[ I. OPENING STATEMENT]
[00:00:02]
READY. OH WE'RE READY. YES. WE'RE ON NOW AND YOU CAN GO. OKAY. GO AHEAD. JEREMY DID IT.
OKAY, OKAY. THIS IS A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH ON SEPTEMBER 9TH. WE ADEQUATE PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING AS REQUIRED BY SECTIONS THREE AND FOUR A OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETING ACT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO 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 WE ARE EMPOWERED TO ENACT LOCAL HEALTH ORDINANCES FOR THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE AND TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE TOWNSHIP AND ITS RESIDENTS. JEN USUALLY DOES ROLL CALL, SO I GUESS I'LL DO THAT, BUT THEN WE'LL DO THE
[ II. BOARD MEMBERS]
PLEDGE AFTER THAT. SO DOCTOR GRAYSON HERE. DOCTOR MCGARRY HERE. DOCTOR SHARMA HERE.DOCTOR NEWMAN IS NOT HERE. J SHRUTI IS NOT HERE. DOCTOR SORAYA IS NOT HERE. CHRISTINE.
ZACHARY HERE. THANK YOU DOCTOR JOE HERE. DOCTOR. DIVYA SAREEN HERE. AND DEVANG PATEL. YEAH JENNIFER FOSTER WILL BE ARRIVING SOON. DOUGLAS HERRING HERE. AND ADVISOR BURT MANDELBAUM NOT HERE. OKAY. WE DO PUBLIC COMMENT. JOE OR DOUG, DO YOU WANT TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, PLEASE? I THINK DOUG CAN DO IT. YOU WANT DOUG TO DO IT? IS THAT HIS? OH, FINE. I'LL DO IT. OKAY. 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. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY.
[ IV. CONSENT AGENDA]
NEXT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL MATTERS LISTED HERE UNDER ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE IN NATURE AND WILL BE APPROVED IN ONE MOTION. ANY MEMBER MAY REQUEST THAT AN ITEM BE REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. SO WE HAVE THREE MONTHLY REPORTS FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. MONTHLY REPORT, THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORT AND ANIMAL CONTROL REPORTS, ALL FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST. AND WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF OUR LAST REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON JUNE 10TH.SO DOES ANYBODY WANT TO REMOVE ANYTHING FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE. OKAY. CAN WE HAVE APPROVAL, PLEASE? MOTION. OH. ONE SECOND. I'LL SECOND. OKAY, JOE. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE. SO THE ITEM FIVE IS THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP
[V. Montgomery Township Board of Health Ordinance 2026-01: Health Officer Salary Ordinance for 2026 – Introduction]
BOARD OF HEALTH ORDINANCE FOR 262026-01. AND IT'S ACTUALLY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SALARY ORDINANCE, NOT THE HEALTH OFFICER SALARY ORDINANCE, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE THE HEALTH OFFICER SALARY. AND IT IS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SALARY AND WAGE PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY BOARD OF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND PROVIDES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SALARY ORDINANCE. AND IT IS FOR ALL NONUNION EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES. SO THAT WAS IN THE PACKET. SO EVERYBODY HAS ANYBODY EVERYBODY REVIEWED THE ORDINANCE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? JUST LIKE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS. ONE THING IS IS THIS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWNSHIP. YES. SO YES. SO YES. YEAH. WE USUALLY WAIT UNTIL SO SO THE UNION EMPLOYEES GET GET THEIR SALARY ORDINANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THE OTHER NONUNION EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWNSHIP, THAT SALARY ORDINANCE IS USUALLY PASSED AFTER THE BUDGET IS APPROVED FOR THE YEAR. AND THEN THE BOARD OF HEALTH STAFF, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF, THE NONUNION EMPLOYEES, THEIR SALARY ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED AT THE NEXT BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING AFTER THE TOWNSHIP BUDGET IS PASSED. WE TRY TO STAY CONSISTENT WITH THE ANNUAL COST ADJUSTMENT THAT'S GIVEN TO THE OTHER EMPLOYEES, AND THAT'S MOSTLY THE RATE THAT'S GIVEN, IS THE ONE THAT'S NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE UNION. SO THERE MUST BE A RANGE. IT'S NOT LIKE FIXED FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT. NO. THESE ARE LIKE 75% NEGOTIATED. YEAH. OUT OF THAT RANGE. OKAY. SO SIMILARLY, OUR OUR RATES ARE COMPETITIVE TO NEARBY TOWNSHIPS. I, I WOULDN'T SAY COMPETITIVE. SO YOU WOULD SAY LOWER. MAYBE WE[00:05:13]
AIM, WE HOPE TO, TO GET THERE. WE'RE NOT THERE YET. AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH HOW OUR RANGES ARE CALCULATED AND HOW THEY'RE APPROVED AT THE TOWNSHIP. THE SALARY RANGES FOR THESE POSITIONS. AND SO WHO DETERMINES THAT BOARD OF HEALTH AND TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION. WE DECIDE ON THE RATE RATE OF INCREASE. YES. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ASKED FOR EVERY YEAR, CHRISTINE, IS FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO DO A COMPENSATION ASSESSMENT FOR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION A FEW TIMES THAT THESE WHILE THE RATE IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, IT MAY BE THAT OUR SALARY LEVELS ARE LOWER AND IN A RECENT. IN THE RECENT. MAYBE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE HAD A REASON TO ADJUST THE SALARY FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND I DID MY OWN ASSESSMENT LOOKING AT OTHER PUBLIC RECORDS IN THE AREA, AND IT WAS NOTABLE. NOTICEABLY LOWER THAN THE OTHER TOWNSHIPS.AND I DID MAKE A CASE AT THAT TIME THAT HER SHOULD BE HIGHER. YES. THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT RANGE IS LOWER THAN OTHER TOWNSHIPS OR THE SALARY IS BOTH. SO THE WAY THE RANGE IS THE THE WAY IT'S CALCULATED IS THE MINIMUM GOES UP BY 2% AND THE MAXIMUM GOES UP BY 4%. BUT THESE ARE FOR THE UNION SALARIES. AND SO SOME OF THE NONUNION POSITIONS HAVE FOLLOWED THAT SAME FORMULA, IF YOU WILL. BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD OURS ADJUSTED IN THE PAST, AT LEAST PAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS. SO FOR THIS ORDINANCE, I PROPOSED JUST FOLLOWING THE UNION FORMULA FOR THE FOR THE NURSES. SO ONLY THAT SALARY RANGE HAS CHANGED COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. AND THEN I THINK CARRIE ANN WAS SAYING TO DO A SALARY. WHAT DID YOU SAY? SALARY ASSESSMENT, SALARY COMPENSATION ASSESSMENT. BUT THAT WOULD BE FOR ADMINISTRATION TO DO THAT. THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION AND I CAN REQUEST THAT THEY DO IT, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WILL. AND ARE THE OTHER JOBS THAT YOU'RE BEING COMPARED TO IN THE TOWNSHIP HIGHLY CREDENTIALED, LIKE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH? YES. SO FOR FOR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BSN AND AN RN. NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE JOBS IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE HIGHLY CREDENTIALED. MY QUESTION IS, IF THE JOBS YOU'RE BEING COMPARED TO ARE ALSO HIGHLY CREDENTIALED. WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WELL, YOU ARE BEING COMPARED WITH OTHER DIRECTORS. SO BUT TO YOUR POINT, CHRISTINE, IT MAY NOT BE THAT THEY'RE AS CREDENTIALED. THEY MAY NOT REQUIRE A MASTER'S. FOR EXAMPLE, I, I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD. ARE YOU ASKING BECAUSE THE BOARD OF HEALTH, I MEAN, DIDN'T THE HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH JUST GET RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE FOR SOME NEW CREDENTIALS? SO IT'S ONE OF, WHAT, TWO, THREE TOWNS IN THE STATE THAT ARE CREDENTIALED. OH, YOU MEAN NO. WE'RE ACCREDITED.
