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WC CWF Health District Board Minutes - 02/22/2013WICHITA FALLS - WICHITA COUNTY' PUBLIC HEALTH BOARD MINUTES February 22, 2013 Wichita Falls- Wichita County Public Health District 1700 Third Street - Parker Conference Room Wichita Falls, Texas MEMBERS PRESENT: Board Members David Carlston, Ph.D., Chair Scott Plowman, Vice -Chair Kirk Harlow, Ph.D., Secretary Michael Lamar, M.D. Jane Leach, Ph.D. MEMBERS ABSENCE EXCUSED: Clay Clark, D.V.M. Tracy Hill, D.D.S. Lou Kreidler, R.N., B.S.N. Director of Health Amy K. Fagan, M.P.A. Assistant Director of Health Glen Minter, M.D. Associate Health Authority Kevin Hugman Assistant City Manager Not Present Council Liaison Not Present County Commissioner I. CALL TO ORDER & INTRODUCTIONS Health Director Lou Kreidler called the Health Board meeting to order at 12:05 pm since the board was without officers due to the three termed members had been the officers. II. BOARD APPOINTMENTS The induction of new Health Board members was conducted by Janice Flores, Notary. Dr. Kirk Harlow was inducted into the County appointed Citizen At -Large vacancy left by Robin Moreno. Dr. Michael Lamar was inducted into the City appointed Practicing Physician vacancy left by Dr. Richard Sutton. Dr. Jane Leach was inducted into the City appointed Registered Nurse vacancy left by Dr. Lauren Jansen. III. ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS Lou Kreidler opened nominations for the Health Board Chair. Scott Plowman introduced a motion to nominate Dr. David Carlston and Dr. Kirk Harlow seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was turned over to elected Chair Dr. Carlston. RECEIVED IN CITY CLERK'S OFFICE DATE:. -A7 -._ BY: h4- TIME: %: 2---Z-A L< Dr. Carlson opened nominations for the Health Board Vice - Chair. Dr. Jane Leach introduced a motion to nominate Scott Plowman and Dr. Michael Lamar seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Dr. Carlson opened nominations for the Health Board Secretary. Dr. Michael Lamar introduced a motion to nominate Dr. Kirk Harlow and Dr. Jane Leach seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ABSENCES Dr. Carlston called for the review and approval of minutes from the last meeting held on October 26, 2012. Scott Plowman introduced a motion to approve the minutes as presented and Dr. Michael Lamar seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. At this time it was noted the excused absence of Dr. Clay Clark and Dr. Tracy Hill. V. RESTRAINT ORDINANCE Lou Kreidler stated for the new members that the last Health Board meeting discussion was on the Restraint Ordinance an initiative from the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee (ASAC) meeting. When taken to the ASAC meeting the decision was made not to present to Council instead to discuss the ordinance and options at the February 4th Strategic Planning Session. At that session the following three options was presented for consideration to move forward with the ordinance. Option 1: Leave the current ordinance which is unenforceable. An Animal Control Officer to enable enforcement would need to monitor for the entire three hour time limitation an animal can remain on a chain. In addition no Animal Control Officers are on duty from the hours of 10 pm to 6 am when an animal cannot be chained. Option 2: Allow chaining only when the individual is physically present with the animal. The option was derived from Commissioner Gonzalez concern at the last Health Board meeting. He had remarked his wife takes their dog out when she works in the yard but the dog would run off if they did not chain the dog. Lou Kreidler stated the option would help meet the need for those with these dogs with a total ban in place they would not be able to do that. Option 3: A total ban on chaining under no circumstances would allow the chaining of an animal. The individual would have to hold the chain or leash which addresses the City's leash law in that if the animal is not in a fenced or contained area they have to be held by a leash. Lou Kreidler commended Katrena Mitchell the Animal Services Administrator and Miles Risley the City Attorney on -their diligent work on the ordinance. Lou Kreidler included since the previous Board meeting the Mayor had met with three representatives from a nonprofit organization whom want a total ban on chaining. He stated a nonprofit organization would need to be in place to offer assistance with the installation of a fence or enclosure for a number of individuals per month that applied and meet the requirements of the organization to move forward and approve a total ban. Leslie Harrelson with Preventing Euthanasia Through Sterilization (P.E.T.S.) is to head the organization not yet named, so naturally a requirement would be the animal be spayed or neutered since their goal is more animal sterilization. Lou Kreidler asked the Board for a recommendation on whether to go forward to Council with the total ban on chaining or allow chaining only when in the presence of the animal. Scott Plowman commented being the only one at the last meeting that voted to leave the current ordinance was out of concern for the low income citizen but now with available help they would possibly not have to give up or euthanize their dog. At the same time did not think dogs