Board of Health — Skokie, IL
Date: 2022-11-10

Skokie Board of Health
 Thursday, November 10, 2022
 7:00 pm
 Board of Health Members
 Zoom/Virtual Meeting


 AGENDA


 Due to the level of COVID-19 cases, this meeting is being held virtually. Members of the public who wish to comment as to
 an item on the published agenda must submit their statement or question in writing to Michael Charley,
 michael.charley@skokie.org and all properly submitted statements or questions will be presented to the Board of Health
 members and be made part of the record. Written comments also may be submitted by email to
 publiccomments@skokie.org by mail to Village of Skokie, Attn: Michael Charley with the Skokie Health Department, 5127
 Oakton Street, Skokie, Illinois, 60077; or via the Village’s drop box located by the public entry to Village Hall.


I. Call to Order

II. Approval of Agenda

III. Approval of Minutes, October 13, 2022

IV. Chair’s Report, Dr. Linn

V. BOH Member Introductions, Background and Interest in BOH membership

VI. Emergency Financial Assistance & Assist a Family Program Presentation, Mike Charley, Director of Health and Human
 Services

VII. Director’s Monthly Report, Mike Charley, Director of Health and Human Services

VIII. Old/New Items of Business
 A. BOH Onboarding Subcommittee

IX. Public Comments

X. Adjournment




 Next Meeting: November 10, 2022, 7:00 p.m.




Document Number: 602607 Version: 1

Skokie Board of Health
 Thursday, November 10, 2022
 7:00 pm
 Board of Health Members
 Zoom/Virtual Meeting


 MINUTES

Present: BOH Chair: Dr. Edward Linn; BOH Members: Dr. Swapna Dave, Maureen Hanlon, Dr. Girija Kalyan Kumar, Heidi
Nickisch Duggan, Dr. Jeremy Schwartz, Jan Shiffman, Dr. Kyungran Shim, Romil Sood, Patricia Urbanus, Ruth Varma, Dr. Michael
Vernon, Dr. William Werner, Sibyl Yau; Staff: Mike Charley,

Absent: BOH Members: Dr. Bruce Gaynes, Juliet Haido, Margaret Keeler, Juliet Haido, Rohit Pandya, Irtaza Usman, Dr. Larry
Williams, Emeritus Member: Dr. Michael Drachler; Trustee Liaison Keith Robinson, James Johnson; Staff: Jennifer Davis,
Cameron Hendricks

Link to meeting on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaVpSgC87hw

I. Call to Order @ 7:00 PM

II. Approval of Agenda: Approved via consent.

III. Approval of Minutes, October 13, 2022: Approved via consent.

IV. Chair’s Report, Dr. Linn: Dr. Linn presented information on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza. He
 recommended individuals get vaccinated for COVID-19 and influenza. Dr. Linn provided an overview of RSV and how it
 affects young children and older adults. He presented information on the modes of transmission of RSV. Dr. Linn
 congratulated Sybil Yau to her new role as “Vice Chair”. Maureen Hanlon asked what is the procedure for nominating
 a BOH member for Vice Chair? Dr. Linn provided that under the Village Code it outlines the process where the Mayor
 has the authority to appoint all Chairs and Vice Chairs with the approval of the Village Board. Maureen voiced her
 concern that the Caucus party controls things and questioned why the BOH members were not consulted. Dr. Swapna
 Dave shared that she would like to understand the process on appointing chairs and vice chairs also. She requested
 additional information at a future meeting. Mike Charley walked through what he knows of the appointment process.
 Charley communicated that the Mayor had reached out to Mike for Mike’s recommendation on a Vice Chair. Charley
 did make the recommendation to the Mayor to appoint Sibyl Yau, due to Sibyl’s contribution to both the IPLAN
 community health assessment planning committee and her participation in the Village’s Environmental Sustainability
 Planning Team. The Mayor communicated that he wanted to make the appointment at the first Village Board meeting
 in November, which is when the Mayor and the Village Board voted to approve Sibyl as Vice Chair. Maureen Hanlon
 thanked Mike for this response. Heidi Nickisch Duggan communicated that she would have preferred that Sibyl’s
 appointment was brought to the BOH for input, prior to the actual appointment. She recommended a shift in culture
 to make the process more transparent. Sibyl Yau communicated that she is honored to accept the Vice Chair
 nomination and position.