ACCREDITED. ACCREDITED. SORRY. YEAH, NO, BUT IT'S ALL THE SAME. IT ALL FEEDS INTO THE SAME THING. THESE ARE HIGHLY CREDENTIALED FOLKS WHO HAVE ARE PLAYING LIKE A, AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE ROLE AND ARE DELIVERING LIKE ACCOLADES TO THE TOWNSHIP ABOVE AND BEYOND OTHER PARTS.
AND I JUST, I GUESS MY LIKE, SO IF THOSE ARE SORT OF THE FACTS ON THE TABLE, THE QUESTION IS.
LIKE, WHAT OTHER THINGS CAN WE DO TO ADVOCATE FOR OTHER SORT OF SALARY REVIEWS AND LIKE, WHAT BECOME THE MECHANISMS TO LIKE BETTER SUPPORT THIS, THIS TEAM? I THINK, I THINK KAREN'S POINT OF THE SALARY ASSESSMENT AND WE ALSO, AS PART OF OUR ACCREDITATION EFFORTS, WE, WE HAVE A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT OUTLINES IN DETAIL WHAT IS NEEDED TO STRENGTHEN THE WORKFORCE, AND THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE A, YOU KNOW, TIERED POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, CAREER LADDERS AND MORE SPECIFICS ON HOW WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT THE WORKFORCE, NOT JUST NOT JUST SALARY IT, IT ALSO INCLUDES TRAININGS AND OTHER ELEMENTS TO IT TOO. BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CAN REVISIT THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT CAN EVEN BE OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE PROJECT FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND THEN THAT CAN FEED INTO WHAT KAREN WAS SAYING WITH THE SALARY ASSESSMENTS CAN BE A
[00:10:03]
PIECE OF THAT AND THEN MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION. SO ANOTHER QUESTION IS SALARY ASSESSMENT BY THE BOARD OF HEALTH IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION TO THE ADMINISTRATION. AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO SET THE THE WHATEVER THEY PICK THE POINT WHERE THEY WHERE THEY WANT TO GIVE THEIR SAY. IT HAS TO BE FOR, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN BOARD OF HEALTH AND ADMINISTRATION. OH, OKAY.YEAH. SO IT WOULD BE BOTH. IT WOULD BE BOTH PARTIES. I WOULD SAY, I DON'T KNOW. NO THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH, YEAH. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF YOUR I FORGET WHAT IT WAS CALLED SIX TO MAX, SIX YEARS TO MAX, FIVE YEARS TO FIVE YEARS MAX SALARY.
DO YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE WHAT THAT IS? BECAUSE I WILL BUTCHER IT. SO THERE'S A STATE STATUTE FOR FOR HEALTH OFFICERS AND FOR REGISTERED ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS OR HEALTH INSPECTORS THAT STATES THAT IF THERE'S A SALARY RANGE WITH AFTER FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE, THE REGISTERED ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS AND HEALTH OFFICERS AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THE MAXIMUM OF THE SALARY RANGE. YES. SO THERE ARE SOME GUARDRAILS FOR THAT. YES, TOTALLY. YEAH. AND SO FOR SO FOR JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, SHE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN THE MAX AT. YOU WERE ALREADY AT FIVE YEARS WHEN WE KNOW YOU WERE. NOW YOU'RE AT FIVE YEARS. SO WE, WE RECOGNIZE SHE WAS APPROACHING FIVE YEARS AND SHE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE MAX. AND SO WE HAD TO WORK WITH THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE ANY ONE YEAR OF ADJUSTMENT TO GET HER TO THE MAX MAX WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE HIT TO THEIR BUDGET. AND SO WE WORKED OUT A PLAN. IT WAS OVER TWO YEARS, TWO YEARS TO HELP GET HER TO THE MAX. BUT IT'S BEEN. AND THAT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT PROBABLY TOOK ABOUT TWO YEARS TO. BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, HOLDING THE WHOLE THE BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP. CONSIDERING WHAT THIS WOULD DO TO OTHER DEPARTMENT SALARIES AS WELL AS HOW BIG OF A HIT IT WOULD BE. SO BUT IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. AND I ASSUME THIS IS THIS ORDINANCE IS ABOUT BASE SALARY. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING. BASE PLUS BOTH THE MIN AND THE IT'S THE RANGE. NO NO NO NO THE BENEFITS. YES YES YES. IT'S NOT TOTAL COMPENSATION. IT'S SALARY. YES. YES. THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEN YES. YES THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. BUT THIS IS A SMART MOVE TO DOING THIS ADJUSTING OTHERWISE AT THE FIFTH YEAR. AND IF IT IS THERE IS A BIG JUMP THEN THEY WILL SAY THEIR BUDGET IS BLOWN OUT OF WHATEVER THEY HAVE. SO IT'S A GOOD THING. YEAH. BUT THERE'S NO OTHER ADJUSTMENT BEYOND THE FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS KIND OF SO THEY ADJUST YOU AT THE FIVE YEARS, AND THEN YOU CAN BE IN A HEALTH OFFICER FOR 25 YEARS AND YOU DON'T GET IT. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU JUST GET YOUR ANNUAL PREMIUMS. THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. WELL, YES, THERE'S THERE'S WAYS WE CAN IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE STAFF AS WELL. OTHERWISE, AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE HEALTH OFFICER WILL START MOVING. YES. THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. KEEP ON DOING THAT. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. NOPE. OKAY.
