUGH STATE MANDATES THAT WE FOLLOW. SO IT MIGHT NOT SAY SPECIFICALLY, BUT I MEAN, I SEE I SEE RADON WITH NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. I SEE RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS UNDER GOAL 1.1. YEAH, ISN'T CLEAR ENOUGH. SO SOMETHING TO JUST THINK. YEAH. SO WE CAN ADD IN MORE SPECIFICITY ABOUT THAT.
[00:30:06]
YEAH OKAY. I. I HAVE JUST A FOLLOW UP WITH. CHRISTINE'S COMMENT. ARE YOU DONE. YEAH OKAY. OKAY THEN. SO REGARDING LIKE COMMENT MADE THAT FEMA GOES AWAY. IS THERE A BACKUP PLAN. SO MY QUESTION IS SHOULD WE HAVE THAT IN THE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS A PLAN B IN ANY CASE OKAY. LIKE A WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. LIKE WHAT WOULD WHAT HAPPENS LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT CASE.SO HAVE SOME PROVISION THERE ALREADY. PRE BUILT IN THERE. YEAH I MEAN WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT STRATEGIC PLAN. SO STRATEGY SHOULD BE THERE RIGHT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE SUBSTITUTION WOULD BE FOR FEMA AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THAT'S SORT OF THE END ALL BE ALL THAT THAT IS WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW. SO BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY PUT IN SOMETHING ABOUT SORT OF PLANNING FOR THAT CONTINGENCY. BUT YEAH, HAVE TO I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD SUBSTITUTE AT THE MOMENT. THANK ANYBODY ELSE. THANK YOU. VICE JOE. DID YOU YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T ASK A QUESTION. DO YOU HAVE. NO, I HAVE A COMMENT TO ADD, BUT IT'LL BE AT THE JUST TO GO ALONG WITH. I THINK IT WAS YOUR POINT THREE WITH THE SENIORS. I WAS ASKED TO PASS ALONG A MESSAGE, BUT I'LL DO THAT IN THE NEW, NEW, NEW, NEW MATTERS. THAT ALMOST ANYTHING. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED FOR US TO TAKE AN ACTION ON OR ANYTHING? NO. JUST WANTED TO PRESENT THIS AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP MORE ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE AND THEN STAKEHOLDER, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE NEXT VERSION. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. YEAH. REMIND ME, HAVE I BELIEVE YOU HAVE OR ARE PLANNING TO PRESENT THIS TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. OKAY. YOU HAVE WE'RE PLANNING TO. YES. YEAH.
WHEN DO YOU KNOW WHEN I BELIEVE. THIS MONTH. I'M NOT SURE I DON'T I THINK IT'S THIS MONTH. THEN I HAVE AN ACTION ITEM FOR YOU. OKAY. WOULD YOU FOLLOW UP WITH THE BOARD OF HEALTH AND LET US KNOW WHEN SO SOME OF US CAN ATTEND? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST ATTEND. ANYWAY, I HAVE A QUESTION REAL QUICK. SO LIKE IF THE CDC CHANGES ITS GUIDELINES OR THEY ALREADY DID FOR LIKE COVID VACCINATIONS AND THEY'RE BEING SUED PARTLY BY SIX MEDICAL ASSOCIATES WHO HAD LIKE BANDED TOGETHER. RIGHT. SO ARE WE AS A LOCAL HEALTH BOARD IN OUR COMMUNITY, ARE WE BOUND TO WHAT THE CDC GUIDELINE CHANGES ARE? ARE WE ENTITLED TO OFFER OUR OWN SORT OF THINGS WITHIN THE TOWN? RIGHT. LIKE THEY'RE SAYING THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO GIVE THE COVID SHOT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THEY MAY SAY DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S LIKE NECESSARY FOR ANYTHING. OKAY. ALONG WITH THAT, AUTISM IS CAUSED BY A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT ALL OF THIS STUFF IS INCREDIBLY RIDICULOUS. AND SCIENTISTS AND STUDY MEDICINE FOR A LIVING. I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE AS TO HOW WE, AS A LOCAL LEVEL COME BACK TO THIS, WHICH IS GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN FEDERALLY, ESPECIALLY TO THE VALLEY WINDS AT THE STATE LEVEL. RIGHT. IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE BECAUSE HE'S PART OF THE HE'S HE'S PART OF THE HIERARCHY THERE. I MEAN I DON'T. I'M IN CONCERN AS TO HOW WE CAN DO SOMETHING. SO I DON'T KNOW. YEAH. THE STRATEGIC PLAN RIGHT LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHERE LIKE I FEEL LIKE YOU CAN BE PROACTIVE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FELT THAT WE DIDN'T DO ENOUGH OF IN 2020 WAS TO BE PROACTIVE. WE ENDED UP BEING MORE REACTIVE TO EVERYTHING. I'M IN FAVOR OF PUTTING THINGS OUT THERE BEFORE THEY BECOME ISSUES, AND TO BE A LEADER AS OPPOSED TO A FOLLOWER.