December 12, 2013 - Minutes

Members Present:

Mr. David Bolton
Ms. Denise Brown (Vice-Chair)
Mr. Al Edmondson
Ms. Trish Fulton
Mr. Marcel Meyer (Chair)
Mr. Stephen Orser
Mr. Ian Peer
Ms. Viola Poletes Montgomery
Ms. Nancy Poole
Mr. Mark Studenny
Ms. Sandy White

Regrets:

None

Others Present:

Mr. Wally Adams, Director, Environmental Health and Chronic Disease Prevention Services
Ms. Laura DiCesare, Director, Human Resources and Corporate Strategy
Mr. Dan Flaherty, Manager, Communications
Mr. Ross Graham, Manager, Strategic Projects
Dr. Christopher Mackie, Medical Officer of Health & CEO
Mr. John Millson, Director, Finance and Operations
Ms. Sherri Sanders, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health (Recorder)
Mr. Alex Tyml, Online Communications Coordinator
Dr. Bryna Warshawsky, Associate Medical Officer of Health and Director, Oral Health, Communicable Disease & Sexual Health Services

Media Outlets:

Mr. Dan Brown London Free Press
Mr. Craig Gilbert London Community News

Board of Health Chair, Mr. Marcel Meyer, called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest:

Chair Meyer inquired if there were any disclosures of conflict of interest to be declared. None were declared at this time.

Approval of Agenda

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Studenny that the AGENDA for the December 12, 2013 Board of Health meeting be approved. Carried

Approval of Minutes

It was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Peer that the MINUTES for the November 21, 2013 Board of Health meeting be approved. Carried

Committee Reports

1) Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC) Report, November 28th Meeting (Report No. 130-13)

Ms. Trish Fulton, Chair of the Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC), introduced Report No. 130-13 re the November 28 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting.

Business Arising from the November 28, 2013 FFC meeting

Dr. Mackie presented a draft completed 2014 Planning & Budget Template that was prepared by Environmental Health staff to demonstrate the process staff will use to determine a draft budget for programs.

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Mr. Edmondson that the Board of Health approve the draft Planning & Budgeting Template as attached as Appendix A to Report No. 020-13C. Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Ms. Brown that Report No. 130-13, including the draft public minutes of the November 28, 2013 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting, be received for information.
Carried

Action Reports

2) Proposed Dates for 2014 Board of Health and Finance & Facilities Committee Meetings (Report No. 131-13)

Concern was expressed that the meeting date of February 20th would be a potential conflict with those planning to attend the alPHa Symposium February 20-21, 2014. The date February 27 was suggested as an alternative. It was agreed that the February Board of Health meeting date will be discussed at the January 16th meeting.

It was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Peer that the proposed meeting dates be approved, noting that the February meeting date is still to be decided. Carried

3) Building The Best Board: A Governance Committee (Report No. 132-13)

Dr. Mackie presented this report, recommending that at its January meeting, the Board create a Standing Committee to review Board member recruitment, Board education objectives, code of conduct, Board evaluation and other governance issues. The Governance Committee, which would most likely meet quarterly, would replace the ad hoc committee that was struck to review the Board Self-Assessment tool.

It was suggested that the Board consider a two-year appointment of Board of Health Chair to ensure more continuity. This suggestion will be discussed at the January Board of Health meeting.

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Mr. Studenny that the Board of Health support the development of a draft Terms of Reference for a Governance Committee to be reviewed at a future meeting. Carried

Ms. Poletes Montgomery arrived at 6:30 p.m.

Information Reports

4) A Review of the 2003 Mandatory Health Programs and Services Guidelines Gap Analysis (Report No. 133-13)

Dr. Mackie assisted Board members with their understanding of this report using Appendix A.

Discussion ensued about encouraging the Province to provide more funding to the Health Unit in order to bring the cost-shared arrangement up to 75% provincial / 25% municipalities. Dr. Mackie reported that alPHa is looking for a more rational way to allocate increases, e.g., population based or social determinants of health based.

Mr. John Millson, Director of Finance and Operations, reported that based on a survey this Health Unit conducted in 2012, 19 out of the 36 health units were not at the 75%/25% cost-sharing arrangement.

In reference to a question about per capita spending of health units, Dr. Bryan Warshawsky referred Board members to Report No. 131-12 that explained per capita spending using the most recent data (2007).

Mr. Millson reported that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has provided $8 million to the Middlesex-London community to improve public health. He also reminded Board of Health members that the Health Protection and Promotion Act states that the government may provide a grant.

It was moved by Ms. Brown, seconded by Ms. Poletes Montgomery that the Board of Health advocate to the Provincial government to provide an appropriate level of funding to reach the 75% provincial / 25% municipal cost-shared arrangement to bring the Middlesex-London Health Unit back into alignment with other Health Units in Ontario. Carried

Dr. Mackie reported that staff will collect current information about per capita funding across comparable Ontario health units and present the findings at a future Board of Health meeting.

It was moved by Ms. Brown, seconded by Mr. Orser that the Board of Health receive Report No.133-13 re A Review of the 2003 Mandatory Health Programs and Services Guidelines Gap Analysis for information. Carried

5) Medical Officer Of Health Activity Report – December (Report No. 134-13)

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Ms. White that the Board of Health receive Report No. 134-13 re Medical Officer of Health Activity Report – December for information. Carried

Dr. Mackie introduced Ms. Laura Di Cesare, the incoming Director of Human Resources and Corporate Strategy, who has been working part time with Ms. Louise Tyler, Director of Human Resources and Labour Relations, until Ms. Tyler’s retirement at the end of 2013. Ms. Di Cesare will begin full time at the Health Unit in January 2014.

Confidential

At 6:50 p.m., it was moved by Mr. Studenny, seconded by Mr. Peer that the Board of Health go in camera:

1. To discuss personal matters about an identifiable individual, and
2. To discuss a proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health

Carried

At 7:15 p.m., it was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Studenny that the Board of Health return to a public forum and report that progress was made in personal matters about an identifiable individual and matters concerning a proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health. Carried

Report from In Camera Session

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Ms. White:

1. That the Board of Health endorse the reappointment of provincial appointee, Ms. Viola Poletes Montgomery, whose current appointment expires February 28, 2014, for an additional 2 years; and further
2. That a letter endorsing this reappointment be sent to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Carried
It was moved by Mr. Edmondson, seconded by Ms. Poletes Montgomery:

1. That the Board of Health endorse the reappointment of provincial appointee, Mr. Mark Studenny, whose current appointment expires April 10, 2014, for an additional 2 years; and further
2. That a letter endorsing this reappointment be sent to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Ms. White that the Board of Health congratulates everyone at the Health Unit who was part of initiating the Program Budgeting and Marginal Analysis process (PBMA) on producing a comprehensive document that will definitely assist the Board of Health in making decision that make the most efficient use of Health Unit funds. Carried

Correspondence

Chair Meyer reported that Ms. Trish Fulton has been reappointed for a three year term that runs until January 28, 2017.

There were no questions about the correspondence.

Other Business

Next scheduled Board of Health Meeting: Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.

Adjournment

At 7:30 p.m., it was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Ms. Poole that the meeting be adjourned. Carried

MARCEL MEYER
Chair

CHRISTOPHER MACKIE
Secretary-Treasurer