March 26, 2014 - Finance and Facilities Committee Public Minutes

Committee Members Present

Mr. David Bolton
Ms. Trish Fulton (Chair)
Mr. Marcel Meyer
Mr. Stephen Orser
Mr. Ian Peer

Others Present

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)
Ms. Vanessa Bell, Manager, Privacy and Occupational Health & Safety (Report No. 018-14FFC only)
Ms. Laura DiCesare, Director, Human Resources and Corporate Strategy
Ms. Alison Locker, Epidemiologist (Report No. 016-14FFC only)

Media Outlets

none

At 9:00 a.m., Ms. Trish Fulton, Committee Chair, welcomed everyone to the February Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC) meeting.

Disclosures of Conflict(s) of Interest

Chair Fulton inquired if there were any disclosures of conflict of interest to be declared. None were declared.

Approval of Agenda

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the Agenda for the March 26, 2014 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting be approved with the addition of Report No. 018-14FFC re Proposal for the Completion of a Workplace Violence Risk Assessment. Carried

Approval of Minutes

It was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the minutes of the February 12, 2014 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting be approved with an amendment made to page #2 under section 5.1. The minutes should read “It was agreed that performance measures should consider outcomes as well as outputs where possible.” Carried

The minutes were amended on the Health Unit website to reflect this change.

Business Arising from the Minutes

None

New Business

5.1 Ministry Funding Announcements – 100% Programs (012-14FFC)

Mr. John Millson, Director, Finance and Operations, reviewed the one-time funding letters received by the Health Unit for the Healthy Child Development Programs from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS). He clarified that the one-time funding was provided specifically to purchase consumables and upgrades in equipment. Discussion ensued about the sustainability of the programs if this funding were not provided in the future.

The Committee recommended that the Health Unit send a letter to the appropriate branch within the MCYS thanking them for the one-time funding and explaining that this Health Unit already subsidizes the program with local tax dollars. Therefore, the Middlesex-London Board of Health may have to decide in the future whether it can continue to administer the program on behalf of the seven other health units.

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Orser that the Finance & Facilities Committee make the following recommendations to the Board of Health:

1. To receive the one-time funding letters attached as Appendix A to Report No. 012-14FFC as information, and
2. To increase the operating budget for the Best Beginnings Team by $28,400 for one year only to be funded 100% by one-time grants from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, and further
3. To increase the 2014 operating budget for the Screening, Assessment & Intervention Team for one year only to be funded 100% by a one-time grant from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

Carried

The FFC agreed that it would consider similar one-time funding letters in an aggregate report at future meetings. If Committee members felt that one or more of the grants needed to reviewed in more detail, that grant always could be considered on its own with or without a separate motion.

5.2 2014 Ministry Grant Request – One-time Business Case re: Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) (013-14FFC)

Dr. Mackie assisted the Committee with its understanding of this report.

A suggestion was made to charge a nominal fee to those clients seeking NRT who can afford to pay something to encourage them “to invest” in their own smoking cessation efforts. This would also enable a greater number of clients to be able to receive NRT. Dr. Mackie will discuss this suggestion with the Tobacco Control and Chronic Disease Prevention staff.

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the Finance & Facilities Committee make recommendation to the Board of Health to authorize the Board Chair to receive the $27,000 grant if the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care approves the one-time Business Case for Enhanced Smoking Cessation funding for Nicotine Replacement Treatment, if approved, as presented in Appendix A to Report No. 013-14FFC. Carried

5.3 2013 Vendor / Visa Payments (014-14FFC)

Mr. Millson reviewed this report with the Committee. The report follows up on a request at the November 7, 2013 FFC meeting (Report 015-13C) for more information on corporate credit card use.

A discussion concerning the Health Unit’s procurement policies ensued. The Visa information requested by the FFC was duly reviewed by the Committee. It was noted that the Board of Health is required to receive a list of Vendors that received $100,000 or greater from the Health Unit.

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Orser that the Finance & Facilities Committee make recommendation to the Board of Health to receive Appendix A to Report No. 014-14FFC as information. Carried

5.4 Shared Library Services Agreement 2014/15 Funding Year (015-14FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the Finance & Facilities Committee recommend to the Board of Health to:

1. Review the 2014/2015 Transfer Payment Agreement as attached to Report No. 015-14FFC and authorize the Board Chair to sign the agreement; and further
2. Reduce the 2014 operating budget for Human Resources & Labour Relations by $7,525 to reflect the reduced grant.

Carried

5.5 FoodNet Canada’s Ontario Site – Memorandum of Agreement (016-14FFC)

Ms. Alison Locker, Epidemiologist, and Dr. Mackie assisted Committee members with their understanding of this report. Ms. Locker explained that the program involves purchasing food from large retail sites, independent food markets and butcher shops, for example, and to send the items to a laboratory for testing.

Discussion ensued about what designation the position would require (Public Health Nurse, Public Health Inspector or Epidemiologist) and program sustainability after the three years. Ms. Locker explained that the position description is still being developed, and she will ensure that program evaluation methods are discussed keeping program sustainability in mind.

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Bolton:

1. That the Board Chair sign the Memorandum of Agreement as attached to Report No. 016-14FFC, and further
2. That the 2014 operating budget be revised to include the 100% funding for the FoodNet Canada program of $159,383 as outlined in Table 1 of Report No. 016-14FFC.

Carried

5.6 Financial Policies – Status update (017-14FFC)

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Peer that the Finance and Facilities Committee that it recommend that the Board of Health receive Report No. 017-14FFC re “Finance Policies Internal Review Process” for information. Carried

5.7 Proposal for the Completion of a Workplace Violence Risk Assessment (Report 018-14FFC)

Ms. Vanessa Bell, Manager, Privacy and Occupational Health & Safety, assisted FFC members with their understanding of this report. Ms. Bell explained that once risk has been determined for all Health Unit positions and situations, training will be tailored to the level of risk.

It was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Peer that the Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC) recommend that the Board of Health receive Report No. 018-14FFC re “Proposal for the Completion of a Workplace Violence Risk Assessment” for information. Carried

Confidential

At 10:35 a.m., it was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Peer that the Finance and Facilities Committee move in camera to discuss a proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health. Carried

At 10:55 a.m., it was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the Finance and Facilities Committee return to a public forum and report that matters were discussed concerning a proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health. Carried

Other Business

Next meeting of the Finance and Facilities Committee is Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 9:00 a.m.

Adjournment

At 11:00 a.m., it was moved by Mr. Orser, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the meeting be adjourned. Carried

TRISH FULTON
Chair

CHRISTOPHER MACKIE
Secretary-Treasurer