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY IS INCREDIBLY BRIGHT. IT'S INCREDIBLY WELL EDUCATED AND IT'S WEALTHY. SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT OURSELVES IN FRONT OF THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY MANIFEST THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE GOOD. AND I THINK THAT STRATEGICALLY, THAT SHOULD BE IN THE PLAN SO WE CAN FALL BACK ON THAT AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE DID BEFORE, WHICH WAS
[00:35:01]
JUST SUBJECT OURSELVES TO THE POLITICAL WHIMS OF WHOMEVER WAS. IT WAS POLITICAL EXPEDIENCE. IT WASN'T THE BEST MEDICINE, RIGHT? THE BEST PUBLIC HEALTH. YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S HARD FOR LIKE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE. RECOMMENDATIONS WITHOUT THE BACKING OF LIKE THE HIGHER LEVELS OF LIKE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT ALSO SUPPORT IT, WHETHER THAT'S THE STATE OR FEDERAL. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, AS ALWAYS UP TO THE HEALTH OFFICER.BUT YEAH, IT IS IT'S HARD FOR US, THOUGH IF WE DON'T IF EVERYBODY ELSE SAYS, NO, WE SHOULDN'T DO THIS. IT'S HARD AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. BUT WE CAN ALWAYS EDUCATE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE THAT STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. AND THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THAT IS BECOMING LESS AND LESS AND LESS AND LESS. AT THIS POINT. THERE ARE FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE A STAND. PEOPLE JUST SORT OF LIKE FALLING IN LINE, YOU KNOW? AND I THINK THAT IT BEHOOVES US TO NOT DO THAT. AND SO HAVING IT WRITTEN DOWN AND CODIFIED IN A STRATEGIC PLAN IS HELPFUL. YEAH. BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION, LIKE WE ARE EVIDENCE BASED. KNOWLEDGE IS GUIDING OUR ABILITY TO RUN CONTRARY TO WHAT THE WHIMS AND THE FEELINGS OF THOSE THAT HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF OTHER.
ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND STUFF. YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE A POINT STRONGLY ABOUT IT. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I'M NOT POLITICALLY SAVVY ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE HOW THIS WORKS. I JUST KNOW THAT IT SHOULD. WELL, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'RE MAKING AND SAYING, LIKE STARTING OFF WITH WE ARE AN EVIDENCE BASED BOARD, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE ARE AN AUTONOMOUS BOARD AS WELL. SO WE CAN NAME THAT AS WELL. VERY CLEARLY. SO WE ARE NOT BEING SWAYED BY ANY GOVERNMENT ENTITY.
PERHAPS. BUT THE END ALL BE ALL OF IT IS WE ARE WE SERVE FOR THE NJ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. SO IF THEY SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE GOING TO PREEMPT OUR ABILITY TO MAKE LAW AN ORDINANCE. YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY. SOMETHING, BUT IN THE END, WE WILL LOSE OUR ABILITY TO MAKE LAW AND ORDINANCE. SO I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT. YEAH. BECAUSE THAT'S OUR, OUR HOW WE ARE ABLE AND HOW WE'RE EMPOWERED TO DO THOSE THINGS ARE BY THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. RIGHT. SO VOTE PEOPLE. YEAH. YES. ANYBODY ELSE? LAST QUESTION. SO I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMING.