I'M GOING TO BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF HEALTH THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEREBY PASSED ON ITS FIRST READING, AND THAT THE SAME BE PUBLISHED IN AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER AS REQUIRED BY LAW, TOGETHER WITH THE NOTICE OF THE PENDING ORDINANCE FIXING. OCTOBER 14TH, 2026. THE SECOND READING, I THINK. YEAH, THAT'S THE THING I WAS GOING TO SAY. IF SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT HERE, THE AS REQUIRED BY LAW, WITH A NOTICE OF PENDING ORDINANCE FIXING THE SECOND READING ON OCTOBER 14TH, 2026 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 P.M. AS THE DATE WHEN THE SAID ORDINANCE WILL BE CONSIDERED FURTHER FOR FINAL ADOPTION. OKAY, SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? YEAH. OKAY. AND A SECOND, PLEASE. OKAY. THANKS, JEREMY. OKAY. SO NOW I NEED THE ROLL CALL. YEAH. YOU MADE YOUR ROLL CALL? YES. GO AHEAD. ROLL CALL, DOCTOR. GRAYSON. YES. DOCTOR. MCGARRY. YES. DOCTOR.
SHARMA. YES, DOCTOR. NEWMAN. DOCTOR. JASON. DOCTOR. SORAYA. CHRISTINE. ZACHARIAH. YES.
JOSEPH. YES. DOCTOR. SERENE. YES. I WASN'T CONSISTENT IN THE KNEES. THAT'S OKAY. YOU GOT YOU
[ VI. HEALTH OFFICERS COMMENTS]
[00:15:01]
GOT THROUGH IT. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU THANK YOU EVERYBODY. OKAY. NEXT IS HEALTH OFFICER COMMENTS. SO HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS. SHE'S GOT A LOT HERE. YEAH WE HAVE A LOT OF UPDATES.SORRY GUYS. NO THAT'S GREAT. SO THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE WE HAVE BEEN MEETING OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON IMPROVING WHAT INFORMATION COMES TO THE BOARD AND HOW CONSISTENTLY IT IS REPORTED. SO I KNOW YOU YOU SAW PROBABLY DOZENS OF ATTACHMENTS FOR THIS MEETING, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY STREAMLINE AND MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE TO REVIEW A LOT OF INFORMATION AT ONCE. SO CONTINUE TO SEE SOME CHANGES ON THAT FRONT. AND WE AS A SUBCOMMITTEE HAVE ALSO BEEN REVIEWING HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE BOARD OF HEALTH REPORTING, SO THAT THE BOARD IS RECEIVING MEANINGFUL INFORMATION AND NOT JUST ACTIVITY REPORTS, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE ABLE TO GAUGE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAWS. SO YOU WILL NOTICE SOME CHANGES IN THE REPORTING. AND OUR GOAL IS TO TO BETTER SHOW TRENDS, WORKLOAD OUTCOMES, EMERGING ISSUES AND AREAS THAT MAY REQUIRE BOARD ATTENTION. THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS ALSO REVIEWING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WEBSITE FOR ACCURACY, ACCESSIBILITY ORGANIZATION AND WHETHER RESIDENTS CAN EASILY FIND THE SERVICES AND INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED. BUT WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IS IT'S NOT JUST THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PAGE. THERE IS THE, YOU KNOW, THE SENIOR SERVICES PAGE.
THERE'S WE'VE NOTICED INFORMATION FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION PAGE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THIS IS STREAMLINED AND CONNECTED BECAUSE PARKS AND RECREATION, THEY ALSO ARE THE ONES THAT ARE RUNNING THE FOOD PANTRY. SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD WANT ON THAT WEBSITE AS WELL. SO WE ARE SORT OF INVOLVED IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS CLEAR AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS WHO NEED HELP AND WHO NEED SERVICES. WE ARE ALSO DEVELOPING CLEARER FINANCIAL REPORTING SO THAT THE BOARD CAN BETTER SEE, YOU KNOW, OUR GRANT FUNDING, OUR EXPENDITURES, OUR REVENUE FEES AND TRANSACTIONS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM OUR VARIOUS PERMITS AND LICENSES AND APPLICATIONS. SO THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE WORKS AS WELL.
AND ULTIMATELY, THIS IS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, CONSISTENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, ALL ELEMENTS OF OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR ACCREDITATION AND GIVING THE BOARD BETTER INFORMATION FOR GOVERNANCE AND DECISION MAKING. SO WE WILL WE'LL CONTINUE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THIS WORK IS BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE REFINING THAT SO THAT WHAT YOU ARE RECEIVING IN YOUR PACKETS WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU WHEN IT COMES TO DISCUSSIONS AND, AND HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SO THAT'S THE PMC UPDATE PLAN FOR HEALTH NEW JERSEY. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE PLAN FOR HEALTH COMMITTEE. WE HAVE CHRISTINE ZACHARIAH, OUR BOARD OF HEALTH REPRESENTATIVE, WHO'S ALSO ON THE PLAN FOR HEALTH COMMITTEE. WE ARE MOVING FROM IDENTIFYING ISSUES TO GATHERING DIRECT COMMUNITY LEVEL EVIDENCE. A LOT OF IT HAS BEEN CENTERED AROUND MOBILITY, WALKABILITY.
HOUSING, TRAFFIC SAFETY, ACCESS TO RECREATIONAL AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ACCESS TO CARE. SO YOU WILL YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS AS WE HOST OUR COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS.
CHRISTINE, DO YOU WANT TO DO A PLUG? THANK YOU. WELL, I'LL SAY THAT THIS PAPER THAT YOU ALL HAVE IS PROMOTING A NUMBER OF THE ACTIONS. SO THE QR CODE TAKES YOU TO THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH YOU SHOULD DO, AND YOU SHOULD SEND IT TO WHATEVER NETWORKS THAT YOU HAVE.
