Regular Commission Meeting Minutes
January 18, 2005
SEARHC Conference Room A
A. CALL TO ORDER
The Chair called the meeting to order at 12.10 pm.
B. ROLL CALL
Present: Ms. Cynthia Dennis, Ms. Martina Kurzer, Ms. Trisha Miles-Diehl, Ms. Patricia AtkinsonGuest: Ms. Lisa Sadleir-Hart
C. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS AND GUESTS
The Chair introduced the guest speaker, Ms. Lisa Sadleir-Hart, whose presentation was entitled, “Is Our School Food Environment Supporting our Children's Health?”
PRESENTATION: Healthy School Food
Ms. Sadleir-Hart talked about prevalence of weight issues among Alaskan children and its causes and consequences. She likewise described the competitive foods sold in schools which she said undermine a healthful school food environment. The second half of the presentation focused on a review of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Nationwide School Vending Machine Survey and that of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) recommendations.
Among her recommendations to the Commission were to:
- Access CSPI's School Foods Toolkit from their website, http://www.cspinet.org/schoolfoods;
- Conduct a Sitka vending machine survey and present results to student councils and School Board;
- Create a working group of students, parents, teachers, health professionals, food service staff to address the competitive food issue in Sitka;
- Adopt the CCPHA's Competitive Food Standards for Sitka's schools;
- Urge Sitka schools not to raise money by selling junk food to kids and instead, develop creative fundraising strategies; and,
- Encourage schools to pilot a program to improve school foods and beverages.
She pointed out efforts in the community towards promoting a healthy school food environment. She said that Ms. Nancy Cavanaugh, a high school health teacher and a pediatric nurse practitioner, has been talking to “powers-that-be” in the high school to take out the vending machines. At the Pacific High School, students are very concerned about school food and they have been doing some independent research on their own under Mr. Phil Burdick's tutelage. The school also has a school breakfast program which Ms. Sadleir-Hart said is funded through a grant. She also mentioned that the dental community is very concerned about soda consumption that they would be good allies for pulling something together along with the schools' parent advisory committees.
Ms. Miles-Diehl suggested asking high school seniors to do a vending survey as a senior school project, which members agreed is a good idea. Ms. Sadleir-Hart offered to help the students with the survey.
Ms. Sadleir-Hart stressed that the Commission is in a strong position to petition the School Board to talk about healthy school food environment. She suggested concentrating on competitive foods because it is more doable.
The Chair proposed getting parents' associations and Turning Point involved in the effort. Ms. Sadleir-Hart advised the Commission to contact the school principals too.
E. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (DOES NOT REQUIRE A MOTION)
Ms. Atkinson clarified about an item in the minutes that says about her doing a research on assisted living. The Chair recalled that the research would focus on (a) finding out if somebody was working on creating an assisted living facility currently in town, and (b) putting agenda items that would involve assisted living. Ms. Atkinson said she'll try to put together an overview on assisted living for the next meeting.
Since there were no objections to the minutes, the Chair deemed it approved.
F. ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA
- NoneG. COMMUNICATIONS
- NoneH. REPORTS:
1. Chair - None2. Vice Chair
She informed the Commission that she joined the Alaska Tobacco Control Alliance which holds a quarterly membership meetings in Anchorage. She mentioned that Ms. Buckingham is also a member of the group.
3. Assembly Liaison - None
4. City Staff - None
I. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
- NoneJ. OLD BUSINESS
1. DISCUSSION AND UPDATE ON SCHEDULE FOR NEXT WORK SESSION WITH THE ASSEMBLY
The Chair stated that Assembly Liaison Mr. Dapcevich will set it up with the Assembly and give the date in March. She will follow up on this.
2. BICYCLE ORDINANCE
Ms. Kurzer said that she sent the draft to the City Attorney's office for corrections and the City Administrator will sponsor the ordinance. She will follow up on this.
