07/25/2022 Minutes Health MeetingCITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF JO1NT HEALTH SPECIAL MEETING
July 25, 2022
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Special Joint Meeting of the City Council of the City of
Grand Island, Nebraska, the Hall County Board of Commissioners, the Hamilton County Board
of Commissioners, the Merrick County Board of Commissioners, and the Central District Health
Department was conducted at the Grand Island Police Department, 111 Public Safety Drive,
Grand Island, Nebraska on July 25, 2022. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island
Independent on July 22, 2022.
Central District Health Department (CDHD) Board President Ron Peterson called the meeting to
order at 6:00 p.m. Present for the meeting were: CDHD Board members: Chuck Haase, Traci
Dieckmann, Tom Weller, Shay McGowan, Cory Rush and Dick Phillips. Others attending were:
Hall County Commissioners Shay McGowan, Pam Lancaster, Gary Quandt, Karen Bredhauer,
Scott Sorensen, Hall County Clerk Marla Conley; Grand Island Mayor Roger G. Steele, City
Councilmembers Vaughn Minton, Chuck Haase, Mitch Nickerson, Mark Stelk, City
Administrator Jerry Janulewicz, Finance Director Patrick Brown, and City Clerk RaNae
Edwards. Hamilton County Commissioner Roger Nunnenkamp; Merrick County Commissioner
Tom Weller, Holly Solt, and Traci Dieckmann; and Aurora City Councilmember Dick Philipps.
Health Department employees: Teresa Anderson, Cindy Valdez, Mike Bockhoven, Liza Thalken
and Bridget Miller.
CDHD Chairman Ron Peterson welcomed those attending.
Pandemic — Protectin� our most at risk population: Executive Director Teresa Anderson reported
on the annual rakings (2022) of how health was influenced by where we live, learn, work and
play. Hall County ranked in the lower middle range of counties in Nebraska regarding health
outcomes and was ranked among the least healthy counties in Nebraska regarding health factors.
Hamilton County ranked among the healthiest counties in Nebraska in both health outcomes and
health factors. Merrick County ranked in the lower middle range for both health outcomes and
health factors.
She stated COVID-19 had an impact on people in long term care and assisted living (LTC and
AL). COVID-19 also had an impact on rural communities and on diverse populations. She stated
infection control and prevention support was their primary goal when working with LTC and AL
facilities and that CDHD ensured these facilities were equipped with personal protective
equipment, testing supplies, vaccines, onsite and remote infection prevention consultation, as
well as environmental cleaning supplies.
Ms. Anderson stated the CDHD was the only Nebraska health department to be awarded a
$100,000 BLOC COVID-19+ grant. She explained the goals of the grant project.
Page 2, City Council Joint Health Meeting, July 25, 2022
Liza Thalken presented the National Association of County and City Health Officials which was
awarded the NACCHO PAVE Project for $100,000. The goal of this project was to increase their
capacity to address disparities in COVID-19 and influenza vaccination coverage among racial
and ethnic minority adults to increase vaccination uptake. She mentioned the Rapid Community
Assessment (RCA) was a process to quickly collect community insights about a public health
issue and review existing data and conducting community-based interview, surveys, etc.
Reviewed was Long COVID which was defined as symptoms lasting three or more months after
first contracting the virus, and that they didn't have prior to their COVID-19 infection.
Budget Overview: Executive Director Teresa Anderson stated they were asking for an increase
of 10% in local funding this year. Total local request for 2022-23 was $298,733. She explained
that existing/new revenue resources were largely restricted and they had not asked for ARPA
fund. It was essential to retain current staff and they would like to have additional staff hiring's.
She stated community needs continue to increase and change and the outreach program was to
meet people where they were.
Bridget Miller, Accountant presented the CDHD local requests for funding over the past ten
years. Reviewed were the revenues and expenses over the past seven years. The majority of
expenses were due to personneL
Ms. Anderson answered questions regarding the Opiod funding.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:08 p.m.
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RaNae Ed�vards
City Clerk