THE RESPONSE RATE COULD USE A BOOST. AND THEN IT'S GOT THE TWO DIFFERENT LISTENING SESSIONS. SO IF FOLKS CAN COME TO THOSE AND OR TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS TO COME TO THOSE, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. BUT IT'S, I THINK IT REALLY IS A HUGE PRIVILEGE FOR THIS TOWNSHIP TO BE PART OF THIS PROGRAM. AND IT'S A HUGE ASSET THAT WE GOT THIS GRANT FUNDING BECAUSE OF ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT THE THE TOWNSHIP HAS DONE. SO WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT IN ALL THE WAYS THAT WE CAN REALLY AROUND PROMOTING PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. YEAH. AND WE HAVE WE HAVE SOME STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE HELPING. SO THERE ARE PLAN FOR HEALTH YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL STUDENTS THAT YOU WILL SEE, YOU KNOW, AROUND TOWN AT EVENTS THAT WILL BE PROMOTING NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATION, BUT ALSO COLLECTING INFORMATION AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HEARING VOICES AND CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS FROM VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT WE ARE WELL REPRESENTED IN OUR IN THE DATA THAT WE'RE COLLECTING. SO IF I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT EITHER THE VIRTUAL OR THE IN-PERSON LISTENING SESSION, THE VIRTUAL
[00:20:06]
SESSION IS NEXT WEEK, SEPTEMBER 22ND, AND THEN THE IN-PERSON IS OCTOBER 8TH. AND THEN IN TERMS OF WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, OUR SEPTIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS UNDER REVIEW. SO OUR BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBER J. HE'S OUR WASTEWATER EXPERT. HE IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING THE ORDINANCE, AND WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD TONIGHT. HOWEVER, WE WE WILL BE MEETING WITH JAY AND CARRIE ANN AND I AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING HIS IDEAS ON SEPTIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND OUR ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE. AND ONCE WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION, WE WILL BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD. BUT THE GOAL IS TO REALLY CONSIDER PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTION, COMPLIANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE FEASIBILITY, COST EQUITY AMONG SEPTIC OWNERS, AND THE BOARD'S REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITY. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED AS WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ON THE THE PROGRAM. THE OTHER ONE THE OTHER UPDATE IS REGARDING CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS AND LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT SCHOOL AUDITS. SO THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE IMMUNIZATION DEVELOPMENTS OCCURRING. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.AND NEW JERSEY HAS ALSO AMENDED CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION REGULATIONS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE FOR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. SO NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS. THE NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE EIGHT, CHAPTER 57, SECTION THREE, AND SECTION AND SECTION FOUR, EFFECTIVE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. AND THE REVISED RULES MODERNIZE SCHOOL AND CHILD CARE REQUIREMENTS AND DIRECTLY AFFECT HOW COMPLIANCE IS EVALUATED. SO JUST SO YOU ALL ARE AWARE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING IMMUNIZATION AUDITS AT THE AT CHILD CARE CENTERS AND IN THE SCHOOLS FOR CERTAIN GRADES, DEPENDING ON THE CHILDHOOD VACCINE SCHEDULE. SO, SO THERE ARE SOME CHANGES, SOME OF THE KEY CHANGES, I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL, BUT THE SOME OF THE KEY CHANGES ARE THAT THE TDAP AND MENINGOCOCCAL REQUIREMENTS ARE MOVING TO SEVENTH GRADE ENTRY CHILD CARE.
INFLUENZA DEADLINE IS MOVING TO NOVEMBER 30TH. IT USED TO BE EARLIER IN THE YEAR. NOW IT'S LATER IN THE YEAR. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO AN INFLUENZA VACCINATION REQUIREMENT. THAT'S FOR CHILDREN SIX MONTHS AND OLDER ATTENDING CHILDCARE CENTER. SO THERE'S MORE COMPLIANCE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO REVIEW AND ENFORCE. AND THEN THE NEW JERSEY STATE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO MOVING TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE STAFF AT THE CHILDCARE CENTERS AND THE SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO THE NEW JERSEY IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY SYSTEM, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE ALL OF THIS DATA WILL BE TRACKED. AND THAT IS WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE USING TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE. AND WE ALSO DO IN PERSON IMMUNIZATION AUDIT VISITS WITH THE SCHOOLS AND THE CHILD CARE CENTERS. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE UP TO DATE WITH ALL OF THE GUIDANCE AND INFORMATION, AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE CHILD CARE STAFF AS WELL. SO THE RECENT FEDERAL CHANGES DO NOT OVERRIDE NEW JERSEY REQUIREMENTS. SO ANYTHING RELATING TO LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION OF IMMUNIZATION AUDITS WILL FOLLOW NGO, THE NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE EIGHT, CHAPTER 57, SECTION FOUR. THE OTHER UPDATE IS AROUND CBD, THC AND HEMP DERIVED INGREDIENTS IN FOOD AND BEVERAGES. SO NGO HAD ISSUED NEW GUIDANCE FOR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ON CBD, THC, HEMP DERIVED PRODUCTS BEING SOLD IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS. WE DIDN'T HAVE CLEAR ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY IN THE PAST, AND THE STATE MADE THAT MORE CLEARER AND GAVE THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS MORE AUTHORITY WHEN IT COMES TO. FOODS CONTAINING, YOU KNOW, THESE PRODUCTS, UNAPPROVED CANNABINOIDS. IF IF THEY'RE CONSIDERED ADULTERATED, LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PROHIBIT THE SALE, THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EMBARGO AND CONFISCATE AND RECOMMEND VOLUNTARY DESTRUCTION OF PRODUCTS IN THE RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY BEFORE. THERE ARE ALSO SEPARATE NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR INTOXICATING HEMP BEVERAGES AND EXPLICIT AUTHORITY FOR LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS UNDER THAT NEW HEMP LAW. SO WE YOU KNOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THAT GUIDANCE AND TRYING TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROCEDURES AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR INSPECTORS ARE APPLYING THE GUIDANCE CONSISTENTLY. I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT MAYBE 3 OR 4 ESTABLISHMENTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THESE NEW REGULATIONS WOULD APPLY. SO CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? SO ARE THOSE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH, I DON'T
[00:25:05]
KNOW, THROUGH LIKE THOSE SEPARATE DISPENSARIES OR THROUGH LIKE LIQUOR STORES? IS IT THROUGH LIKE THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL? IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE ALL ESTABLISHMENTS.WE WE DON'T KNOW YET. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PROTECTIONS FOR ESTABLISHMENTS THAT HAVE THE ABC LICENSE WHERE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SERVE ALCOHOL. THERE'S DIFFERENT RULES THAT APPLY, BUT IF THEY ARE A RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, THEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN CAN INTERVENE. SO IT'S MOSTLY FOR FOR DISPENSARIES, IT COULD BE THE CANNABIS COMMISSION. I THINK THEY HAVE VERY STRICT RULES FOR THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS. BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DISPENSARIES ARE NOT CONSIDERED RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS. SO THOSE MIGHT NOT APPLY FOR, FOR OUR OUR GUIDANCE. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD PROBABLY JUST WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION AND ALSO TRAINING FOR THE STAFF AT THESE ESTABLISHMENTS AS WELL, JUST SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE LAWS AND THAT THEY KNOW WHAT WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM. WE WOULDN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST GO IN AND FORCE AND, YOU KNOW, CONFISCATE MATERIALS OR PRODUCTS. WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO, TO BE INFORMED AND THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO DO IT THEMSELVES.
