Health board continues review

The Sanders County Board of Health last week held its first meeting with new County Health Officer Ron Petrie.

At last quarter’s Board of Health meeting, the board and commissioners set a work session to review the board’s by-laws. Those changes were detailed by Commissioner Glen Magera during last Wednesday’s meeting. Among the changes to the by-laws is reducing the number of board members to five. There are currently six members on the Board of Health, including the three commissioners and three community members. Magera said that when the new by-laws are adopted at the next Board of Health meeting, retired veterinarian Dr. Bob Gregg of Plains plans to resign from the board.

By-law changes also included additional state code references for the board’s budget and clarification on the role of the health officer. County Attorney Naomi Leisz also reviewed the by-laws.

The Board of Health also heard an update from County Sanitarian Shawn Sorenson on the campylobacter infections connected with the Kennedy Creek watering source outside Paradise. “A lot of people had pretty serious symptoms for days before they went to the hospital,” Sorenson said of those infected by the bacteria. Petrie noted he had heard of people being treated in Missoula as well.

The Kennedy Creek watering source was closed down by the state Department of Transportation, as directed by the Department of Environmental Quality. Sorenson said that the county had nothing to do with the decision. He noted the property is owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad.

New county public health nurse Debbie Lang said that 175 vaccines were given in their office since May. She added that they provided 30 at-home COVID test kits and were monitoring four cases of COVID and once case of chicken pox in the county.

The next Board of Health meeting will be held in October.