Minutes - December 12, 2019 - Board of Health Meeting

Members Present:

Ms. Trish Fulton (Chair)
Ms. Maureen Cassidy (Vice-Chair)
Mr. Ian Peer
Mr. Matt Reid
Mr. Michael Clarke
Ms. Arielle Kayabaga
Ms. Aina DeViet
Ms. Tino Kasi
Ms. Kelly Elliott

Regrets: Mr. John Brennan

Others Present:

Dr. Christopher Mackie, Secretary-Treasurer
Ms. Elizabeth Milne, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health and Communications Coordinator (Recorder)
Mr. Joe Belancic, Manager, Procurement and Operations
Mr. Jeff Cameron, Manager, IT
Ms. Laura Di Cesare, Director, Healthy Organization
Mr. Brian Glasspoole, Manager, Finance
Mr. Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager
Ms. Heather Lokko, Director, Healthy Start
Ms. Svetlana Mutlak, Executive Assistant
Ms. Melissa McCann, Acting Manager, Program Planning and Evaluation
Mr. David Pavletic, Manager, Food Safety and Healthy Environments
Ms. Kendra Ramer, Manager, Strategic Projects
Ms. Maureen Rowlands, Director, Healthy Living
Dr. Alex Summers, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Ms. Linda Stobo, Manager, Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control
Mr. Stephen Turner, Director, Environment Health and Infectious Diseases
Mr. Alex Tyml, Online Communications Coordinator
Ms. Lana Rothfels, Medical Student, Western University
Mr. John Cameron, Medical Student, Western University
Ms. Amanda Harvey, Project Coordinator, Strategic Projects

Chair Fulton called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.

Dr. Mackie noted that this would be Chair Fulton’s last Board meeting, and thanked her for her contributions to the Board of Health over the past seven years.

Vice-Chair Cassidy also offered her remarks, thanking Ms. Fulton for her time and commitment to the Board, the Middlesex-London Health Unit, and the community.

Mr. Peer provided an overview of some of the major public health milestones that Chair Fulton has supported and overseen during her time on the Board of Health. He noted, specifically, that Ms. Fulton served as chair of the Finance & Facilities Committee for five years – since the committee’s formation – and spent one year as vice-chair of the Board before agreeing to serve as Board of Health chair.

Chair Fulton thanked Board members for their thoughtful comments and their support over the years. She spoke of the educational value of volunteering and the experience she has gained through working with the Board of Health.

Disclosures of Conflict(s) of Interest

Chair Fulton inquired if there were any disclosures of conflicts of interest. None were declared.

Approval of Agenda

It was moved by Ms. DeViet, seconded by Ms. Elliott, that the AGENDA for the December 12, 2019 Board of Health meeting be approved, as amended. Carried

Minutes

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Reid, that the MINUTES of the November 21, 2019 Board of Health meeting be approved. Carried

It was moved by Ms. Kayabaga, seconded by Mr. Clarke, that the MINUTES of the December 5, 2019 Special Meeting of the Board of Health be approved. Carried

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the Board of Health receive the December 5, 2019 Relocation Advisory Committee meeting minutes. Carried

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the Board of Health receive the December 5, 2019 Finance & Facilities Committee meeting minutes. Carried

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the MINUTES of the November 21, 2019 Governance Committee meeting be received. Carried

Delegations and Reports

December 5, 2019 – Finance & Facilities Committee Meeting Update (Report No. 074-19)

Mr. Reid introduced and provided context for each of the reports that the Finance & Facilities Committee considered on December 5, 2019.

Update – Transfer of Services to Thames Valley Children’s Centre (Report No. 036-19FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Reid, seconded by Ms. DeViet, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 036-19FFC re: “Update – Transfer of Services to Thames Valley Children’s Centre” for information. Carried

Update – Great-West Life Benefits Renewal (Report No. 037-19FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Reid, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the Board of Health approve the extension of the current renewal period of the group insurance rates administered by Great-West Life as described in Report No. 037-18FFC re: “Great-West Life Benefits – Renewal Update.” Carried

2020–23 Board of Health Budget Submission (Report No. 038-19FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Reid, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the Board of Health:
1) Receive Report No. 038-19FFC re: “2020–23 Board of Health Budget Submission” for information; and
2) Direct Health Unit staff to work with the City of London to determine appropriateness of applying for Assessment Growth Funding in future years.
Carried

December 5, 2019 – Relocation Advisory Committee Meeting Update (Verbal)

Mr. Peer noted that the Relocation Advisory Committee approved its October 17, 2019 meeting minutes and the next meeting will be held in 2020.

Public Health Services in Middlesex County – Update (Report No. 075-19)

Chair Fulton introduced the report. She observed that some new board members may not have had an opportunity to review the “Public Health Services in Middlesex County” report, and opened the floor to comments and discussion, given that the report is new territory for most of the Board.