V. BOH Member Introductions, Background and Interest in BOH membership: Sibyl Yau communicated that she would
 like to get to know all BOH members better and many BOH members share this. Yau communicated that she will be
 working off-line with a small group of BOH members to create a process to collect information on the different BOH
 members (via survey) that will help BOH members get to know each other better. That information for each BOH
 member can be included within the newly developed BOH document. Charley recommended that future meetings are
 held in person and we use future meetings to get-to-know each other better. Maureen in chat recommended possibly
Document Number: 602913 Version: 1
 featuring a member at each meeting. Charley recommended that BOH members are surveyed with specific questions
 that would elicit a response with information that can be shared with other BOH members. Dr. Linn communicated
 that this is something that needs to be worked on. Introductions were tabled for now, but a future agenda will be
 dedicated to getting to know each other better.

VI. Emergency Financial Assistance & Assist a Family Program Presentation, Mike Charley, Director of Health and Human
 Services: Mike Charley provided an overview of both programs. EFA is an ongoing program that provides financial
 assistance to qualifying individuals that are past due on rent, mortgage or utility bills. AAF is a seasonal program where
 HHS provides for gift cards during the winter holidays to families that have experienced undue financial hardship over
 the last calendar year.

VII. Director’s Monthly Report, Mike Charley, Director of Health and Human Services. Mike Charley provided updates on
 COVID-19. He also provided information on the Village’s ongoing IPLAN community needs assessment process, asylum
 seekers being housed in Skokie, an upcoming community blood drive at Village Hall on December 1, communicated
 that RSV, influenza and COVID are all increasing and creating issues with ICU availability around specific parts of the
 State of Illinois and introduced Amy McManus (new HHS Disease Investigator position). Dr. Linn reinforced that
 individuals need to stay ‘up-to-date’ on their COVID vaccines to ensure the vaccines are as effective as possible.
 Vaccinations still reduce severe illness and hospitalizations. Dr. Linn recommended that all BOH members be
 advocates with both influenza and COVID vaccinations.

VIII. Old/New Items of Business
 A. BOH Onboarding Subcommittee: Heidi Nickisch Duggan shared a draft BOH member “Handbook and Onboarding
 Guide” document that she started with an initial draft and was reviewed prior to this BOH meeting by a small
 group of BOH members, including Sybil Yau and Swapna Dave. The current document would include 1) a welcome
 letter, 2) purpose of BOH, 3) BOH ordinance language, 4) statement of conduct/ethics, 5) required Open Meetings
 Act Training and other training, 6) calendar/schedule of events, 7) BOH member bios, contact information, 8) HHS
 Department contacts and 9) important links. It was also discussed providing each new BOH member with an
 “onboarding buddy” to help with the new member’s transition to the BOH. There was some discussion about also
 surveying other boards and commissions, possibly reaching out to their chairs to discuss their onboarding. It was
 recommended by Dr. Linn to include something regarding introducing all new BOH members to the Village’s
 Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and encourage application to the MRC. Dr. Werner and Maureen Hanlon
 communicated that they will also be open to participating in the small group meeting off-line.
 B. MRC: Clinical backgrounds only? A question was raised whether MRC members be licensed medical professionals.
 Charley communicated he would follow-up to determine whether this is true.

IX. Public Comments: No Public Comments

X. Adjournment @ 8:00 PM, First by Hanlon, Second by Yau




 Next Meeting: November 10, 2022, 7:00 p.m.




Document Number: 602913 Version: 1