Humboldt County Commissioners gave Community Health a grant to pay the cost for use of the Indoor Events Center for this coming fall's planned drive-through flu vaccination clinic. Community Health Nurse Lori Savoie shared information on last year's flu vaccination effort in the community. 746 people were vaccinated during the drive-through clinic Oct. 26 at the Indoor Events Center - up about 100 people from the year before.
Savoie said due to several flu-related deaths in Humboldt, Pershing and Lander Counties, her office put together a second vaccination effort. A walk-through flu shot clinic was held at the convention center on Dec. 26, and another 945 people received vaccinations. A third clinic held at the Community Health office vaccinated another 230 people. "We also went around and gave flu shots at the jail for staff and inmates and went to home-bound patients," said Savoie.
"We have been trying to get into the schools to do vaccinations," Savoie told the commissioners. Flu shots were offered by Community Health at Sonoma Heights Elementary School last year, but Savoie said she was a little disappointed that only 121 vaccinations were given. "We're trying to think of new ways to get people to get vaccinated," she concluded.
The commissioners were in agreement that the drive-through flu shot clinic has been a big success and is a valuable effort.
On a different issue, Commissioner Brissenden, who serves as the commission representative on the hospital board, took the opportunity to ask Savoie whether provisions were being made by the hospital to provide an office for Community Health when the planned expansion and remodeling of Harmony Manor takes over the current office area.
"Jim Parrish and I had a meeting and they have come up with three options for us," Savoie said. Of the three options, she said her preference would be conversion of a home near the hospital. She felt that kind of atmosphere would be conducive to the programs and mission of Community Health.
In other action, the commissioners appointed Mike Bell to serve on the Nevada Homeland Security Working Group's work.
The group's approximately 30 members meet just two or three times a year in the spring to bring together subject matter experts from state agencies, law enforcement, tribal representatives, first responder organizations, and local government to select projects eligible for State Homeland Security Grant Program funding for the current fiscal year. The group's recommendations go to the Finance Committee of the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security, which, after review, passes them on to the Homeland security Commission for final consideration and approval. The day-long meetings are held at the Legislative Counsel Bureau offices in Las Vegas and Carson City. The state provides funding for travel.
The commissioners agreed to write a letter supporting tribal projects developer Bob McNichols grant application to the Department of Transportaiton for road improvements needed as part of Fort McDermitt's Travel Plaza project. US 95, in front of the new travel center will have a deceleration lane for cars turning onto South Road to increase safety for those entering or leaving the travel center. A new circular roadway dubbed Tribal Route # 41 will be constructed and South Road will be widened. The tribe has $517,000 toward the $1.3 million project.
The commissioners' letter will note their past involvement with and support of the McDermitt project. The grant submission is due April 28.
Nevada Homeland Security Working Group. Humboldt County was invited to appoint a voting member to the group, which was formed in 2008 by the governor. Bell was chosen because he represents the Humboldt County Commission on the Local Emergency Planning Committee and that background seemed to dovetail with the appointment.
Four of five commissioners approved a request by Sheriff Ed Kilgore to waive the attrition policy to hire a replacement for either patrol or jail staff. The patrol position is the one that's open, but two members of the jail staff have applied to transfer to patrol, so if one is hired, the replacement would be for the jail.
Commissioner Garley Amos voted against allowing the sheriff to hire.
Contact Joyce Sheen at j.sheen@winnemuccapublishing.net[[In-content Ad]]
