West Windsor Board of Health posts annual report; officials flag bird flu, respiratory uptick and lower dog-license compliance

West Windsor's Board of Health reviewed its 2024 annual report at the Feb. 10 meeting and said the report will be posted to the township website after members have a final chance to suggest edits.

The report documented an expanded health-education program last year — including 92 health-education activities, 43 community events, 31 senior-center events, 75 lessons at schools and day cares, and 17 clinic tabletop exercises — work officials said was possible because staff hired and funded during COVID-19 grant cycles were transitioned into outreach roles. "We will post the board of health annual report to the website," said Jill, a public‑health staff member who presented the report. Resident Warren Mitlak told the board he could not find the report on the website before the meeting: "I wasn't able to find it on the website," he said.

The board cautioned that federal funding that supported the expanded outreach is scheduled to end June 30, 2024, and that the department will not be able to sustain the same level of programming without new funding. Board members asked for improved website navigation and more graphics in future quarterly updates.

Nut graf: The meeting combined routine approval items with public-health updates. Officials focused on three items with potential local effects: continuing respiratory‑virus surveillance and public guidance, enforcement of the township's lead-safe/lead-free rental certification requirement, and a decline in dog licensing that township staff say they will address through outreach.

On respiratory illness and immunizations, the board reviewed the state surveillance report for the week ending Feb. 1. Presenters said emergency-department visits, hospital admissions and influenza A signals in wastewater have risen recently; COVID‑19 levels are elevated but lower than last summer's peak; and RSV wastewater signals have recently declined. "If you have not been updated, this may be a time to consider doing so," Jill said, referring to flu and COVID‑19 vaccines; the presentation noted the 2024–25 influenza vaccine and the current COVID‑19 vaccine match the predominant circulating strains.

Officials also discussed highly pathogenic avian influenza. The presentation cited CDC reporting that, nationally, 68 confirmed human cases and seven probable cases have been reported; the presenter said that as of Feb. 10 there were no reported human cases in New Jersey and no evidence of sustained person‑to‑person spread. The board advised residents who keep backyard poultry to report sick or dead birds to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and, for wild birds, to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection hotline; the presenter said the township will add clearer links and hotline numbers to the health department web pages and will issue an e‑bulletin with guidance. The board reiterated standard precautions: avoid contact with sick or dead birds, do not consume raw unpasteurized milk, cook poultry, eggs and beef to safe internal temperatures, and wash hands and gear after outdoor recreation near large concentrations of waterfowl.

On lead-safety enforcement, staff said that, under the township's lead-certification timeline, 76 rental properties have obtained a lead‑safe certificate and eight have obtained a lead‑free certificate — 84 certificates total. Staff estimated roughly 44% compliance among properties they could identify based on tax‑record proxies; they said enforcement will rely on tenant complaints, third‑party reports or neighbor tips because West Windsor does not maintain a comprehensive rental registration system. Staff warned that once the township identifies noncompliant owners it will issue notices; fines can run to $1,000 per week after required notices and cure periods, the presenter said.

On dog licensing, staff compared counts and said licensing has fallen since 2016: in Feb. 2016 there were 1,043 licensed dogs recorded, the presenter said; the township ended 2024 with 707 licenses and had 534 licenses as of the most recent Friday. Staff said the township will step up outreach (flyers to homeowners associations and management companies, reminders from veterinarians) and consider whether convenience-fee online options or fee changes are warranted to boost compliance. Officials noted state law and vaccine‑timing issues can complicate licensing timing for some pet owners.

The Board of Health approved minutes from its Nov. 12, 2024 meeting by roll call during the meeting. The health-report posting and the department's request for suggested edits were discussed but not put to a separate formal vote.

Ending: Board members asked staff to circulate a final report for comment before the document goes live on the township website and for the health department to share clearer links and contact numbers (state DEP, Dept. of Agriculture, CDC) related to avian influenza guidance.