SO THIS IS A PLAN FOR 2020 TO 2025. SO IS THERE AN SO THERE'S AN UPDATE COMING. YES. WE'RE SO THIS IS JUST WE WANTED TO SET THIS AS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT WASN'T EVER MADE OFFICIAL DURING LIKE THE COVID PERIOD. BUT YES. SO WE'RE BUILDING OFF OF THIS VERSION TO MAKE THE NEXT VERSION. SO WE'LL BE ASKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND STUFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE, LIKE, NEW PRIORITIES INCLUDED IN THE NEXT VERSION. SO THAT WOULD BE FROM 26 THROUGH 2030. YEAH, 25 TO 2030. YEAH. THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND YOU'LL LET US KNOW WHEN YOU'RE PRESENTING TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. YES I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY WRITE THAT DOWN OKAY. THE HEALTH OFFICER
[VIII. HEALTH OFFICER COMMENTS ]
COMMENTS ARE THE NEXT ITEM AND SHE IS NOT HERE. SO WHAT SHE DID WAS SHE SENT US A MEMO. SO THERE'S A MEMO IN YOUR PACKET. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ THAT COPIES IF ANYBODY WANTS THAT I'M NOT GOING TO READ THEM. OKAY. THERE'S A READER. I TRIED TO TALK HER INTO DOING THAT AND SHE WAS NOT GOING FOR IT I DID. NO, I'M FINE, THANK YOU. I THINK I THINK I'M OKAY. I KNOW I DID REALLY TRY TO GET HER TO RECORD THEM, BUT SHE WAS NOT INTERESTED. OKAY, SO I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS A MINUTE TO LOOK THOSE OVER. SHE SENT IT SEPARATE FROM WHAT JENNIFER SENT? YEAH, THE ONE I SENT. LOOK AT. ACTUALLY, JUST TAKE THE COPY FROM. I PROBABLY WHEN I PAD, I WANT TO[00:40:01]
TRY IT OUT. I'LL FIND IT MYSELF. IF YOU LOOK AT THE EMAIL I SENT, IT SHOULD BE ATTACHED. FOUND IT.SO I'LL JUST OFFER SOME HIGHLIGHTS WHILE YOU GUYS ARE REVIEWING. SO THE FIRST IS THERE'S TWO THERE'S SOME UPDATES FROM THE HEALTHIER SOMERSET. THERE. WE ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE WITH HEALTHIER SOMERSET. AS PER THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS. WHAT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED TWO AWARDS. ONE IS FOR 2025, A HEALTHIER WORKPLACE RECOGNITION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS, AND THIS WAS ALL POSSIBLE FOR BY MADE POSSIBLE BY TWO OF OUR NURSES, PAST AND PRESENT. ONE IS KATIE WILLIAMS, THE OTHER IS JOCELYN BROWN AND THE THIRD IS BRIANNA LONG. WE ALSO RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR PREMIER SUSTAINABILITY IN 2025 FOR OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS ON ENSURING THAT HEALTH FOCUSED WORKSITE WELLNESS PROGRAMS. WE HAVE SOME OTHER STAFFING, SO SIGRID SOLIS, OUR HEALTH EDUCATOR, IS CO-CHAIRING OUR CHRONIC DISEASE WORKFORCE AND FOR HEALTHIER SOMERSET, EMILY SCHREINER IS ON THE FOOD INSECURITY AND HEALTHY EATING WORKFORCE. SORRY TASK FORCE. AND ANITA PRASAD IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE, SITS ON THE ACCESS TO CARE WORKGROUP. WE HAVE A COUPLE UPDATES FROM PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. OUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES ARE WORKING ON, AN UPDATE OF PROVIDER LISTS IN TOWN FOR DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN REGARDING A COUPLE OF TOPICS COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORTING, SAFE PRESCRIBING PRACTICES, PEDIATRIC VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS, BIRD FLU, OCCUPATIONAL RELATED PRECAUTIONS AND INFECTION CONTROL PRACTICES. AND WE DID AS PER OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, SOME HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMING FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AT THE HEALTH AT THE SUMMER WRECKIN CRU EDUCATION, SUMMER EDUCATION PROGRAMING. WE HAD A WORKSHOP ON SUGARSHOCK, SHOCKER ACTIVITIES, DIGITAL WELLNESS AND VECTOR BORNE DISEASE, TICKS AND MOSQUITOES AND. I'LL GO TO THE NEXT. THE OTHER ONE THAT WE ALWAYS ARE GETTING GOOD ATTENDANCE AT IS THE POP UP CLINIC, WHICH WAS HELD AT THE MONTGOMERY CROSSINGS FOR RESIDENTS WHOSE PETS WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH RABIES VACCINATION AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS. AND SPECIAL THANKS TO DOCTOR CHRIS NEWMAN AND LISA VAINIO FOR HELP ORGANIZING AND GATHERING THAT CLINIC. THANK YOU, DOCTOR NEWMAN. SO GETTING BACK TO ANOTHER THING THAT'S RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN ARE FAB REACCREDITATION. SO OUR STAFF, INCLUDING EMILY SHRINER, ARE BUSY FINALIZING DOCUMENTATION TO UPLOAD FOR THE SUBMISSION FOR REACCREDITATION. THAT'S DUE ON AUGUST 18TH. EMILY HAS PRESENTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN TONIGHT AS PART OF THAT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE YOU GO. SO ON 17TH IS WHAT IT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. SO NOW WE'RE WE'RE ALL SET. THANKS FOR REMINDING US OF THAT. AND THEN DEVON IS GOING TO PROVIDE COPIES OF OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IN SEPTEMBER. OKAY. NOW HERE'S THE BAD NEWS.
