HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-10 - Minutes -
Fayetteville City Board of Health
10/11/2023
4:30 p.m.
Room 326 & Virtual Meeting
Members: Hershey Garner, Lenny Whiteman, Huda Sharaf, Gary Berner, Stephanie Ho
Ex-Officio Members: Meredith Lowry, Richard Taffner, Lance Reed, Lioneld Jordan, Brad
Hardin
Health Officer:
Guest: Stephen Boss
Meeting Location Information:
City Hall Room 326
REGISTRATION LINK:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W4BqtyEjTlKhw8ARMsuSUw
Webinar ID
857 3252 9349
1. Call to Order and Roll Call – Hershey Garner, Chair
2. Approval of the July 12, 2023 minutes
a. Approved by Stephanie Ho
i. Seconded by Gary Berner
3. Covid 19
a. Cases
a. Huda Sharaf stated cases started peaking a few weeks ago, but nowhere
near previous years, now seeing a decline
b. Testing
a. Hershey Garner questioned tracking of numbers for RSV and Influenza
i. Lenny Whiteman stated he did not have numbers. Will share with the
board via email
b. Gary Berner stated a couple weeks before school started, Community Clinic
data in Washington and Benton County were seeing a concerning rise.
Positivity rate jumped from less than 5% to over 30%. Testing was increased
and they continued to see high numbers. Mid-September to October
numbers really dropped off and numbers are back down to a 5% positivity
rate
i. RSV is low
ii. Steady increase in Flu
iii. Patients have not been acutely ill
iv. Flu has not gone down like Covid
c. Hershey Garner questioned if it is due to higher penetrance with Covid
Vaccinations as opposed to flu
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d. Gary Berner stated less flu vaccines have been giving out the last couple of
years
e. Hershey Garner stated he would like to see data for Influenza, Covid and
RSV over the last three or four months, and year to year. He stated he feels
we are out of the pandemic phase, and this is going to be an issue we are
going to have to deal with. It is no longer a stressor issue on the health care
like the last three years.
f. Gary Berner stated the little blip in July-August was nothing compared to
previous surges as new variants came out
g. A discussion continued regarding collecting data for Influenza, Covid and
RSV
c. Hospitalizations
a. Huda Sharaf asked Lenny Whiteman if WRMC is seeing a decrease in
hospitalizations
i. Lenny Whiteman stated WRMC had seen a slight increase since July
1. July - seeing one to two patients a day
2. August - seeing an average of 5 patients a day
3. September into October has decreased
4. Larger activities such as football games
5. Trend is going back in the right direction
6. Nothing compared to the levels and ICU numbers that were
being seen in early 2022
d. Vaccinations
a. Gary Berner stated he is excited about the Beyfortus RSV vaccine especially
in the infant population. He stated the clinic was able to get flu vaccinations
for children in record time this year
e. Dashboard
a. Hershey Garner stated he did not believe the dashboard is being updated
b. Huda Sharaf stated last she knew a public health intern was assigned
through the NWA Council, but last word was is it did not take off
c. Hershey Garner stated he feels the four data points will be able to give all the
data needed for Fayetteville
4. Washington County Sheriff’s Office Healthcare Provider
a. Sarah Moore stated she spoke to the board in 2022 when the Washington
County medial contact quickly came up for bid. She stated the bid had not
come up for bid in 5 or 6 years previous and the same provider Karas Health
Care provided service
1. Due to the quick time period in 2022 and during the holiday time
period, a lot of providers were not able to participate in the bid
process
2. Karas Health Care retained the medical contract for $2.4 million
3. Contract states mental health care is supposed to be provided at
the facility
4. Sherriff Cantrell stated despite some conversations about the
quick time frame this would be bid again in the next year. He
recently stated, it will not go out to bid until 2024
5. She spoke about the federal lawsuit regarding consent of
treatment around Covid that was filed with the ACLU. She stated
it is now settled but not sure of the full agreed terms.
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6. Folks that were detained stated they did not give consent to the
medications that were provided when being seen by Dr. Karas
team during the treatment of Covid
7. Has been contacted by individuals in her Ward who have
expressed outstanding concerns about their loved ones being
detoxed from things like fentanyl without medical intervention, very
little inaction with staff, and concerns about serious mental illness
8. Population runs about 800 and about 30% are Fayetteville
residents
b. Huda Sharaf questioned the bid process and asked if it could be moved up
earlier
c. Hershey Garner stated he felt the Quorum Court would want to have a dog in
the fight, tax dollars are being spent without bid
d. Beth Coger stated she contacted 13 different agencies across the country
asking them to bid on it. A couple she contacted stated they would have to
look at the jail, study data, no one could make an intelligent bid in the time
period the County had it up. She stated at the time it was her understanding
they would bid it again this year but when it was brought up at a County
Services meeting the Sherriff said no, it would not be bid this year.
e. Hershey Garner questioned if the Quorum Court could request for it to be
rebid
f. Beth Coger stated she could bring a resolution to that effect
g. Hershey Garner stated he felt there are two issues
1. Adequacy of the care for the inmates, which is what the board
would be looking at,
2. The physical responsibility for taxpayer dollars to get what they
are paying for and getting a responsible rate would be the Quorum
Courts responsibility
h. Sarah Moore asked if the board would consider submitting an
encouragement letter to the County. Competitive bidding allows for many
providers to participate.
i. Beth Coger stated she spoke with Sheriff Cantrell asking if he would do away
with or lowering the $20 co-pay for those incarcerated to see the doctor. She
was told no one is denied medical service. She said she is not aware if the
people in jail who need medical care are aware of it.
j. Huda Sharaf questioned if it is standard operating procedure within County
jails
k. Beth Coger stated yes, it is for Benton and Pulaski County. The State of
Department of Corrections charge no more than a $5 co-pay
l. Hershey Garner stated there is a significant difference between an inmate
having an issue they want someone to address and charging a copay. There
should be no co-pay when you take someone off the street
m. Beth Coger stated mostly what she hears about are people that are in jail and
not feeling well. Their families are struggling to keep money in trust accounts
so they can have something from the commissary.
n. Gary Berner stated as this comes up for re-bid, he would like to see 4 or 5
bids, and see data behind the quality and value of the work
o. Huda Sharaf stated there should be some oversight, checks and balances in
place
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p. Hershey Garner stated the County should have a guideline as to when the
RFP needs to go out and it should be longer than 30-90 days to allow folks to
put together their information
q. Beth Coger stated she is not aware of any oversight
r. Gary Berner stated he appreciates the awareness and need to make sure all
people are cared for and have the best access to good care
s. Huda Sharaf stated if any information comes up, please share it with the
board
5. Dr. Sharkey resignation from Board of Health – Effective 9/25/23
a. Hershey Garner stated Marti Sharkey provided an incredible service and
thanked her for her work and service to the citizens and community at large
b. Huda Sharaf echoed Hershey and stated she served as a great point person.
She filled her role and then some as the City Health Officer. Huda
questioned what the plan would be moving forward?
c. Hershey Garner stated he would like to follow up with the Mayor. He stated
no longer being in a pandemic situation he is not sure there is a lot for a City
Officer to do
d. Lance Reed stated he was disappointed that Dr. Sharkey was not adequately
compensated for her hard work during the pandemic
6. Other
a. Huda Sharaf spoke about a locally acquired Malaria case that was being
reported on the national news in Saline County
7. Adjourn