RIGHT. GRANT UPDATES, MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE, YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION. SO WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GRANT APPLICATION. WE'RE AWAITING FINAL APPROVAL FROM THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL OF SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION THAT'S ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE SOMERSET COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. THAT GRANT IS ABOUT $6,800. SO IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT IT DOES HELP US AND COVER OUR COSTS WHEN IT COMES TO DOING ON SITE EDUCATION, TABLING, A TABLING AT EVENTS, JUST DOING, TABLING AND SHARING INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND OTHER COMMUNITY. WE ALSO APPLIED FOR GRANTS THROUGH THE YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION THAT IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE SOMERSET COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THROUGH THEIR OFFICE OF YOUTH SERVICES. SO WE APPLIED FOR THE PROGRAMS THROUGH THE YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION, WERE OUR YOUTH ACTION BOARD, WHICH IS A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE ONE OF OUR UPPER MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS WHO FACILITATES THAT GROUP. WE APPLIED FOR HOPE SQUAD, WHICH IS ANOTHER SUICIDE PREVENTION. PEER LED GROUP THROUGH THE THROUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR. YOUTH IN MOTION IS THE OTHER GRANT THAT IS REALLY FOCUSING ON TRAFFIC SAFETY, BECAUSE WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS ON BIKES, E-SCOOTERS MAINLY, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE TRAVELING THROUGH TOWN. I'VE HEARD MANY INCIDENCES OF, YOU KNOW, KIDS CROSSING 206 WITHOUT HELMETS. AND AND NOW WITH THE PROMENADE OPENING, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY. SO THE YOUTH IN MOTION WILL. FUNDING FOR THIS WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE TRAFFIC SAFETY, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, BICYCLIST SAFETY CAMPAIGN THAT WE CAN WE CAN ROLL OUT COMMUNITY WIDE. AND THIS WILL BE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. SO WE WILL HAVE TWO STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT THAT WILL BE HELPING US WITH THIS PROGRAM. IT WILL BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE GREATER MERCER TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. THEY WILL BE HELPING US. DO YOU KNOW SOME NEIGHBORHOOD BIKE RODEOS IN TOWN WHERE WE CAN EDUCATE, PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, BIKE TUNEUPS AND MORE SAFETY, TARGETED SAFETY EDUCATION TO THE TO THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR ACROSS TOWN OR AROUND TOWN. SO IS THAT LIKE SPECIFIC? SO I, YOU'VE DEFINITELY SAID YOUTH IN MOTION. SO I GET THAT IT'S FOCUSED ON YOUTH, BUT LIKE, IS THERE A BROADER UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER COMMUNITY FOLKS THAT ARE RELYING ON BICYCLES AND LIKE THERE'S THESE TWO YOUNG GUYS THAT ARE COMMUTING TO WHATEVER THEIR JOB IS THAT I SEE EVERY DAY ON THEIR BIKE ON 206. AND SO, AND I'M SURE EVERYONE ELSE SEES THEIR FOLKS. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS BECAUSE NONE OF THOSE GUYS ARE WEARING HELMETS EITHER. AND SO LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THAT BIKE SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL? AND, OR HOW DOES THAT PROGRAM HELP INCLUDE THEM AS WELL? SO THE WAY THIS PROGRAM IS, IT IS
[00:30:01]
TARGETED TOWARDS YOUTH, BUT IT IS A COMMUNITY WIDE PROGRAM. SO WE WE WANT TO USE AND WORK WITH YOUTH AND EMPOWER THEM AND HAVE YOUTH AMBASSADORS WHO CAN HELP GET THIS MESSAGE AND THIS EDUCATION AND HAVE IT HELP US, YOU KNOW, CREATE A COMMUNITY WIDE PROGRAM. SO IT WOULD BE A YOUTH LED PROGRAM, BUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE HELPING COORDINATE ALL OF THIS BEHIND THE SCENES. IS THERE A WAY TO THINK ABOUT LIKE TEAMING UP WITH LIKE THE LOCAL BUSINESS? YES, WHATEVER. WHAT'S IT CALLED? COUNCIL LIKE? I KNOW THERE'S A NAME FOR IT. MONTGOMERY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. THAT'S IT. BECAUSE CLEARLY THEY'RE EMPLOYERS OF FOLKS WHO ARE RIDING THEIR BIKES TO EMPLOYMENT. YEAH. AND AND THAT'S WHY THE GREATER OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREATER MERCER TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION IS KEY BECAUSE THEY CAN HELP US GET THE WORD OUT TO EMPLOYERS. AND WE ALSO DO THAT THROUGH OUR HEALTH INSPECTOR.WE PERIODICALLY WILL COMMUNICATE WITH OUR RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IF THEIR WORKERS NEED RESOURCES AND HELP, IF WE CAN GET THEM HELMETS, REFLECTIVE GEAR, ANY EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK THROUGH OUR CONTACTS AT THE GMT M A AS WELL, AND THEY CAN DEFINITELY HELP WITH THAT. AND ALSO, I THINK OUR OPEN SPACE DIRECTOR HAS ALSO WORKED ON INITIATIVES TO, ESPECIALLY FOR FARM WORKERS, TO GET THEM RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, BIKING AND THEY, THEY NEED RESOURCES AND THEY NEED HELMETS AND SAFETY, YOU KNOW, SAFETY, BIKE CHECKS, SIMPLE THINGS. BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE GRANTS CAN HELP WITH, WITH THAT AND GETTING THEM THOSE RESOURCES. RIGHT. AND THEN WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH, WE DID A TRIAL BIKE RODEO AT THE MONTGOMERY CROSSINGS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE GREATER MERCER TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, THE TRENTON BIKE EXCHANGE. THEY LOANED US A FEW BIKES SO THAT, YOU KNOW, KIDS WITHOUT BIKES COULD, YOU KNOW, COULD PARTICIPATE. AND WE'RE HOPING TO KIND OF REPLICATE THAT MODEL AND BRING IT TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND TOWN. WE HAVE A BIKE SHOP IN OUR TOWN. DO THEY PARTICIPATE? NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE FUNDING AT THE TIME. SO I THINK WITHOUT FUNDING, WE COULDN'T PARTNER WITH THEM. IT DID REACH OUT TO THEM, THOUGH. YEAH. SO THAT WAS IT. THAT'S THE YOUTH IN MOTION GRANT. WE HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED BATMAN LEADERSHIP TRANSITION THROUGH EMPOWER SOMERSET. IT'S AN EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAM THAT WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO HOST THAT, HOPEFULLY IN IN OCTOBER, WE PLAN TO BRING ADULT MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. THERE'S ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED STRENGTHENING FAMILIES THROUGH EMPOWER SOMERSET AND SOME OF THE ALLIANCE FUNDING THAT WE HOPE TO RECEIVE WILL BE USED FOR RED RIBBON WEEK, WHICH IS THE END OF OCTOBER. AND FOR. I THINK, TRUNK OR TREAT AS WELL, JUST TO JUST HAVE JUST SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EDUCATION. WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THAT'S WHERE ABOUT 119,000. WE'RE USING THAT TO OFFSET SALARIES AS STAFF CONTINUE TO WORK ON SOME OF OUR ACCREDITATION RELATED PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND METRICS, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMING AND PROCESSES AND THAT WE ARE. STAYING CONNECTED WITH THE STATE PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION. I THINK I THINK IT'S A COMMITTEE. THEY JUST HAVE A GROUP OF HEALTH DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN ACCREDITATION OR HAVE BEEN HAVE BECOME ACCREDITED AND BECOMING A RESOURCE FOR OTHER HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHAT THIS HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT IS, WILL BE USED FOR AND ALSO TO OFFSET SOME OF OUR TECHNOLOGY COSTS, SOFTWARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING THROUGH PASS THROUGH FUND FEDERAL FUNDS, THROUGH THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WHICH HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WHICH HAS BEEN, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK, VERY, EXTREMELY USEFUL IN MAKING SURE WE'RE RETAINING STAFF AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MODERNIZE OUR SYSTEMS IN THE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WITHOUT THESE FUNDS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. SO WE ARE WORKING ON DIGITIZING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSPECTIONS, AND THESE GRANT FUNDS ARE CRITICAL FOR THAT FOR ALL OF OUR TECHNOLOGY NEEDS FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SO IF THESE FUNDS GO AWAY, WE WILL HAVE TO DO A VERY STRONG ADVOCACY TO TOWNSHIP FOR SUPPORT. THERE'S ALSO OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND FUNDS THAT WE ADMINISTER. WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING REQUESTS FOR FUNDING.
