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Board adopts policy-management policy; health director reports budget and beach monitoring plans
Summary
The Norwalk Board of Health voted to adopt a policy-management policy clarifying board and staff roles; Director Diana D'Amour reported the operating budget passed, staff are planning remaining spending for a state workforce-development grant, and the seasonal beach monitoring program has started for 15 beaches.
The Norwalk Board of Health voted on May 26 to adopt a policy-management policy that clarifies the distinction between board-level policy and staff-level procedures, Director Diana D'Amour said. Anthony Santella moved to accept the revised policy; Norman Weinberger seconded and the board approved the motion.
D'Amour told the board the policy clarifies what items go to the board for policy decisions and which are retained as staff procedures. "Speaking to the mayor's office, they were supportive and okay with us making that distinction," she said, before asking for any further feedback from members. After edits discussed at the meeting, the board voted to adopt the policy.
Earlier in the meeting the board also voted to accept the previous meeting minutes with a requested edit to change the courtesy title to "Dr. Santella." That procedural motion was approved without further discussion.
D'Amour also reported that the health department’s operating budget was approved with minor reductions in office-supplies lines and that staff are finalizing spending plans for the remaining roughly 18 months of a four-year state workforce-development grant. "We sent [the spending plan] to the state and they said it sounded good," she said.
On environmental health, D'Amour said the seasonal beach water-quality monitoring program has begun: interns and environmental staff will monitor 15 Norwalk beaches weekly from Memorial Day through Labor Day and will track rainfall to inform any "no swimming" recommendations. D'Amour said Norwalk coordinates with nearby towns and the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health on thresholds for closures; she said Norwalk currently uses a rainfall threshold of about 1.6 inches to guide decisions.
Public participation was opened and closed with no speakers. The board adjourned at 8:46 a.m.
Votes at a glance: motion to accept minutes (approved, edit to refer to Dr. Santella); motion to adopt policy-management policy (moved by Anthony Santella; seconded by Norman Weinberger; approved); adjournment vote (approved).
