Members Present: Commissioners: Mike Shelton, William J. Byrd and Mac McDowell; Barbara Saugen, WGH Commissioner; Patty Cohen, Mayor of Oak Harbor; Roger S. Case, MD, Executive Secretary to the Board.

Members Absent: Captain Susan B. Herrold, Commanding Officer of Naval Hospital Oak Harbor, Ex Officio Member

Call to Order: Chairman Mac McDowell called this Special Session of the Island County Board of Health to order at 1:16 p.m.

Agenda: As this was a Special Session, there were no additions or changes to the agenda.

Minutes: Mayor Cohen moved that the minutes for the January 9, 2006 meeting be approved as written. Barbara Saugen seconded and the motion passed for the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board.

Waiver – Mike Rembert:

Keith Higman, Environmental Health Director, summarized the Staff Report written by Chris Wilson, Environmental Health Specialist on Camano Island. Chris Wilson and Bill Lee, licensed designer, visited the Rembert’s property for the purpose of a site evaluation to determine if the property could support an on-site sewage system. It was determined by staff that the site was not capable of supporting an on-site sewage system. On October 6, 2005, the applicant requested an appeal of this decision. The applicant’s letter references both an appeal and a waiver. Keith Higman clarified that both actually apply in this case. For the purposes of this meeting, the applicant is asking for a waiver to the 12-inch permeable soil requirement. It is staff’s opinion that the correct decision was made based on the availability of minimum separation.

Mike Rembert, property owner, acknowledged that Chris Wilson did a good job of evaluating the soils and that the lot is short of permeable soils. Mr. Rembert described his proposed building plan for the property and contended that a Glendon system would be well suited to the development of this property. Mr. Rembert offered to reuse the existing soils taken from excavation on the site to build up the proposed Glendon area up to 18 inches. Commissioner Shelton reminded the Board that code requires 12 inches of native soil. Soil moved from foundation work would be considered foreign soil. Commissioner Shelton noted that the Board would be creating precedence by waiving the minimum soil requirement. Additionally, perks were done in the summer and not during our wet winter conditions. Commissioner Shelton advised that this Board couldn’t rewrite State or Island County code to permit this waiver.

Commissioner McDowell asked for a clarification on the reference to a Class C waiver permitting the right to waive the standard. Keith Higman responded that he has not been involved with a Class C waiver in his tenure as Environmental Health Director. The procedure for a Class C waiver would be for the Board to be supportive of the waiver request and then send that information to the State Board of Health with affirmation that they are appropriately addressing the standards.

Commissioner Shelton moved for denial of the waiver. Barbara Saugen seconded. The vote was unanimous to deny the waiver.

Board of Health – Minutes of February 13, 2006

Page 2

Appeal – Raftis (continued from December 19, 2005 Board of Health):

This appeal request has been continued since initially being placed on the August 15, 2005 Board of Health agenda. Kerry McDonald, Health Department staff, contacted Ann Raftis prior to this meeting and she asked to have her appeal request withdrawn. Chairman McDowell said the Board would accept that the appeal is withdrawn.

Advisory Board Reports:

Stanwood-Island County Public Health & Safety Network: Patti Carroll, Coordinator for the Network reported that they have drafted an action plan and it has been submitted to Olympia. The Network plans to focus on respite and emergency childcare and will also work to reduce multiple out of home placements. She advised that the Network’s funding has been cut by 40% this biennium so is struggling with a limited budget.

CHAB (Community Health Advisory Board): David Macys updated the Board on CHAB’s activities in their priority health issues.

EHAT (Environmental Health Assessment Team): Jim Patton updated the Board on the EHAT’s two major core issues: dumping and walkability. Economic, educational and enforcement elements will be addressed in each issue.

Recess: The Chairman called a short recess at 3:05 p.m.

Reconvene: The Chairman reconvened the meeting at 3:10 p.m.

Contracts: The contracts were presented as a group for consideration.

1. Department of Health – Consolidated Contract

Contract No. C13034, Amendment No. 7

Contract Amount: $999,583

Amendment Amount: $ 50,924

2. Department of Ecology – Coordinated Prevention Grant

Contract No. G0600221

Contract Amount: $103,744

3. Compass Health – Behavioral Health Specialist

Contract No. HD-08-06

Contract Amount: $ 14,000

4. South Whidbey School District – Bottled Water

Contract No. HD-09-06

Contract Amount: $ 24,000

5. Whidbey General Hospital – Grant Writing

Board of Health – Minutes of February 13, 2006

Page 3

Public Input or Comments: As this was a Special Session, there was no public input or public comments.

Adjourn: There being no further business, Commissioner McDowell adjourned the meeting at 3:16 p.m. The next Board of Health will be a Regular Meeting held on March 20, 2006.

Submitted:_______________________________________________

Roger S. Case, MD, Executive Secretary to the Board

Minutes approved this 20^th day of March 2006

_______________________________________________

Wm. L. McDowell, Board Chair