7/29/2024 Minutes CITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF JOINT HEALTH SPECIAL MEETING
July 29, 2024
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
Depaitiiient was conducted at the Grand Island Police Department, 111 Public Safety Drive,
Grand Island, Nebraska on July 29, 2024. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island
Independent on July 23, 2024.
Central District Health Department (CDHD) Board President Ron Peterson called the meeting to
order at 6:00 p.m. Present for the meeting were: Mayor Roger G. Steele, City Councilmembers
Chuck Haase, Mitch Nickerson, Mark Stelk, Jack Sheard and Mark Stelk. City Administrator
Laura McAloon, City Clerk Jill Granere and City Attorney Kari Fisk. Health Department
employees: Teresa Anderson, Cindy Valdez, Nicole Placke, Karly Simonson, Jonna Mangeot,
Jeremy Collinson, Liza Thalken, Rachel Sazama, Deb Niles, and CC Webb.
CDHD Chairman Ron Peterson welcomed those attending.
Executive Director Teresa Anderson & Staff presented highlights of the past year. Mentioned
were the Community Health and Assessment Plan of 3 Priorities:
• Access to Care
• Mental Health Services
• Accessibility of Quality Childcare
Mentioned was the DHHS Stabilization Funds which provided one-time funds for:
• Utility payments
• Rent
• Childcare
• Healthcare
Mentioned were ARPA Funds were used on Capital Improvements including ADA Accessible
restrooms, new flooring, underground sprinklers, new shingles, two new vehicles and
rebranding.
Staff gave an update on the Lead Paint Risk Monitoring Program. Currently there are 89 kids
with lead poisoning in the district.
Mentioned were the WWTP Viral Load testing and the area was seeing spikes in COVID right
now, the district is third highest in the state. Soon they will be testing for RSV and Influenza.
There has been one confirmed West Nile case in the district.
Community Health Manager Nicole Placke reported the COVID grand was ending this year.
Mentioned were their availability to give vaccines to children 0-18 who are American Indian
Page 2,City Council Joint Health Meeting,July 29,2024
Alaska Native, Medicaid, uninsured or underinsured. Vaccines for adults were only for those
who were uninsured. They were able to do private pay vaccines for Shingles, Rabies and Flu
which is a huge source of income.
Mentioned was the refugee program: (Traditional Refugee, Asylees and Humanitarian Parolee).
She stated there were 1922 new refugees primarily from Cuba in the last 14 months.
Mentioned were the average monthly appointments from March—February was 562 and in 2024
there was 7,085 shots given which excluded COVID and Flu Vaccines.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
Jill Granere
City Clerk