Board of Health

EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 20, 2022 MEETING MINUTES Meeting Call to Order – 5:49 PM Board President Christine Harris read the following Sunshine Law: This meeting, which conforms to the provisions of the Open Public Meeting Act, Chapter 231, and Public Law of 1975, is a regular meeting of the City of East Orange Board of Health. Notices have been filed with our official newspaper, with the City Clerk, and posted on regular bulletin boards. The public is permitted to participate at this meeting. Zoom Communication ID: 890 6443 7011 Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89064437011?pwd=cUUzdm9Ib3l0dXF1Z1R2QWtNUkZCZz09 After the roll call, it was determined that there was a quorum to convene the meeting. Board Members Present: Christine Harris, President Horace H. Henry, Vice President Tobbia M. Corbitt - absent Deanna Phillips Angela Jones-Williams Dr. Tonya X. Cook Council Liaison: Tameika Garrett-Ward - absent Board of Health Counsel: Attorney Javonna Baker - absent Health Department Staff: Yvonne Blake, Acting HHS Director Lia Hodges, Manager Mayoral Staff: None Guests: None Public in attendance: pg. 1  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 20, 2022 None Approval of November 15, 2022, Meeting Minutes: Approved Unanimously President Harris Announcements: New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference President Harris shared that she attended November's League of Municipalities conference and listened to the commissioner's address, which was highly informative. Commissioner Persichilli focused on communicable diseases across the state and the rise in cases, including flu and COVID variants. Still, RSV and other typical flu viruses for the season are included in it. Director Blake/Lia Hodges Updates: Food Floor Plan Director Blake shared that she would work with Mr. Henry and her team to create a process for those looking to open a business in our City. VP Henry shared that the food floor plans relate to the floor plans for restaurants or retail food establishments. The food floor plans are created when there is new construction or a major renovation of these establishments. The applicant is supposed to submit a detailed floor plan of the layout of the food service area, including storage. The reasoning is to ensure these establishments have the proper set-up prior to the finished construction so they can comply with our certificate of occupancy inspections. Often the Health Department is not advised or included in these discussions, which leads to the establishment needing to comply with food safety requirements or possibly having to spend additional money to remediate violations. In addition, an improper layout can lead to food safety issues such as cross-contamination, improper disposal of mop water or cleaning materials, and other violations. President Harris asked if the Board needed to draft a resolution to ensure the Health Department receives the plans. VP Henry stated he is working to determine a solution for this issue, but a resolution is not required. REHS Inspectors Director Blake shared that she is looking to hire, at minimum, one additional REHS inspector. Additional staff will deter the inspectors from being stretched too thin and will allow the inspectors to perform various inspections as required. Air Quality Report President Harris stated that the Board still needs to receive a copy of the air quality report. Director Blake contacted Director Bell to retrieve a copy of the report from Air Quality Control, the external company that performed the inspection. Lia stated they initially passed the inspection in the originally concerned areas; however, once additional holes were found in the roof, potential mold was discovered. Therefore, we asked Air Quality Control to come back to inspect the new areas to ensure they do not have mold. As a result, DPW sealed the holes pg. 2  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 20, 2022 and painted windowsills impacted by lead in the previously reported areas. We are seeking information regarding who supplied the roof work, as we were told the roof was recently repaired. Once we identify the company, we will ask them to return and fix any roofing issues. President Harris asked if OSHA was informed of the additional issues. Lia stated they were informed, and a comprehensive report will be forthcoming. Departmental Assessments Director Blake is working with Lia to create a list of rules and regulations to manage the department's efficiency. The list will address issues such as timeliness in reporting to the office, lunch breaks, reporting complaints, etc. These are some of the issues Director Blake encounters with some staff members. Dr. Cook suggested creating a 30-day improvement plan for those who fall out of the scope of their job roles and responsibilities. Implementing the 30- day improvement plan will ensure staff can course-correct before disciplinary actions are taken. President Harris recommended that managers participate in the BOH meetings beginning in January to ensure the Board is provided with accurate updates regarding the department's daily operations. WIC Updates: Program Guide Chesney stated that WIC has a new program guide. In addition, there is a new director at the State Department for WIC. The new Director is very digital-focused, so we may receive updates in the coming year regarding digitizing WIC. President Harris asked if their location could accommodate any future digital updates. Chesney remarked that her division would need a better phone system and digital platforms, which will be universal for WIC programs state-wide. President Harris asked if the State would provide funding for the updates. Chesney stated she is unsure but assumes so if they are looking for the digital services to be uniform. Office Relocation President Harris asked if the search is continuing for a new WIC location. Chesney stated that Lia is managing the relocation process. President Harris asked if Lia had provided Chesney with any locations she