Piscataquis Public Health Council

Piscataquis Public Health Council Meeting
August 8, 2001
Mayo Regional Hospital, Dover-Foxcroft

Present: Sharon Foster, Community Partnership Director; Sherry Gaudet, SAD 68 school nurse; Susan Crippen, North Country Healthy Communities; Tom Lizotte, Mayo Regional Hospital; Ardis Porter, Moosehead Mfg. occupational health nurse; Les Butler, SAD 41 Supt.; Val Heal, Penquis CAP.

Visitors: Shauna Poulin and Mary Bourque, state Bureau of Health; Claudette Bean, Medical Care Development.

Under old business, meeting opened with updates by Sharon Foster on:

Hiring of School Health Coordinators. SAD 46, after readvertising for the position, has a local candidate who is ready to accept. The district is holding off on making an offer to the candidate, in light of Sharon Foster's decision to resign as Community Partnership Director, effective Aug. 23. Members discussed Sharon's impending departure, and the prospect of filling the Community Partnership Director position with a local candidate who is familiar with the project and has already expressed interest in the vacancy. It was agreed that SAD 46 should proceed with hiring its SHC, while the Council also went forward with filling the Partnership Director post. Advertising for the second SHC position to be shared by SAD 4, 41, 68 and Union 60 will begin after the SAD 46 position is filled.
Recruiting new members. Participants discussed the need to broaden Council membership and the challenges to sustaining a community coalition.
Dover-Foxcroft Homecoming. Sharon staffed a display booth for the Council during the Dover-Foxcroft Homecoming celebration on Aug. 4. She has developed a handout that explains the Council's mission.
Legacy Grant. Sharon reported that the grant application has been submitted and it will be October before we hear word on acceptance.

Under new business:

It was agreed to hold off on conducting community assessments until more direction is forthcoming from the state.
Sharon reported that a public service, anti-tobacco radio spot is now running on WDME, and another is being prepared for WGUY.
A one-page story on the Council's anti-tobacco program will appear in Mayo Regional Hospital's quarterly community newsletter, which will be mailed to 13,000 area households on Aug. 17.
PPHC will have an anti-tobacco booth at the Piscataquis Valley Fair Aug. 23-26. The PTM race car will be available at the fair for one day on Aug. 24.

Meeting adjourned. Next meeting: TBA in September after new Community Partnership Director is hired.

Minutes submitted by Tom Lizotte