WC CWF Health District Board Minutes - 02/23/2007-1
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WICHITA FALLS - WICHITA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH BOARD
PLACE: Wichita Falls - Wichita County Public Health District
TIME: 12:15 p.m.
DATE: February 23, 2007
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Lauren Jansen, R.N.C.
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:
HEALTH DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVES:
Robin Moreno, M.T.
Bryan Press
Larry Rains, D.D.S.
Beverly Stiles, Ph.D.
Kathy Sultemeier, D.V.M.
Richard Sutton, M.D.
None
^I`ru CLERK'S OFFICE
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Lou Franklin, Director of Health
Amy Cone, Assistant Director of Health
WICHITA CO. REPRESENTATIVE: Joe Miller, M.D.
WICHITA FALLS CITY COUNCIL: Councilor Ray Gonzales
WICHITA FALLS CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Matt Benoit, Assistant City Manager
MINUTES:
I. Call to Order
Dr. Richard Sutton called the meeting to order at 12:05 p.m.
II. Approval of Minutes
Dr. Richard Sutton requested a motion to approve the minutes of the December 6, 2006 meeting.
Bryan Press made a motion to approve the minutes. Dr. Kathy Sultemeier seconded the motion.
The motion carried.
No absentees was noted at this time.
III. Food Score Posting – Fernando Tezaguic, Environmental Health Coordinator
Fernando Tezaguic explained that currently the food scores are not posted. The scores that have
appeared on the Times Record News website is a result of open record request for food
establishment inspections from the newspaper. After the Times Record began to post information
on their website and run a story, retailers and the public community expressed it was not always an
accurate portrayal of the facts. Only a few of the inspections were listed so all the restaurants did
not receive equal press time no matter how well or how poorly they had done. He felt the need to
provide current detailed information to assure the public that establishment's problems are being
addressed and corrected. This is early in the process there has been no discussion with
Information Systems to establish a link on the city website where the inspections could be posted.
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It was discussed that the inspections are only a moment in time and that a restaurant could pass
and still have critical violations. It was also discussed that the score itself does not give an accurate
account but that the entire inspection would need to be listed so the public could see exactly what
violations there were.
Dr. Richard Sutton requested a motion for a web page to post food scores. Dr. Kathy Sultemeier
made a motion to recommend to the City Manager that restaurant inspections be posted on Health
district web site. Lauren Jansen, R.N.C. seconded the motion. Dr. Larry Rains, opposed the
motion. The recommendation will be taken forward for consideration by the City Manager.
IV. Trap Neuter and Release Feral Cats — Susan Morris, Zoonosis /OSSF Coordinator
Susan Morris discussed changing the current City of Wichita Falls animal control ordinance to
allow for Feral Cat colonies. The Animal Control Advisory Committee has made a recommendation
to move forward with the plan, which would allow a citizen to take responsibility for a feral cat
colony. They would be responsible for trapping an entire colony of cats having them spayed or
neutered, their ears clipped for identification, a rabies vaccination and assure the animals are
healthy enough for release. Before the citizen could begin the program they would have to seek
and receive written permission from neighbors prior to establishing a colony in the neighborhood.
The cost of the program would be the burden of the person accepting responsibility for the colony.
There is currently a feral cat abundance in the City, control methods have been unsuccessful.
Currently a trap is rented from Animal Control once captured the animal is taken to the reclaim
center for either reclaim by its owner or euthanasia. The cats do provide a natural control with the
rodent, wild birds and squirrel population. There was discussion about whether or people would be
interested since this would be a large financial burden to the citizen taking responsibility for the
colony. The board would like further research into the program to see how it has worked in other
communities and to also decide if there are any other possible funding sources for the program.
Dr. Larry Rains made a motion to pursue research into other communities and to explore possible
funding opportunities as well as determining community support for the program. Dr. Beverly Stiles
seconded the motion. The motion carried with no opposition.
V. Open Meeting Training Update — Lou Franklin, Director of Health
Texas Open Meetings Act training certificates are needed from Dr. Larry Rains and Dr. Kathy
Sultemeier. The web link will be emailed to them for their completion.
VI. Next Meeting Date
The next meeting will be held on April 27, 2007.
VII. Adjourn
Dr. Richard Sutton requested a motion to adjourn. The motion was made by Bryan Press and
seconded by Dr. Kathy Sultemeier. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 1:00
p.m.
Ch r, Vi hair, or Secretary -�
Pub c H alth Board
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