Henry County Board of Health looking for another new face

BY BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

Despite welcoming Henry County Board of Health member, Patricia Sallee, as the new Community Health Director, the board is not yet done searching for another board replacement.

During the Henry County Board of Health?s latest meeting on Tuesday, the board was informed that it would again be on the hunt for a new face as board member Tom Miller has tendered his resignation from the board. Miller?s board term would have been up in 2018, and whoever is elected to replace Miller will serve out his remaining term.

According to board rules, the Henry County Board of Supervisors elect members of the board of health, however, according to Michelle Rosell, Henry County Health Center COO, the board is allowed to give input on what qualities they wish to see in an incoming board member.

?They (the board of supervisors) encourage us to give them any names or suggestions we have if we have them,? said longtime board member, Dr. Bob Welander. ?I think it?s also important that we think of what background knowledge we would like to have represented on our board.?

While the board did not vote on certain qualities they would like to see in a new board member to replace Miller, they agreed that it would be a good idea for the board to form ideas for future members. Qualities such as a working knowledge of Iowa law, public relations/marketing, and construction/contracting were suggested as desired qualities by the board during their brief discussion on the topic.

?Our board of supervisors have always taken pride in our board and have intentionally brought people onto our board from various areas of expertise,? said Dr. Welander. ?And I think we do want to continue to have that balance.?

Moving forward on the topic, both Sallee and Rosell agreed to continue to brainstorm ideas for board member qualities, and report back to the board at a future meeting.

No official deadline has been issued for when the board of supervisors will appoint a board replacement for Miller. Additionally, Joni Manske and Dr. Welander were both approved to continue serving on the board for additional four-year terms.

Moving on to other matters, the board discussed ways to increase the use of the Homemaker/Home Care Aide program, which provides home care aides who are specially trained to perform personal care and homemaking in the home under the direction of an RN for senior citizens.

According to recent statistics reviewed by Sallee, the number of patients who are utilizing the program are down.

?We know that this program has been slightly declining over the last four years or so,? said board member, Rose Lauer. ?Elderly folks in our county are not going away and we certainly don?t want them to. I think this program is great and it could be utilized more.?

To address the low participation in the program, Sallee believes simply advertising the program?s availability more will make a major difference in program participation.

?I think we just need to advertise more. We know there is a need for this type of program, we just need to let people know it?s out there,? said Sallee. ?It?ll be a good place for us to grow.?

Before adjourning, the board did approve Sallee to have signatory authority for the board and watched an educational video regarding Iowa boards of health. Iowa Department of Public Health regional consultant, Berdette Ogden, presented the video.

The next Henry County Board of Health meeting will be held on Jan. 24, 2017, at noon, at the Henry County Health Center.