Henderson County Board of Health Minutes Regular Meeting - February 17, 2025 Classroom of the Henderson County Department of Public Health 1200 Spartanburg Highway Hendersonville, NC 28792 I. Call to Order The Henderson County Board of Health meeting was called to order by Dr. Kenesha Smith, Vice Chairperson, at 6:22 p.m. Members Present Jay Egolf, County Commissioner Samantha Roberts, Veterinarian Jennifer Hensley, General Public Member Jeffrey Young, Professional Engineer Kathleen Baluha, Registered Nurse Kenesha Smith, Pharmacist - Vice Chairperson Members Not Present John Bryant, General Public Member Scott Prechter, General Public Member Maggie Hayes, Physician = Chairperson Alison Reid, Dentist Haley Perry, Optometrist Staff Leadership Present Dave Jenkins, Health Director Camden Stewart, Administrative Officer Dr. Diana Curran, Medical Director Seth Swift, Environmental Health Director Amy McCall, WIC Director Stacy Nash, Community Health Director Quorum Present II. Public Comments III. Approval of the Meeting Agenda Dr. Kenesha Smith asked board members if they were prepared to approve the proposed agenda. Motion: Ms. Baluha made a motion for the agenda to be approved. The motion was seconded by Dr. Hensley. Vote: The motion passed by unanimous vote. 1 Henderson County Board of Health Minutes Regular Meeting = February 17, 2025 IV. Approval of the Consent Agenda Dr. Smith requested approval of the consent agenda. Motion: Dr. Hensley made a motion for the consent agenda to be approved. The motion was seconded by Dr. Roberts. Vote: The motion passed by unanimous vote. V. Presentations and Reports Behavioral Health Conference Melissa Witmeier, Public Health Strategist for Behavioral Health, announced the Henderson County Behavioral Health Conference scheduled for March 24, 2025 at Blue Ridge Community College. The conference speakers will discuss topics related to substance use, mental health, wellness and resiliency. CEUS will be provided via a partnership with MAHEC. The conference registration link will be published and shared before the end of the week. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Report Amy McCall, WIC Director, provided general information to the board about the history of WIC, eligibility guidelines and program requirements. Discussion was held around participant eligibility, using WIC funds at the grocery store, the program's caseload and move to more remote services. Of note, in FY24, over $1.4 million food dollars generated through the WIC program were spent in Henderson County grocery stores. Quarterly FY24/25 Report Mr. Jenkins, Health Director, provided the board with an updated quarterly fiscal report detailing department revenues and expenditures through December 2024. The department maintains favorable performance in both the Public Health and Environmental Health budgets. Expenses for both Public Health and Environmental Health were under 50% with revenues as expected. Both budgets operate within the limits of local appropriations provided. Monthly Activities Report Since July 2024, all programs/divisions across the Health Department have begun to track baseline pertormance data via a monthly activities report. This report will be built upon as the department establishes a more defined performance management/quality improvement program. The Health Department has received funds from the state through AA 123 Investing in Performance Management to support developing and maintaining a performance management system internally. The department is in discussion with the Western NC Health Network for technical assistance and partnership tied to this agreement addenda. 2 Henderson County Board of Health Minutes Regular Meeting = February 17, 2025 Health Director Report Mr. Jenkins asked Dr. Curran, Medical Director, to share more information with the board related to highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). A deceased wild bird in Henderson County tested positive for H5N1 in the past week. Additionally, poultry and cattle in NC have tested positive for H5N1. Dr. Curran recommended that people avoid dead wild birds and droppings to reduce their risk of exposure. People who must handle dead or sick wild birds, poultry or cattle should wear protective gear to include disposable gloves, respiratory and eye protection to prevent contact with infectious materials. This virus is currently only known to be transmitted from close contact with infected wild birds, poultry or cattle and has not yet been found to be transmitted from human-to-human. Dr. Curran suggested that healthcare providers visit the NC DHHS homepage on Avian Flu to learn more. Mr. Jenkins provided a flyer to the board detailing the department's Postpartum Newborn Home Visit program. This is a new initiative of the department to improve the health outcomes of mothers and newborns in Henderson County. Referrals can be made by physicians, care managers, or other healthcare professionals via the contact information provided on the flyer. An updated department organizational chart and data related to public health employee experience/capacity was shared with the board. The department currently has seven vacancies, with one vacancy to be filled before the end of the month. Notably, all full-time nursing positions are filled. The Board of Health and County Commissioner's support for an increase in nursing salaries has been beneficial to the department. In 2022, the department averaged 16 vacancies monthly. To date, the department has fewer than 8 vacancies per month. This number has been consistently decreasing throughout 2024 into 2025. VI. Old Business None. VII. New Business Counter Tools Contract Cancellation The Health Department initiated a contract with Counter Tools on August 1, 2024 to conduct an assessment of tobacco retailers in Henderson County, in partnership with students at UNC Asheville. Due to Hurricane Helene, the assessment was unable to be completed as many of the retail stores became inaccessible, and students at UNC Asheville were no longer able to actively participate in the work. The contract with Counter Tools has been cancelled for the 3 Henderson County Board of Health Minutes Regular Meeting = February 17, 2025 remainder of the service period. The department will reassess the need for this work in the future. VIII. Board Member Remarks None. IX. Adjournment Motion: Ms. Baluha made a motion to adjourn, and it was seconded by Dr. Hensley. Vote: The motion passed by unanimous vote. The meeting was adjourned at 7:16pm. Respectfully submitted: K Daurd fenkwo 03/19/25 Secretary to the Board/Health Director Date Approved by the Henderson County Board of Health at the March 17, 2025 meeting. 4