Riley County - Manhattan Board of Health

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

As requested by Karen McCulloh, Board member from the County,

presentations from the Health Department staff continued with a report from

Myrna Wilson, Assistant Primary Care Staff, spoke of her role in assisting

clients to procure medications made available from pharmaceutical companies.

Clients, primarily with chronic conditions, receive free medications on a three

month basis which saves considerable money for the needy chronically ill.

Myrna described her job as managing this aspect of the Health Department

responsibility so that clients qualify for this help through medical prescriptions

and follow-up and that the client’s receive the needed medications in a timely

fashion. She noted that this is a PR action by the pharmaceutical companies.

Karen McCulloh requested a change in the minutes to reflect that

Lauren Palmer, Assistant City Manager, was a non-voting ad hoc member of

the Board.

In the Administrative Report, Charles Murphy, Administrator, noted that

there was a bill introduced in the Kansas House to get rid of all Health Departments

and much of the Environmental financial support. He stated that Sydney Carlin,

Manhattan Legislator, “went to bat for us” and it did not pass. However, he said

it was possible the Governor could “line item veto the state financial support”.

Deborah Nuss, also County member, and chairman of the subcommittee

preparing the Administrative Job Description/evaluation Tool reported and asked for

decisions on five items that had developed from the comments from Board members

on the report that had be submitted at the last Board meeting. After considerable

discussion the Board approved the tool with a beginning salary to be between

$80,000 and $100,000 and to request that the hired candidate try to live within

the County by six months taking into account the difficult housing situation. The

Board also approved beginning advertising the position immediately since Charles

Murphy will be retiring December 31, 2011.

The Board approved the Proposed Budget for 2012 and discussed its presentation

to the combined City/County meeting on June 16. Loren Peppard

stated unequivocally that the budget will be cut apparently regardless of need.

Discussion was held concerning how to present the budget with Mr. Murphy stating

that support from the Board would be very important. He also stated that referring

to the Health Department and the Police Department as “outside” agencies was

historically incorrect and hurtful to the image of both. “We are as integral to County/

City core provisions as any other part of the City/County government”.

The Board approved the opening of applications for the Infant/Toddler Unit sublease

at the FCRC (former Wharton Manor) taking into account the stated requirements

for leasing inherent in the original agreement when the property was

added to the Health Department. The Board also approved applying for the NACCHO

(National Association of County and City Health Officials) grant which is designed

to help Health Departments achieve several prerequisites for accreditation: 1) community

health assessment and 2) community health improvement plan.

Sue Cohen, Observer