County health board reorganizes

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With four of the five board members involved in the discussion — three in person and the fourth remotely — the Perry County Board of Health voted on leadership positions at its April 20 meeting.
In attendance in the lower level of the health department building as the meeting was called to order were Denise Morrison, Mary Boxdorfer and Sharon Unterreiner while newly elected board member Keith Carroll participated via phone.
Morrison will again serve as chair. Newly elected member Chris Wibbenmeyer, who was unable to be a part of the meeting due to a scheduling conflict, was approved as the board’s vice chair.
Boxdorfer was approved as secretary while Sharon Unterreiner was chosen as treasurer.
Public comment
Two individuals were in attendance to speak publicly, while another individual shared their opinion from the parking while sitting in their vehicle.
Resident Rachel Decker sought additional information about those serving on the health board.
“Where do we find out about health board members?” Decker asked.
“I’m concerned,” said Brenda Hopfer. “When the CDC changes guidelines, do you change guidelines.”
Board chair Denise Morrison said she checks the CDC guidelines frequently, most recently April 19.
Robin Seah, connected to the meeting via phone, provided her comment as well.
She explained she cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition, and was hoping the board could be accommodating to those who had an interest in attending but were not willing to wear a mask.
“Will medical exemption be given to those who want to attend?” Seah asked. “If you don’t I feel that is medical discrimination.”
Seah suggested the board consider holding a meeting at an open air venue where the COVID transmission rate is not as high.

COVID-19 update
The county’s seven-day rolling average for COVID-19 is 1.6, according to assistant director Liz House. This figure takes the case total and goes back six days earlier, then averages the result. She told the board this metric tells a better story than reporting of active cases. The level has fluctuated around 1 to 1.5 each week since Feb. 23.
“It’s much better than it was before,” Morrison. “I’m just glad we’re not surging (in cases) like California and Michigan.”
House reported the city of Perryville works with the state of Missouri to check wastewater for evidence of COVID-19. For the past month and a half to two months, the levels have been low.
Perryville is one of 75 locations in the state that has waste monitored as part of the Sewershed Surveillance Project, a collaborative effort between the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Natural Resources and the University of Missouri.
In the most recent statewide measurement, nine locations were showing decreasing viral loads, four showed an increasing viral load while Perryville was one of 18 locations in which a trend was unavailable.
The state measures the exponentially weighted moving average in multiples of one million.
On April 5, the Perryville Wastewater Treatment Plant, which services 9,000, had a measurement of 118,522.1 viral marker copies. This is the lowest weekly total since measuring began in July 2021.
The highest level since the program began was 6.1 million viral marker copies Nov. 2, 2020.
COVID-19 overtime was on the agenda as part of administrative items. Discussion on this topic was reserved for closed session.
“We do need to start reviewing our policy manual again,” said health department director Sylvia Forester.
In the first quarter of 2021, there were 5,167 vaccinations of COVID-19, including 2,000 from Pzifer. Forester said the vaccination clinics are keeping the department busy. This vaccination total is more than the health department does for an entire fiscal year.
The board will be reviewing certificates of deposit when it meets later this year as the terms of a couple of CDs are scheduled to expire in June and July, respectively.
Next meeting
The next board meeting will take place Tuesday, May 18, at 9 a.m. at the health department’s lower level education room.