ACTUALLY NOT BAD NEWS IS GOOD NEWS GRANT UPDATES. SO GRANT CLAWBACKS WERE RESCINDED AND MONEY WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN JUNE. AND AS OF NOW, THOUGH, DUE TO THE UNKNOWN NATURE OF THE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS, ALL GRANT FUNDS HAVE BEEN FROM THE ENHANCING AND SUSTAINING PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. GRANTS AND STRENGTHENING GRANTS WILL BE USED TOWARDS SALARY AND GRANT FUNDED STAFF FOR THE REMAINING.
REMAINING TIME AVAILABLE. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSO RECEIVED A 70,000 AGE FRIENDLY GRANT FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THAT PLAN SOON. THAT'S ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOME OF OUR OUR ALIGNMENT WITH SOME OF OUR
[00:45:03]
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVES. I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. THE OTHER THINGS ARE RELATED TO STAFFING AND EMILY'S OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND OTHER SHARED AGREEMENTS. OH, WAIT, ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONE LAST THING. I'LL ADD. THE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENTS ARE UP FOR RENEWAL AFTER THIS YEAR WITH THE BRANCHBURG EDUCATION, HEALTH EDUCATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING AND THE ROCKY HILL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES. SO WE ARE GOING TO UPDATE. SHE'S GOING TO UPDATE THE BOARD ON NEXT STEPS FOR THOSE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENTS. OKAY. SO NEXT ITEM IS NEW BUSINESS I BELIEVE. IS THAT SORRY I HAVE TO SWITCH BACK TO MY NEXT. THANK YOU. OOPS. OKAY. SO TYPICALLY WHAT I DO IS[IX. NEW BUSINESS ]
LET'S SEE IF THERE'S ANY NEW BUSINESS FROM THE BOARD IN GENERAL. GO AHEAD. AND THEN I GO TO EMS. DO YOU WANT TO GO EMS FIRST. GO AHEAD. WELL ACTUALLY SO I HAVE ONE FOR EMS AND ONE THAT'S NOT FOR EMS. PERFECT. THEN YOU CAN GO AND SO SEGUE US RIGHT IN. WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT ME TO GO WITH? DO EMS FIRST AND THEN SEGUE US TO THE REST OF IT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, SO EMS IS JUST A ROUTINE PITCH FOR MEMBERS. WE ARE WE'RE IN NEED OF MEMBERS. SO IF THERE'S ANYONE OUT IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'S NOT SITTING AT A TABLE, WE ARE. WE COULD DEFINITELY USE SOME SOME SUPPORT THERE. AND FOR THE NON EMS RELATED THINGS. SO I AM I GUESS IT'S PARTLY THROUGH EMS. I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH LOU VACCARO FROM THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT. HE IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE SENIORS CENTERS OR SENIOR. YEAH, THE SENIOR CENTER. AND THEY HAVE A PROGRAM GOING ON IN AUGUST THAT I BELIEVE THE MAYOR HAD SUPPORTED, WHERE THEY'RE HELPING 100 SENIOR CITIZENS WITH A DISPOSAL OF BULK GARBAGE. HE HAD REACHED OUT TO SOME EMS THAT HE'S REACHED OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE EMS, FIRE POLICE, THE BOY SCOUTS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OUT WITH, YOU KNOW, HELPING THESE SOME OF THESE SENIORS ARE PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO CARRY SOME OF THESE HEAVIER, BULKIER ITEMS FROM THEIR HOUSES TO THEIR CURB. SO HE'S JUST LOOKING FOR SOME VOLUNTEERS ON. IT'S EVERY SUNDAY IN AUGUST, SO IT'S TAKING PLACE EVERY WEEK TO JUST HAVE SOME VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE TO HELP OU. WHEN A SENIOR IS INCAPABLE OF BEING ABLE TO CARRY THEIR STUFF OUT TO THE CURB THEMSELVES. SO YEAH. SO HE'S LOOKING FOR ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED TO OFFER SUPPORT. AND I THINK HE HAS A HE'S FORMING A LIST AT THE PARKS AND REC. BUT IF YOU WANT I CAN PUT YOU IN CONTACT. THANKS. THANK YOU JOE. OKAY. GO AHEAD. YEAH. SO JUST GOING BACK TO THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER ON THE ODOR ISSUES, I THAT KIND OF INTRIGUED MY ATTENTION. AND SO WE DO HAVE A SEWER DIVISION. WE HAVE SEWER DIVISION. YEAH. YEAH. AND THIS WOULD FALL. WE SHOULD IF IT HAS NOT BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THEN IT SHOULD TO THE DIRECTOR OF WASTEWATER OPERATION AND THE CHIEF SEWER PLANT OFFICER. THAT'S CHRIS RIGHT. CHRIS. THAT IS CHRIS.CHRIS IS SO HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE. YES. HE'S AWARE HE'S RUNNING THE WHOLE THING. THE WHOLE THING. YEAH. HE'S. YEAH. SO HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE COMPLAINT. THE ODOR COMPLAINT.
