HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-26-1988 Board of Health MinutesBOARD OF HEALTH
MAY 26, 1988
The monthly meeting of the Plainview -Hale County Health District Board of Directors
was called to order at 12:30 P.M., by Chairman Lanny Voss.
Those attending were: Lanny Voss, Anthony A. Lyons, M.D., Mary Lou Truesdale, R.N.,
Dorothy Tilson, Jim Jeffers, Kit Linton, M.D., Mary Bublis, M.D., Donna Womble,R.N.,
Nina Morris, Lewellen Hooper, James Belk and Don Dickson. Also present were Richard
Orr, Plainview Daily Herald and Billie Standefer, secretary.
After calling the meeting to order, the Chairman asked for approval of the minutes
of the last meeting, and asked if there were any comments or revisions concerning
the minutes. With no comments forthcoming, Dorothy Tilson made the motion to approve
the minutes, as presented. Lewellen Hooper seconded the motion. Motion Carried.
The Chairman noted the presence of the new representative for the City, Don Dickson,
and welcomed him to the Board.
Attention was called tothe bills for April, and again the Chairman asked the Board
for comments and approval to pay the bills. Dr. Linton moved to pay the bills, and
with a second to this motion by Donna Womble, motion carried to pay the bills.
The Discussion was then directed to Liability Insurance. Mary Lou Truesdale stated
that there was a conflict of opinions between the two insurnace agents as to whether
the Directors and Officers of the Board were covered by the present policy. She
shared with the Board that Insurance Agent Lloyd Woods felt that until the last two
years, the Board did have coverage, but that Agent Sonny Walker said they did not.
After a brief review of Insurance Regulations listing acts covered and those not
covered by the existing policy, Mrs. Truesdale stated she was still confused about
the coverage. The Chairman, in further discussion about the policy, asked Jim Jeffers
if he had any information that would be helpful. Mr. Jeffers replied that, after a
discussion with Lloyd Woods, he was under the impression that the Directors and
Officers were covered. He also stated that Financial Director Norman Huggins was
also under the impression that the insurance covered the Board. Mrs. Truesdale
stated that Sonny Walker, after reviewing the policies, said the Board had never
had coverage. Suggestionwas made by Mr. Jeffers to get the two. Insurance Agents
together, along with Mrs. Truesdale and Lanny Voss, to come to some agreement about
the actual coverage. At this point in the discussion, Chairman Voss stated that he
would write a letter to the two Insurance Agents, explaining that their letter had
been received, but the information in the letter was still unclear as to coverage of
the policy. He stated that the letter would also suggest an arranged meeting to clear
the matter so that the Board would know the results. The Chairman asserted that he
was very uncomfortable with the fact that with professional people and farmers
sitting on the Board, not knowing from month to month whether or not they were covered
making the decisions they have to make, was dangerous activity. He closed the dis-
cussion by stating that he would be responsible for the letter to the insurance
people, and offered his personal apology for the delay in any definite arrangement
about the insurance.
The discussion then turned
implementing of the report
a Public Hearing for input
the Board. Mrs. Truesdale
to the reporting of Food Establishment Scoring and the
to the Board of these scores. It was decided to hold
and discussion of the scoring process being reported to
stated that she would be responsible for getting the
notices about the Public Hearing to the newspapers and letters to individuals.
(Owners and Operators of Food Establishments). Mr. Dickson asked the purpose
for the scoring reports. Chairman Voss stated that the Board had a duty to
moniter the scores, in addition to what the. Department personnel did, and ex-
plained that reviewing the scores would be, automatically,a subject of review
each month. In further discussion,it was decided to have the Public Hearing
in the evening hours and combine the hearing with the June Board meeting. A
motion was made by Mrs. Tilson and seconded by Dr. Bublis to carry out all plans
as discussed by, the Board concerning the Public Hearing. Motion carried.
Chairman Voss then called for Dr. Lyons' report and turned the meeting to Vice -
Chairman Tilson.
Dr. Lyons stated that, over all, the Department was running smoothly; that the
Flu Epidemic was "dying down"; that there was a background mix of sore throat,
some Gastro Intestinal disease and some cases of Hepatitis still being reported.
Chairman Tilson then called for Mrs Truesdale's report. Mrs. Truesdale shared
with the Board that Chris Harris,one of the Registered Nurses at the Department,
was resigning and moving to another state. Mrs. Truesdale stated the she had
placed an ad for a replacement of this Nurse in the local newspaper, and had had
two responses to the ad, but nothing had been decided.
Mrs. Truesdale then-expalined to the Board that she had attended a meeting with
representatives from MIHIA, (the Maternal/Child Health Program from Texas Tech
University), the OB -GYN staff of Central Plains Regional Hospital, South Plains
Health Provider Organization and the Health Department to see if it was possible
to "get something going" for Prenatal Care. She said, however, that no further
response came from the Physicians; also that SPHPO is unwilling to commit their
Physicians to Prenatal Care until the two OB -GYN Physicians get here in July.
The positive thing that came from this meeting, she stated,was a conference with
Susan Stanton, Director of MIHIA. In this conference, Ms. Stanton offered the
opportunity for a part-time Nurseon the Department staff,for which MIHIA would
pay. This Nurse would be responsible for doing high-risk pregnancy assessments
and referrals. Mrs. Truesdale added that there was a possibility that Drs.
Dorman and Seigler will accept MIHIA patients.
Another note of interest that Mrs. Truesdale shared was the proposal of South Plains
Community Action Association's plan to send Lee Whitacre, a Registered Nurse with
the Department, to Family Nurse Practitioner School at their expense. Lee will
then sign a letter of commitment to work as a Department Practitioner thru June,
1990. In closing. Mrs. Truesdale asserted that she and Dr. Lyons were in agreement
that this was a worthwhile project.
Excused absences were allowed for Dr. Busby, Dr. Abercrombie and Weaver McClure,
and Chairman Tilson asked that Board members please make an effort to get to Board
meetings promptly at 12:00 noon, that the meeting could be conducted and every one
be dismissed on time.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Billie Standefer
Secretary