[00:35:02]
SO SOME OF THE THE PROGRAMS THROUGH THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND HAVE BEEN FOR OPIOID RESPONSE TRAINING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS REQUESTED FUNDING FOR ASSEMBLY FOR SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION. WE'VE HAD REQUESTS FOR RESOURCES FOR THE ARRIVE TOGETHER PROGRAM THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED WITH AND FOR STRENGTHENING FAMILIES PROGRAM THAT'S ADMINISTERED THROUGH AN EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAM THROUGH EMPOWER SOMERSET. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THE REQUESTS AND PROGRAMS THAT THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDING IS GOING FOR. I CAN HAVE I CAN PRESENT LIKE A PROPOSAL FOR WHAT WE EXPECT TO USE THIS FUNDING FOR FOR NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER $100,000 IN OPIOID SETTLEMENT ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY THE. BY OUR COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES AND THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO ADMINISTERING THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDING. AND THEN WE HAVE THE PLAN FOR HEALTH GRANT, WHICH IS MAINLY GOING TOWARDS TO PAY CONSULTANTS TO DO A LOT OF OUR DATA COLLECTION AND LISTENING SESSION AND OUR RE EXAM WORK OF OUR MASTER PLAN. WE WILL CONTINUE TO, TO SEEK GRANT DOLLARS. AND WE WILL. SO WE ARE SEEING THIS IS, I THINK, THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR COMPARED TO THE PAST FIVE YEARS. SO WE'VE BECOME I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE'VE BECOME RELIANT ON THE GRANT FUNDS, BUT WE'VE LEARNED TO NOT RELY ON GRANT FUNDING, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR WITH THE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE FUNDS BEING CLAWED BACK FROM US. SO WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, NOT THIS YEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M ANTICIPATING NEXT YEAR ON WHAT WHAT DO WE DO IF ALL OF THE FUNDING GOES AWAY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT FOR NEXT, NEXT FISCAL YEAR OR FISCAL YEAR. FISCAL YEAR 2028. BUT I THINK OUR IMPROVED FINANCIAL REPORTING WILL WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU ALL TO, TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, WHERE THE NEEDS ARE, WHERE THE GAPS ARE, AND HOW WE SHOULD ADVOCATE FOR FOR MORE FUNDING. THE OTHER UPDATE IS FOOD SECURITY PREPAREDNESS. SO LAST FALL, IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, THERE WERE REDUCTIONS IN SNAP BENEFITS. WE HAD IDENTIFIED A FEW HUNDRED FAMILIES THAT WERE IMPACTED. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN EVEN PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD WE HAD CONDUCTED A FOOD INSECURITY ASSESSMENT WHERE WE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO SERVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WEREN'T, THAT DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES FOR, FOR FOOD SECURITY. SO I KNOW I WAS INFORMED THAT OUR SCHOOL IS THAT THEY'VE STARTED OFFERING FREE BREAKFAST AT TWO SCHOOLS.AND THIS WAS BASED ON A NEED IDENTIFIED THROUGH REPORTING THROUGH THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. SO THE FOOD SECURITY, FOOD INSECURITY NEEDS, YOU KNOW, ARE GROWING AND WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY. YEAH. SO PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, WE HADN'T EVER MET THE THRESHOLD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PROGRAM OF FREE BREAKFASTS. YES. CORRECT. YEAH. YEAH. SO THIS, THIS YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR. WELL, IT'S THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE HAD THE DATA TO SUBSTANTIATE THE NEED.
YEAH. BUT WE HAVE A, WE HAD AN IDEA THAT WE MAY HAVE HAD IT PRIOR, BUT YEAH. AND SO PUBLIC HEALTH, WE HAVE A CLEAR ROLE IN ENSURING THAT DURING AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER, VULNERABLE RESIDENTS MAINTAIN ACCESS TO FOOD OR RESIDENTS MAINTAIN ACCESS TO FOOD AND ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WORK ON IDENTIFYING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND ANTICIPATING DISRUPTIONS, UNDERSTANDING PARTNER CAPACITY, WHO OUR STAKEHOLDERS ARE, AND COORDINATING WITH OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND AND OTHER MUNICIPAL PARTNERS AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE PUBLIC HEALTH ROLE. BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO A ROUTINE FOOD INSECURITY ISSUE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THIS IS A BROADER SOCIAL SERVICES HUMAN SERVICES ISSUE. AND FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN BE A PARTNER, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE IDENTIFYING, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY NEEDS, CLEARLY IDENTIFYING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. BECAUSE THE ONGOING SOCIAL SERVICES FUNCTION REQUIRES MORE.
MORE ONE ON ONE CASE MANAGEMENT TIME AND EFFORT. SO WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. ALL RIGHT.
