Minutes of

Officers in Attendance:

• Mel Knight, Chair, Director, Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, Sacramento, CA
• Keith Krinn, Chair-Elect, Environmental Health Administrator, Columbus Health Department, Columbus, OH
• Charles D. Treser, Treasurer, Senior Lecturer, Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
• George Morris, Trustee, Manager, Waukesha County Environmental Health, Waukesha, WI
• Elwin Coll, Trustee, Director, Environmental Health Services, Macomb County Health Department, Mt. Clemens, MI (Retired)

Officers Absent

• David Riggs, Secretary, Environmental Health Specialist, Wahkiakum County Health & Human Services, Cathlamet, WA
• Laura Studevant, Trustee

Also Present:
• Thomas Wittkopf, Program Manager, Marathon County Health Department, Wausau, WI
• Ronald Freeman, Assistant Environmental Health Administrator, Volusia County Health Department, Deland, FL
• Bruce Chelikowsky, Deputy Director, Division of Facilities and Environmental Engineering, Indian Health Services, Rockville, MD
• Art Banks, FDA
• Holly Coleman, Environmental Health Director, Chatham County (N.C.) Public Health Department
• Captain John Steward, Deputy Director, Office of Commissioned Corp. Personnel, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Arturo Aguirre, Environmental Health Director, Los Angeles County Health Department

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Knight called meeting to order at 10:10 a.m.

MINUTES

Minutes of the May 10, 2004 annual business meeting in Anchorage, Alaska were distributed. A motion was made by Treser, supported by Coll, to adopt the minutes. The Motion Carried.


TREASURER’S REPORT

Treser distributed three-page Treasurer’s Report that consisted of a Statement of Receipts, Expenditures, and Cash Balance, May 1, 2004 – April 30, 2005; Transactions Listing; and copy of the Bank Statement. The report shows a credit of $700.00, debits of $1,900.21, and a balance of $4,311.33. A motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report was made by Morris and seconded by Wittkopf. The Motion Carried.

CHAIR’S REPORT

Knight noted that the web site the major expense for the year, but that it was also the major accomplishment. He noted that there are now links to the state organizations, and the Larry Gordon papers were added. It was generally agreed that the content should continue to expand and the contact in place with Tim Snellings should continue as well. Knight also brought up the issue of membership maintenance. He mentioned that NEHA has offered to track dues for $1.00 per member. Knight felt this option needed to be explored before next year’s dues were payable. A discussion followed: Chelikowsky said that Uniform Services are presently paying their dues through NEHA. Treser offered a word of caution. He said NEHA was notorious for billing problems, with checks not being deposited timely and financial reporting being very late. Krinn said he thought if we decided to go with NEHA, it should only be for dues, not membership data management. Banks asked where the money would be deposited by NEHA. Coll said we would essentially pay NEHA for the service of collecting dues. Knight indicated the deposits would go directly into our account and unlike EHAC (where the problems Treser alluded to were mentioned) NCLEHA is an affiliate.

OLD BUSINESS

Knight brought up the issue of membership. Should there be a new category – Retired? Should there be an Agency Membership allowing up to three memberships per agency?

Krinn brought up the resolution made by Knight at the Anchorage Meeting that provided $500.00 to support a new environmental health leader attending the next NEHA AEC here in Providence. That motion carried last year and yet was not fulfilled. Discussion followed and there was general agreement that an attempt should be made for San Antonio. However, it was also mentioned that $500.00 was not enough to pay for someone’s trip to the AEC in total. Also, there was no selection mechanism in place. Per Tackitt’s motion, an ad hoc committee was supposed to be formed for the selection process. Additionally, a motion by Knight also carried that a similar project as approved for new managers be looked at for E.H. students for the following year. No action taken.


NEW BUSINESS

Krinn began a discussion about a strategic plan for NCLEHA involving an affiliation with state EH Director’s Forums, whatever they may be called. He said the best way to increase NCLEHA’s membership was though the state forums. He mentioned California had an EH Director’s association that was highly developed. Knight then gave a greater detail about the California organization and pointed out that each health department pays annual dues. Treser mentioned that in the State of Washington the EH Directors forum is housed in the Washington Association of Counties and that WEHA has more or less turned into a labor group. Krinn described both the Michigan and the Ohio system. Michigan’s is older, more formal, and operates as a “forum” under the Michigan Association of Local Public Health. Ohio’s is more informal, with the “Greater Ohio” EH Directors, consisting of the ten largest departments meet quarterly in Columbus.

Krinn agreed as Chair to send a letter to each state affiliate asking if there was an environmental health director’s group in their state and if so, ask the affiliate president to forward the letter to them. The letter would then ask the state group if there was a desire to affiliate under NCLEHA. Knight thought the NCLEHA Website could be greatly utilized with state participation. He also indicated a great issue now would be nationwide credential reciprocity. Aguirre said that you run into problems when comparing the NEHA Exam and registration process with the State of California’s, which is very dissimilar.


ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Under the NCLEHA By-Laws, only the offices of Chair-Elect, Treasurer, and two Trustees become vacant this year and need to be filled.

• Under the NCLEHA By-Laws, Chair-Elect Keith Krinn will assume the Chair at the conclusion of today’s meeting.

• Holly Coleman was nominated for Chair-Elect. There was a motion to close nominations and the Motion Carried. A motion was made and seconded to elect Coleman by acclamation. The Motion Carried – Coleman elected.

• Chuck Treser was nominated for re-election to Treasurer. There was a motion to close nominations and the Motion Carried. A motion was made and seconded to elect Treser by acclamation. The Motion Carried - Treser elected.

• Art Aguirre and Ronald Freeman were nominated for Trustee positions. There was a motion to close nominations and the Motion Carried. A motion was made and seconded to elect Aguirre and Freeman by acclamation. The Motion Carried – Aguirre and Freeman elected.

ITEMS FROM BOARD

Council of Delegates and Affiliate Presidents Meetings – Newly appointed Chair Krinn will represent NCLEHA at the Council of Delegates. Knight already represented NCLEHA at the earlier Affiliate Presidents Meeting at this NEHA Conference.

ITEMS FROM MEMBERS

Chelikowsky introduced John Steward, who is the new Region 10 RVP. Region 10 is our region.

ITEMS FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORGANIZATION

Coleman moved that the AEC costs for a new Environmental Health Manager be provided by NCLEHA for the next two years and that Krinn use his judgment for the award for the first year. Chelikowsky added the name must be run by the Executive Board. The motion was seconded by Morris. The Motion Carried.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

None

Chairman Knight announced meeting adjournment at 11:00 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,


Keith L. Krinn, Chair
National Conference of Local Environmental Health Administrators