deemed favorable. Chesney stated that the current location on Grove Street, where Substance Abuse is currently housed, was presented as an option. President Harris asked would the location have enough space and be convenient for the clientele. Chesney stated that the location has a lot of space and would provide convenience for her clientele as it is close to a bus route. However, she would like a more modern space to provide the best service for her clientele. President Harris asked if the other locations previously mentioned were ruled out and if the State would provide funding for relocation. Chesney stated that the other locations were deemed too expensive to fix. Chesney shared that the State does not currently have any funding for relocation. It is announced yearly; however, she will apply once notified of additional funds. pg. 3  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 20, 2022 Clientele President Harris asked if there had been an increase in WIC clientele. Chesney shared that there has yet to be an increase in clientele occurring state-wide. All WIC programs tend to trend alongside the State. Public Comments Chesney shared that there is a new public comments section at the USDA level regarding the new food list for WIC. They're trying to revamp it to modernize it. The process will occur over 90 days, with the last day to submit comments being February 21st. The document comprises about 70 pages to allow clientele to comment on what they liked or disliked in their food package and what could be added. President Harris asked whether Chesney had had an opportunity to review the documents. Chesney replied that she hadn't had an opportunity to review it but would do so shortly to see if anything needed to be addressed. Chief REHS Updates: Environmental Division President Harris congratulated Vice-President Henry on his new position as the Chief REHS for the Health Department. President Harris asked Vice-President Henry to share the conditions of the Environmental Division. Vice-President Henry stated that the Environmental Division comprises himself, three REHS inspectors, and a secretary. Open Mold Cases VP Henry shared that the MILS has approximately 60 open mold cases. One of the inspectors was advised to manage the mold complaints for the City; however, since the State does not regulate mold, we need to be equipped to remediate those cases. President Harris asked how long an inspector takes to determine if mold is present. VP Henry stated that to make that determination, samples would be collected and sent to a lab, which can be done via a mold remediation company, not through the City. However, we can make suggestions upon viewing the possible mold/mildew and checking for moisture before closing the cases. MILS Database Vice-President Harris shared that he is trying to revamp the process for completing the retail food inspections. The MILS database for logging and monitoring the inspection due dates needs to be updated. Vice-President Henry shared that the inspections have a yearly due date in the MILS system. Vice-President Henry advised the staff to perform inspections more frequently, particularly those with a higher-class ranking, as no legislation prevents them from doing so. In addition, the database needs to track the number of retail food establishments in the City; however, the version we are using does not have the capacity to do so. There is an additional fee to implement those features. The secretary collected approximately 350 businesses from Licensing and inputted the data into the template shared by Mr. Henry. We will use the pg. 4  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 20, 2022 template to supplement the existing MILS database to provide more accurate data and tracking. Another issue is that only the REHS inspectors can access the MILS database. Vice-President feels the Director should also have access to the MILS. President Harris remarked that Mr. Henry would be responsible for the number of inspections performed by his staff and would share that with the Director. Vice-President Henry explained that while he can act as the liaison between the inspectors and the Director, he would prefer that the Director also have access to the template. Attorney Baker Updates: Barbershop, Nail Salon, and Cosmetology Ordinances President Harris asked for an update on whether the previously submitted Barbershop, Nail Salon, and Cosmetology ordinances must be retyped to include the revisions. Attorney Baker stated she communicated to the Board and Director Blake issues with formatting and its contradictory nature to the existing ordinances. Director Blake and her team would have to review the legislation, provide the updates, and prepare it for submission to the Health & Education committee. Cannabis Updates Attorney Baker shared that Rosemarie Matos is the contact for all cannabis-related matters and should be copied on any communication sent so she can respond adequately. Open Discussion: Meeting with Mayor Green President Harris shared that she, VP Henry, and Mrs. Corbitt met with the Mayor to discuss issues within the Health Department. President Harris suggested that we include HR and the BA in the next meeting so we can all be on the same page regarding staffing and other internal issues. VP Henry VP Henry announced his resignation as a Board member and shared that he has enjoyed his tenure serving on the Board. VP Henry reminded the Board that he would remain in contact as he shares updates as the Chief REHS. President Harris thanked Mr. Henry for being an outstanding VP and for all his contributions as a member of this Board. Board members concurred, stating Mr. Henry will be genuinely missed. At the conclusion of Board business, President Harris adjourned the meeting at 7:17 pm. Respectfully submitted, Jo-Ann Mills Board Clerk pg. 5  EAST ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH City of East Orange REGULAR MEETING East Orange Department of Health & Human Services NEW JERSEY 143 New Street East Orange, New Jersey 07017 December 20, 2022 pg. 6