Manhattan/Riley County Board of Health

May 26, 2010

Funding continues to be major concern for the Department and Board.
More cuts are possible despite passage of the 1% sales tax. The amounts won’t
be known until July for KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment)
grants. Charles Murphy, Department Administrator, is hopeful that the Childhood Block Grants will be protected so that Smart Start and Early Childhood programs will remain intact. The formal budget presentation will be June 17, 2010 at 4:00 PM at City Hall.
Since the Kansas Legislature passed “Lexies’s Law” which ensures that all child care facilities in Kansas have stronger guidelines to follow in order to provide for the safety of the children in their care, the department will need to assess the law’s effect on the new city ordinance requiring child care facility inspections. It takes some time before new laws are vetted and put into practice. In the meantime the department continues the Smart Start programs and currently over 156 care providers are participating the program. “Smart Start” assists providers in utilizing the developed “Creative Curriculum” in their facilities.
The Department is still looking for a new ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner) for the clinic. In the meantime Dawn Searles, RN, BSN is working with the Medical Director (Dr. Cary Herl) to coordinate patient care. Staff continues to change though the Department was able to hire back Katy Brower as Food Safety Inspector. Joshua Jones has been hired as new Emergency Preparedness Planner and Evin VanAnne is the new Administrative Assistant replacing Kim Nies who is now in charge of billing.
The new web site is expected to be up and running in August. Half of the cost is covered by Federal H1N1 funds. Enclosed in the board handouts is a news release from KDHE which discusses the H1N1 situation and possible reemergence of the need for vaccination programs to resume in the fall. It was written by Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD who is Kansas State Health Officer.
Lisa Ross reported that participants in the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program in Riley county are 3015 and the value of the WIC checks redeemed in Manhattan Grocery stores in the month of March was $64,835.56.
The board was provided with a copy of the letter sent to the City Commissioners requesting interpretation of the smoking ordinance in relation to “electronic” smoking. The letter noted that the two top brands of electronic cigarettes found tobacco specific nitrosamines which are cancer causing and diethylene glycol, a component of antifreeze in the ingredients.

Sue Cohen, Observer