should be chained but something needed to be done. it Dr. Leach agreed with option 2 that when working in the yard you may have your dog tethered. Dr. Harlow questioned whether option 2 could be worded differently. He understood the difficulty to enforce the current ordinance but concerned that the elderly would need to be out with the dog during inclement weather. Lou Kreidler responded that it is strictly an enforcement issue that we do not have the number of officers and resources necessary to enforce, that concern was expressed not to make the ordinance further unenforceable. Miles Risley replied the current ordinance is a valid policy that we cannot enforce with the proposed options enforceability is evident. Dr. Carlston in terms of enforcement with the penalty up to $500 for violation would there be some discretion in terms if you are complying. Miles Risley stated warnings are not prohibited. The enforcement officer can give a warning then the prosecutor has the discretion on how to handle with the $500 penalty a lesser amount could be established by the judge especially for first, second violations. Katrena Mitchell added that they educate, explain the ordinance and given time to correct the situation. Lou Kreidler stated when an ordinance passes Council normally it goes into effect in 30 days should Council pass it would be effective in 180 days. The Mayor wanted the nonprofit organization to have adequate time to form, gain funding and apply for grant funds to assist low income citizens in need of a fence or enclosure. On that day an educational campaign is set to begin to do a mass campaign with the media, newspaper and communicate with those residences with chained dogs. Dr. Minter suggested that the restraint ordinance had to originate from neglect, abuse and injury to pets. Lou Kreidler responded research shows continually chained dogs tend to be aggressive and territorial. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the dogs most likely to bite are chained unneutered males. That is where it originated and to the abuse and neglect Animal Control had 17 seizures last year and 11 were chained animals. Dr. Minter stated to legislate illegal chaining that does not change the person's actions it changes what they do in a different way the animals would continue to be neglected because of the people. Lou Kreidler responded what it would do is force people to get the animal off the chain and build a secure fence or enclosure. Dr. Carlston believed the idea is if they are neglecting their dog behind the fence, inside the house that dog is not going to aggress against another person. The action we are being asked to consider is not to revisit the existing law and remove it, it is whether or not we want to leave as is which is the dog can be kept chained for 3 hours unattended which the problem with that it is unenforceable or one of the alternate options. Scott Plowman stated citizens are not to leave a dog out at night currently. Katrena Mitchell replied that the first sentence in the ordinance is if the chain limits the dog or animals movement it becomes a judgment issue. Scott Plowman asked if the dogs are on a long chain they can live outside 3 Katrena Mitchell replied that is when the qualifications come in for the 10 pm to 6 am with the cold and hot weather. Our estimate is there are between 11 and 12,000 dogs chained in the community. Lou Kreidler stated that at the last Board meeting the only option was an ordinance that banned tethering and the Board motioned to recommend that ordinance to Council for approval. Since then another proposal was established and with three new Board members we wanted an opportunity to present the current options to ask the Board again for a recommendation to present to Council. Dr. Carlston requested a motion to accept Proposal 2 as written to be presented to City Council. The motion was made by Dr. Lamar and seconded by Dr. Leach. Motion passed unanimously. Lou Kreidler noted we work attentively with our constituents to offer assistance to become compliant with the law expressing we do not want their animal in the shelter. VI. HEALTH COALITION APPOINTMENT Amy Fagan, Assistant Health Director an affiliate with the newly formed Health Coalition of Wichita County advised it is the first time anyone can remember that all the leaders of the health community convened. The current 33 member Coalition meet at lunch once a month that Dr. Harlow co- chairs with Mike Bullitt of HealthSouth. The goal is to establish a community health improvement plan accumulate the plan information analyze the various health indicators to access the improvement made in the community. Amy Fagan asked the Health Board for a representative to be on the Health Coalition to represent the Board at the meetings and report back to the Board. Dr. Carlston opened nominations for a Health Board representative to be on the Health Coalition. Dr. Lamar introduced a motion to nominate Scott Plowman and Dr. Leach seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. VII. NEXT MEETING DATE April 26, 2013 VIII. ADJOURN Dr. Carlston requested a motion to adjourn. The motion was made by Dr. Harlow and seconded by Scott Plowman the motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 12:45 pm. Signature Print Name Chair of the WFWC Public Health Board Title 4