[00:40:01]
NEXT UPDATE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. SO IF YOU ALL ARE REMEMBER WE USED TO HAVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH BE THE TOWNSHIP CHANGED THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL STRUCTURE. AND SO NOW IT'S A PROJECT BASED, PROJECT BASED PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE TWO STUDENTS THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR YOUTH IN MOTION PROJECT, AND TWO STUDENTS THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE PROGRAMS. SO FOR, FOR FOR NOW, WE HAVE FOUR STUDENTS THAT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH FROM THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. AND THE GOAL WILL BE, YOU KNOW. KIND OF GETTING THEIR INPUT AND BUY IN AND ENGAGING THEM WITH THE THINGS AND PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE BRINGING TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AND THAT IT'S RELEVANT FOR THEM AS WELL. SO THEY HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL IN, IN, IN HELPING US BEHIND THE SCENES. WE ALSO HAVE THE PLAN FOR HEALTH WHILE KIDS. SO TECHNICALLY SIX, BUT THEY'VE BEEN GREAT. THEY'VE, THEY'RE EXCELLENT AT COLLECTING DATA, CREATING FLIERS, CREATING TALKING POINTS. AND THE WORK THAT THEY, THEY PUT OUT IS VERY PROFESSIONAL. SO THE STUDENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HAVE BEEN MONTGOMERY ALUMS. SO EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, OUR SUMMER INTERN WAS A MONTGOMERY ALUM.HE HE CONDUCTED A WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT OF, OF SOME KEY NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THOSE WERE IN YOUR PACKETS. YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF THE WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT. THE WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT IS. IT'S JUST OBSERVATION. WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH YOUR DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND IT'S JUST YOUR OBSERVATIONS THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. BUT IT'S, IT'S A START WHEN IT COMES TO IDENTIFYING KEY ISSUES AND CONCERNS. AND THAT TIED IN WELL WITH SOME OF THE PLAN FOR HEALTH WORK THAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AND WE ARE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES AROUND AROUND TOWN AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION, TRAFFIC, SAFETY, MOBILITY, ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, RECREATIONAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES, THINGS LIKE THAT, ACCESS TO, TO FOOD. SO THAT, THAT THE WINDSHIELD ASSESSMENT IS IN YOUR PACKET. WE ALSO HAD A MONTGOMERY ALUM, I THINK IT WAS END OF LAST YEAR. SHE DID A HEAT MAP OF TRAFFIC INCIDENCES IN TOWN. AND THAT HAS INFORMED THE PLAN FOR HEALTH WORK AS WELL. WE. AND THEN GOING BACK TO THE FOOD SECURITY. SO WE DID HAVE ALI ON. SHE WAS OUR INTERN OVER THE SUMMER. SHE HELPED CREATE AN EMERGENCY FOOD PLAN, YOU KNOW, JUST WITH MINIMAL GUIDANCE FROM ME AND FROM EMILY, WHO'S OUR HEALTH EDUCATOR. AND SO THE WORK THAT SHE DID WILL BE INFORMING THE FOOD SECURITY COMMITTEES WORK AS WELL. SO I DO, I DO HAVE TWO PRINTOUTS ONLY BECAUSE THIS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE IT ELECTRONICALLY.
YEAH, SHE DID A FANTASTIC JOB. AND SO WE ARE GRATEFUL. AND WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR, OUR VERY OWN, LIKE MONTGOMERY STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY'VE, THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND IN, IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO. AND THEN WE HAVE.
WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS A SLEW OF PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE SUMMER AND THAT WE HAVE COMING UP, WE HAVE OUR BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING PROGRAMS THAT WE DO EVERY MONTH HAVE BEEN GROWING. WE AVERAGE ABOUT CLOSER TO 40 SENIORS. THIS BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING WAS ACTUALLY STARTED BY PATRICIA SCULLY. SHE IS A FORMER BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBER. SHE HAD PASSED AWAY EARLIER IN MARCH AND SHE HAS STARTED THE YOU KNOW, THESE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS. IT WAS EMS LED. AND THEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TOOK IT ON. NOW THAT WE'RE DOWN A NURSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING AGAIN WITH EMS AND THAT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
SO. AND ALSO IF IF WE HAVE IF WE CAN HAVE EMS ON MONDAY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I DID PUT OUT A NOTE, SENT A FOLLOW UP TODAY. IT IS ON OUR, OUR VOLUNTEER SERVICES PAGE. SO I'M CHECKING RIGHT NOW TO SEE IF WE GOT ANY BITES. BUT BUT THE SCREENINGS HAVE BEEN GROWING IN THE SENIORS. THEY LOVE THAT PROGRAM. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE WE MISS WE MISS PATRICIA SCULLY, SHE, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS A VERY WARM, KIND PERSON. AND SHE ALSO HELPED TREMENDOUSLY WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT PROGRAMS THAT WE BROUGHT FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND BOARD OF HEALTH SIDE AS WELL. SO IT'S JUST, IT'S BEEN NICE TO SEE THAT PROGRAM GROW SO MUCH AS WELL.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING WITH THAT PROGRAM. AND WE WE ALSO HELD A BACK TO SCHOOL RESOURCE FAIR AT THE CROSSINGS, AND IT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE HAD THE PRINCETON
[00:45:06]
ELKS, ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAD PRESENTED, I THINK LAST YEAR, THE SENTENCE FOUNDATION, THEY FUNDRAISED AND THEY, YOU KNOW, CREATED BACK TO SCHOOL KITS AND DISTRIBUTED SOME STATIONERY ITEMS. WE HAD ANOTHER NONPROFIT, SATYA SAI, THAT DONATED BACKPACKS AND STATIONERY ITEMS FOR, FOR THE STUDENTS THERE. AND WE HAD THE LIBRARY TO MAKE SURE ALL THE STUDENTS ARE SIGNED UP FOR THEIR LIBRARY CARDS. AND WE'RE AWARE OF ALL OF THEIR SERVICES.AND THEN PRINCETON ELKS HAD, YOU KNOW, FRESH PRODUCE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME COOKWARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AVAILABLE. SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY MUCH NEEDED AND A GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FROM, FROM KEY PARTNERS IN TOWN. WE HAD HELD OUR BLOOD DRIVE IN IN JUNE ON FATHER'S DAY, AND OUR BLOOD DRIVE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW. EACH YEAR WE COLLECTED 62 UNITS OF BLOOD THAT CAN SAVE UP TO 192 LIVES. SO EACH YEAR OUR BLOOD DRIVES ARE ARE GETTING BIGGER. WE HAVE OUR 2026 FLU CLINICS COMING UP. REMINDER TO THE BOARD TO PLEASE GET YOUR FLU SHOT. WE HAVE OUR SCHEDULE THAT'S OUTSIDE ON OUR ON THE TABLE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TABLE IN THE LOBBY. YOU CAN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, GET REMINDERS OR AND WALK INS ARE WELCOME AS