Discussion ensued on the following items:
• Where comments, suggestions, and feedback in regard to the report may be directed.
• The data which the comparators used in the report – specifically, how Middlesex County compares to the City of London versus the provincial data used in this report.
• If work is being done to disaggregate County data by municipality, as the municipalities are so diverse and as there are many different populations within the County.
• That comparing Middlesex County to provincial data was a strategic decision and a more objective comparator.
• That staff are currently considering and working toward developing health and community planning areas that will divide the County into geographic units more useful for purposes of data collection.
• How this work relates to the collection of data for the Community Health Status Resource.

Dr. Mackie noted that Health Unit staff would also accept an invitation to send a delegation to County Council to provide an update on the status of action items and this report.

It was moved by Ms. Elliott, seconded by Mr. Clarke, that the Board of Health:
1) Receive Report No. 075-19 re: “Public Health Services in Middlesex County – Update” for information; and
2) Direct staff to forward the update to Middlesex County Council.
Carried

Public Health Modernization Update – Consultation and Response (Report No. 076-19)

Dr. Mackie introduced the report. Dr. Summers then provided context, with an update on the consultation process, and outlined the steps that will be taken to conduct consultations with staff, Board, and community partners. Dr. Summers noted that the submission date for feedback is February 10, 2020.

Discussion ensued on the following items:
• How different ideas may be shared with the Board to ensure that all voices are heard/filtered/reviewed.
• What the consultation process might look like, how information and data from the discussion paper will be shared in order to generate discussion, and who will facilitate such discussions.

Mr. Clarke noted that he will respond to the consultation as an individual, not as a member of the Board – representing himself only – and encouraged others to do the same.

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Clarke, that the Board of Health:
1) Receive Report No. 076-19 re: “Public Health Modernization Update – Consultation and Response” for information;
2) Direct staff to conduct consultations with internal and external stakeholders to develop a comprehensive and unified Middlesex-London Health Unit response;
3) Direct staff to arrange for a focused off-site retreat in January 2020 for Board of Health consultation; and
4) Direct staff to arrange for a special board meeting in early February 2020 for approval of the MLHU response in anticipation of the submission deadline on February 10, 2020.
Carried

Summary Information Report for December 2019 (Report No. 077-19)

Mr. Stephen Turner, Director, Environment Health and Infectious Diseases, introduced Mr. David Pavletic, Manager, Food Safety and Healthy Environments, who answered questions regarding:
• Changes in food premise regulations that may have the potential to increase risk levels in certain situations, and how might the Health Unit respond to these risks.
• That all Public Health Inspectors work on risk-based assessments.
• Risks associated with the changes to food premise amendments. Mr. Pavletic emphasized that the areas proposed are low-risk food areas where prepackaged foods are present, and that staff have addressed the level of risk based on feedback from this consultation.

It was moved by Ms. Kayabaga, seconded by Ms. DeViet, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 077-19 re: “Summary Information Report for December 2019” for information. Carried

Medical Officer of Health/CEO Activity Report for December (Report No. 078-19)

Dr. Mackie provided an update for the Board regarding the recent Land Planning and Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) decision, which was successful in allowing the Health Unit to move forward with establishing a Consumption and Treatment Centre at 446 York Street. Dr. Mackie noted that there have been two separate appeals to the decision, but staff are optimistic nonetheless that everything will proceed in a timely manner.

Mr. Belancic provided further context and an update regarding these appeals.

It was moved by Ms. Elliott, seconded by Ms. Cassidy, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 077-19 re: “Medical Officer of Health/CEO Activity Report for December” for information. Carried

Correspondence

It was moved by Ms. Kayabaga, seconded by Ms. Elliott, that the Board of Health receive correspondence items a) through l).
Carried

Other Business

Chair Fulton reviewed the revised 2020 Board of Health meeting schedule, noting the dates of the January and February meetings.

It was moved by Ms. DeViet, seconded by Mr. Reid, that the Board of Health approve the revised 2020 Board of Health and standing committee meeting dates. Carried

• Next Finance & Facilities Committee meeting: February 6, 2020 @ 9:00 a.m.
• Next Governance Committee meeting: February 27, 2020 @ 6:00 p.m.
• Next Board of Health meeting: January 23, 2020 @ 7:00 p.m.

Chair Fulton also noted that there would be a Special Meeting of the Board of Health in early February to provide feedback on modernization consultations.

Confidential

At 6:20 p.m., it was moved by Ms. Elliott, seconded by Mr. Peer, that the Board of Health move in-camera to consider matters regarding a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial, financial, or labour-relations information, supplied in confidence to the local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization; a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial, or financial information that belongs to the local board and has monetary value or potential monetary value.
Carried

At 6:43 p.m., it was moved by Ms. Elliott, seconded by Mr. Clarke, that the Board of Health rise and return to public session.
Carried

At 6:43 p.m., the Board of Health returned to public session.

Adjournment

At 6:44 p.m., it was moved by Ms. Cassidy, seconded by Ms. DeViet, that the meeting be adjourned. Carried

TRISH FULTON
Chair

CHRISTOPHER MACKIE

Secretary-Treasurer