3. UPDATE ON SMOKE OUT BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Ms. Diehl informed the Commission that she was on the radio that morning to talk about the Smoke Out Basketball Tournament that will be held that weekend. She said everything was all set and it will be videotaped by John and Sharyn Ferrick. Sgt. Ed Green will be in charged of the list for the raffle and the admission, a copy of which will be furnished to the commission secretary for any questions on the collections for the scholarship. On the question of Ms. Kurzer's question about making the donations tax-deductible, Ms. Miles-Diehl said that the donors will be given a receipt for the total amount donated. She also sought the approval of the Commission to announce that the Commission will make it an annual event to raise money for the Mary Sarvela scholarship fund.
4. UPDATE ON WOMEN AND WELLNESS CONFERENCE
Ms. Kurzer distributed flyers for the Women and Wellness Conference slated the following week. On a question from the Chair on how to register, Ms. Kurzer said to call the UAS. There will be scholarships available.
5. UPDATE ON SCH and SEARHC
The Chair stated that Bill Patten has resigned as administrator. The hospital board is planning to petition the assembly to make the hospital board an elected board. Ms. Miles-Diehl added that Mr. Lee Bennett will be the acting CEO/CFO with Phill Welch as administrator of long term care.. The hospital board likewise made a resolution supporting the nursing program at the UAS. The Chair also said that the hospital has just hired a nurse practitioner, who will practice at Mountainside Clinic.
K. NEW BUSINESS
1. EMPLOYEE HEALTH PROGRAMS - WELLNESS PROGRAMS
Due to lack of time, the Chair deferred discussion on the subject to the next meeting but reminded the members to do independent research and come up with some ideas to present to the group as far as how the Commission can advance employee wellness program for the City employees.
Ms. Kurzer stressed that she feels that first aid and CPR should not be part of the proposed employee wellness program.
2. SURVEY FOR HEALTH FAIR (FEBRUARY 19TH) AND GET VOLUNTEERS FOR STAFFING BOOTH
Ms. Kurzer pointed out that the survey is incomplete if non-traditional measures such as acupuncture, yoga, feldenkrais, and others are not incorporated. She likewise raised the question who will compile the data. She concurred with the Chair that the survey would give the Commission some answers or ideas on where to focus its future work. It doesn't have to be scientific because they don't intend to write a paper or present the results as scientific.
Ms. Atkinson remarked that the healthy survey is basically a health assessment for the participants of the health fair. She said she doesn't see how the survey is going to help the Commission determine its direction, saying that she is not even sure what the purpose of the survey is. She pointed out that it's not a scientific survey and it's not a scientific sample. It doesn't tell anything about people of Sitka but only about people who came to the Health Fair. She didn't concur with the idea that the Commission should decide its focus and direction based on the survey results.
The Chair explained that her original goal for the survey was to find out where the gaps in services are and how these can best be addressed, what kind of services that are needed but are not being offered in Sitka, etc. She raised concerns about who's going to pay for the printing costs, the clerical staff to collate the results, and what the Commission will do with the results. She offered to talk to the Assembly Liaison and ask if the City would be willing to shoulder the costs. On the point raised by Ms. Atkinson about the sampling, she said that the survey could still give some valuable information on what the important needs are for those people coming to the fair. She suggested that the members should go over the questionnaire again and make the final decision in the next meeting.
Ms. Miles-Diehl stated that the Assembly wants to see the Commission interacting with the community and getting some questions answered. She volunteered to help out staffing the booth. The Chair said she will be at the health fair the whole day. Ms. Kurzer begged off because she has her own booth at the fair.
L. NEXT MEETING: FEBRUARY 15, 2005, 11:30 AM AT SITKA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Ms. Kurzer said that Mr. Doug Osborne and Ms. Julia Smith would be presenting about Turning Point and more particularly about making Sitka the first community in Alaska to meet certain standards for a healthy city designation.
Ms. Atkinson suggested including a discussion on organizing a youth advisory committee in the next month's agenda. The committee will be a way for the Commission to get input from the youth and get their involvement on some projects. She offered to organize and lead the group.
The members agreed with the idea and the Chair said it will be included in the next month's agenda.
M. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 1:25 pm.
PREPARED BY:
MARIA FINKENBINDER
Contract Secretary