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For more information on this project, contact Melissa Brock, Environmental Health Director, or Vivian Howard, PACE-EH Coordinator at the Gadsden County Health Department.

GADSDEN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
December 2004 PACE-EH Progress Report

To:             Daniel Parker, M.S., and GAL
                    Assistant Division Director, Division of Environmental Health

Cc:             Melissa Brock
                    Environmental Manager

From:         Vivian R. Howard
                    PACE-EH Project Coordinator
Subject:     Gadsden County Environmental Health Community Project Progress Report

Project Summary:
On December 20, 2004 we held our first community meeting to introduce our environmental health community project, discuss environmental health issues, introduce a community health assessment team, and to encourage community involvement and networking with organizations that deals with environmental health issues.
 

During the meeting only five members from the community were present—Mr. Ed Feaver, Mrs. Marylyn Feaver, Ms. Chastine Newsome, Ms. Beryl Richardson and Mr. Cal Lutz. Each of them said that they read about the meeting notice in the papers. Everyone was very interested in what PACE is doing and the issues that came up over and over again were the issues of water quality and deep wells. I have contacted Mr. Tom Brown of the North Florida Water Management District to see if he can offer some information in regards to the water and well usage with the new construction taking place on Highway 90 in Midway, Florida.

Several other issues came up as well. Another of most importance is hazardous wastes and how they are being dumped or burned. The community wanted someone present at the next meeting who could discuss or explain to them how hazardous materials are disposed in Gadsden County and if there is a separate place that they could bring those materials such as plastics, aerosols, recyclables, etc. Melissa told them that Mr. Oliver Sellers is the person who handles those issues for us and I have set up a meeting with Mr. Sellers at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 30. Some of the other issues included traffic on Selman Road, the safety of the city dump and sand pits since houses are being constructed in that area, septic tanks, subdivision growth and land plait use, having address numbers on all houses and buildings and vicious dogs.

The community wanted to know if there was certain representation on our PACE CEHAT and I assured them that we have a good representation of many of the county agencies on board. The only other representation that they wanted to see was someone from the senior citizens and I am currently trying to recruit someone now. Overall it was a very successful meeting. I did share with them that we have had some successes in getting some of the gates at the parks locked at night and we are assembling a team to look at our ordinances on vicious dogs. Melissa called on some of the other environmental health managers throughout the state and they sent us copies of their ordinances. Sharon Saulter and Bill Keyser are going to look them over and compare them to our ordinances to see what needs to be added to ours to make it more effective.

We discussed goals and objectives along with a vision for PACE. The community came up with two goals:

1. Engage the community in investigating the relationship between environmental conditions and human health in the community

2. See the citizens talking about issues and working toward finding “true” answers. (they are tired of the “all talk” and no results)

After brainstorming for about fifteen minutes they came up with a vision that we felt very good about. The vision of PACE EH in Gadsden County is to involve Gadsden County residents in building an environment that is safe and healthy.

Melissa and I have decided on a color for the PACE tee shirts and we have chosen a sort of royal blue. I am meeting with Mike of All American Sports to discuss the logo and see what it will look like before we go to print.

We passed out our first eight surveys. We got all of them back and we will continue to collect them throughout the month of January. We have created some survey boxes and they are being placed at all of the city halls in the county, all of the health departments/wellness centers.

We decided to keep Mr. Bill Keyser as Chair of the next meeting and Mrs. Sharon Saulter as Vice Chair since only three of the CEHAT members were present. Both of them did an outstanding job at keeping the conversations focused and Melissa was on top of time keeping.

Melissa and I have agreed to meet every Monday at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the progress of the project.

PACE-EH Planning Process:

Note: Currently, we are in task seven and moving forward.

Issues/Problems:
Right now our main issue is to get the surveys in place and collect them on a regular basis. The only foreseeable problem would be people taking the surveys from the designated places and not filling them out or returning them. I am having some difficulty getting in touch with Gretna’s city manager or someone from the Gretna Wellness Center.

Updates:
PACE surveys are being distributed to the county health departments/clinics and city halls. I have some good information—booklets and pamphlets—from Mr. Sellers about how to dispose of hazardous wastes and when he needs to be contacted if a resident is in doubt or has a concern. I have contacted Mr. Tom Brown from the North Florida Water Management District and he is checking with his boss but is sure that he can make the January 17 meeting and that his boss will want to be in attendance also because she lives in Gadsden County.

Gadsden County Environmental Health Leadership Team:
 

The Environmental Health Leadership Team will include additional members who represent the key agencies/organizations in the Gadsden County community.

Schedule of Activities/Meetings:

Past Gadsden County Reports:

August/September, 2004

October, 2004