WELL. YEAH, WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE FALL CALENDAR. SO WE FOR SEPTEMBER, WE'RE PROMOTING NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH. SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH. WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES AND INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE OUT ON OUR TABLE, AND WE WILL BE SHARING MORE WITH THE WITH OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS AS WELL. AND LASTLY, SORRY, IT'S BEEN A LOT A LOT OF UPDATES. WE WE STILL HAVE OUR VACANCY. WE'RE HIRING FOR A GRADUATE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE FOR 21 HOURS A WEEK. SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN ENTERING GOVERNMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH. AND WE IF YOU CAN HELP SPREAD THE WORD, THAT'D BE GREAT. SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAVE. AND WE HAVE OUR NATIONAL REACCREDITATION PLAQUE ON THE TABLE OVER THERE. WE'LL. OH YEAH. AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD. ACTUALLY, THE BOARD OF HEALTH. WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT. SO YOUR SUPPORT IS IS INVALUABLE AND MEANS A LOT TO, TO US AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND FOR THE FIRST YEAR, THIS IS THIS IS WE WERE RE-ACCREDITED FOR FIVE MORE YEARS. CORRECT. AND THIS YEAR WAS THE, I THINK SOMERSET COUNTY, SOMERSET COUNTY WAS THE FIRST TIME WAS THE ALSO RECEIVED THEIR ACCREDITATION, BUT IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE EVER BEEN PRESENT. SO WE. FOR IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY AGAIN. YEAH, WE'RE STILL WE'RE STILL ONE OF THE SMALLEST HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO BE ACCREDITED. THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. YOU'RE DONE. I THINK I'M DONE. THAT WAS GREAT. I'M GLAD I THINK YOU GUYS. YEAH, THAT WAS A LOT. SORRY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. JUST. CAN I HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH. SO REGARDING THE PROGRAMS OTHER THAN THE WEBSITE, DO WE HAVE A WAY TO ADVERTISE TO PEOPLE IN GENERAL, PEOPLE SO THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHATEVER, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, HEALTH SCREENING, HEARING SCREENINGS, ALL THAT.
YEAH. SO WE IT'S ALWAYS A STRUGGLE. WORD OF MOUTH. TOWNSHIP E-BULLETIN SIGNAGE, DEPENDING ON WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE INFORMATION TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND DIFFERENT AREAS AND DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, OUR MAIN WAY OF GETTING INFORMATION OUT HAS BEEN THROUGH OUR WEEKLY E-BULLETINS, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY. SO. YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T I MEAN, I'M GLAD TO TAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR HOW ON HOW WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING ON A REGULAR BASIS. BECAUSE YOU ALSO HAVE THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S NOT EVEN JUST GETTING INFORMATION THROUGH LIKE HOS OR THE E-BULLETIN THERE'S STILL SO MANY PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE HOSTING. AND DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT THERE'S SOME THE PERSON WHO RUNS OUR WEBSITE FOR THE TOWNSHIP HAS. THERE'S AN OPENING. WE HAVE A NEW PERSON.
[00:50:02]
OH YOU DO? SO WE HAVE A NEW PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR, GRACE. SO SHE WILL BE WORKING ON UPDATING OUR CONTACT LISTS FOR IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAVING AND MAINTAINING VARIOUS DISTRIBUTION LISTS FOR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS, DIFFERENT GROUPS IN TOWN. OKAY.SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL THAT WILL HELP AS WELL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THOSE REPORTS? GOOD JOB. YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK. YEAH. TON OF WORK. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. WE
[ VII. NEW BUSINESS]
CAN MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS. SO WE DON'T HAVE THE TOWNSHIP. I USUALLY ASK THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE LIAISON IF THERE IS ANY NEW BUSINESS FROM THE COMMITTEE, BUT YOU MAY NOT.YOU'RE NOT SET UP FOR THAT QUESTION. NOT THAT I KNOW OF. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. YOU DIDN'T GIVE HIM A HEADS UP. OOPS. I USUALLY ASK JOE IF THERE'S ANY NEW BUSINESS FROM EMS. YEAH.
EMS IS STILL LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS. WE DID JUST DO A CPR CLASS THIS PAST WEEK ON THURSDAY AND HAD A BOARD, HAD A BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBER PARTICIPATE IN CPR WITH US. SO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THAT. AND STUDIES. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THE THE BEST SUCCESS OF SURVIVING CPR IS THAT WHICH IS DONE IMMEDIATELY. SO THE MORE PEOPLE TRAINED, THE BETTER. THE SQUAD ALSO BENEFITED GREATLY THIS PAST SUMMER BY OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO RETURNED. SO BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF MAY AND SEPTEMBER. SO LAST WEEK, I BELIEVE OUR 22 COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT CAME BACK ENDED UP COVERING ABOUT 27% OF ALL THE CALLS IN OR ALL THE SHIFTS IN IN THAT TIME PERIOD. SO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR, OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS. AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR CADET PROGRAM WHERE WE TRAIN THEM AS HIGH SCHOOLERS AND THEY COME BACK AND THEY HELP OUT. BUT YEAH, AS ALWAYS, LOOKING FOR MEMBERS. SO THANK YOU. ANY QUICKER RECIPROCITY? OCTOBER. WHAT DID I SAY? SIX. 14. 14. YEAH. EVERY MONTH. SO IT'S USUALLY THE FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH. YOU GOTTA YOU GOTTA TALK INTO THE MIC. OH I WAS GIVING THAT MORE TO HIM. BUT YEAH, CPR IS OFFERED AT THE SQUAD. TYPICALLY YOU CAN CHECK OUR WEBSITE, BUT IT'S USUALLY THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.
OKAY. NO OTHER NEW BUSINESS? NO. OKAY. I THINK WE CAN. SINCE THERE ARE NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS. THE MEETING WILL NOW ADJOURN AT 831. MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS. EVERYTHING IS OKAY.
AND TWO SECONDS. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. CHRISTINE. THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE. OUR NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE IN OCTOBER. SO WE'RE NOT SKIPPING A MONTH. EVERYBODY. JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT IS OCTOBER 14TH. WHEN IS OUR ONE WITH THE ROCKY HILL WE'RE NOT DOING? WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. THE ONE WITH ROCKY HILL, THE THE MEETING, THE MEETING. OH, WE DON'T DO THAT.
SORRY. WE DON'T DO THAT. YEAH. WE JUST HAVE THE BOARD OF THEIR BOARD OF HEALT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.