YES. HE'S BEEN WORKING NONSTOP TALKING TO THE ROCKY HILL MAYOR AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE THEIR BOROUGH COUNCIL. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. NJDEP IS COMING OUT TO DO WHAT IS IT? AN UNOFFICIAL LIKE SITE VISIT. AND THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW THEM EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AND HOW THE SYSTEM IS GOING TO OPERATE. APPARENTLY, IT'S PRETTY HIGH TECH. I DON'T YEAH. FOR THE THING THAT I HAD HOPED WE'D BE ABLE TO DO IS GIVE THEM A THIS WILL END ON THIS DATE. OH YOU CAN YES I UNDERSTAND THAT NOW. NO THANK YOU. NO, NO, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN SPEAK TO.
BUT YEAH. NO, IT'S THE RIGHT END OF IT. LIKE IF CHRIS IS ON TOP OF IT, THEN HE'S THE RIGHT PERSON. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO KNOW. YES, IS, LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. YEAH. IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S FALLING OFF. YEAH. AND WE DO UNDER THE STATE ORDINANCE, THERE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE ORDINANCE THAT'S FROM 1953. AND SO WE YES, THAT'S HOW
[00:50:06]
OLD SOME OF THESE ORDINANCES ARE. SO THAT UNDER THAT THERE IS A NUISANCE, AN ODOR NUISANCE, BUT THERE'S NOT THERE'S AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. AND THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. I'M NOT CLEAR ON OUR JURISDICTION AS WELL AS WHAT WE THERE'S NOTHING ACTIONABLE FOR US, BUT WE UNTIL THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT MADE BY THE COUNTY, THAT'S WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE. SO I HAVE TO FIGURE ALL THAT OUT. BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP. I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE POINTED UP AT TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE LAST TIME, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT. YEAH, I DON'T IT'S A VERY IT'S A VERY LOOSELY WRITTEN ORDINANCE, BUT THERE COULD BE A FINE, FINE ASSESSED. BUT FOR THAT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WE MANAGEMENT AND MANAGE IT AND IT ALSO SERVES ROCKY HILL. YEAH. SO WE WOULD BE EVERYBODY WOULD BE ASSESSED THAT FINDING THEMSELVES. YEAH. SO WE'RE FINDING EVERY LIKE WE WOULD BE FINE. THEY WOULD BE FINE. AND BUT THE SMELL MAY NOT GO AWAY.SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE THING THAT'S HARD IS WE AND THERE'S NO IMMEDIATE RESOLUTION. IT TAKES TIME I KNOW. BUT AS FAR AS CHRIS IS AWARE OF IT, I'M SURE HE'S PAYING LIKE HE KNOWS WHERE TO PAY ATTENTION. YES YES YES YES. YEAH. SO I LEARNED A TINY BIT ABOUT WASTEWATER THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE. BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIKE EXACT SCIENCE AND KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT AFTER SOMETHING IS AN INTERVENTION IS PUT IN PLACE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THERE IS NO DEFINED TIMELINE FOR AN OUTCOME TO BE ASSESSED. SO WHICH IS DISAPPOINTING FOR THE RESIDENTS. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS? JEREMY'S LIKE, ARE YOU SURE? I KNOW I CAN TELL YOU'RE DOING THE NODDING THING WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO. YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE. OKAY. HAVING NO FURTHER BUSINESS. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? OKAY, DOCTOR SHARMA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN A SECOND AS WELL. AND MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.