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Vernon County Board of Health approves Narcan and nitrate policies; hears measles and vector-control updates
Summary
At its Feb. 11 meeting the Vernon County Board of Health unanimously approved a Narcan Administration and Distribution Policy, a nitrate lab policy and an agent-licensing application; members also reviewed coroner statistics, reported measles cases in neighboring counties, and discussed mosquito-abatement workload and budget pressures.
Vernon County Board of Health members met Feb. 11 in the Vernon County Board Room and voted unanimously to approve a Narcan Administration and Distribution Policy, a nitrate lab policy and an agent-licensing application.
The board opened at 1 p.m.; David Eggen called the meeting to order and members approved the minutes from January on a motion by Martha Olson and a second from Eggen.
Coroner Betty Nigh reported January activity: 32 deaths, including 20 cremations, 11 burials and one green burial; she said 91% of those were coroner cases. Nigh reviewed monthly coroner income of $2,044.00 and expenses totaling $2,560.03.
Health Officer Amy Kleiber presented financial materials and said January expenditures included $2,451.62 in vouchers. Kleiber told the board the public-health budget is being revised with county Finance because Vernon County recently switched to the Tyler Munis system; she also cautioned that federal funding awards remain uncertain and said the Public Health Infrastructure Grant was “in question” during the last week of January.
On preparedness and surveillance, Kleiber said the HERC executive committee approved a budget that keeps Dr. Eberlein as medical advisor and that staff will attend a tabletop exercise in Madison on foodborne outbreaks. She reported the State of Wisconsin had recent measles cases in Dane and Waukesha counties. Kleiber also reviewed wastewater monitoring and said respiratory-virus surveillance showed moderate influenza and RSV activity and low COVID activity with a slight increase.
The board approved the Narcan Administration and Distribution Policy after a motion from Frank Easterday and a second from Lonnie Mueller. The board also approved a nitrate lab policy (motion by Easterday; second by Mueller) and approved an Agent Licensing Application (motion by Mueller; second by Martha Olson); each vote was recorded as “all ayes.”
Sanitarian Lisa Kabat said the Sanitarian Advisory Group convened in January and will meet quarterly, with the next meeting in April; since December 2025 the department followed up on four complaints and has two businesses pending reinspection. Kabat said ATCP 72 lodging-code changes took effect in January 2026. She also reported she is completing NEARS reporting for the CDC and is scheduled to take the Registered Sanitarian exam in April and ICS-300 training in May.
Kleiber raised concerns about vector control workload and budgeting: she said the department identified 79 mosquito-abatement sites last year and that the vector-control program is funded through the county tax levy. As departments reassess levy priorities, Kleiber flagged the program for attention but no motion was taken to change funding.
Kleiber provided a WIC update, saying staff and families have raised concerns about ICE activity; she said WIC is not directly impacted by an impending shutdown and noted Grant County has a new WIC director who will shadow in Vernon.
The board set its next meeting for Wednesday, March 11 at 1 p.m. in the Sheriff’s Department Training Room and adjourned at 1:57 p.m. on a motion by Martha Olson and a second by Frank Easterday.
Votes at a glance: Easterday moved and Mueller seconded approval of the Narcan Administration and Distribution Policy; all ayes. Easterday moved and Mueller seconded approval of the Nitrate Lab Policy; all ayes. Mueller moved and Martha Olson seconded approval of the Agent Licensing Application; all ayes. Martha Olson moved to adjourn; Easterday seconded; all ayes.