Health board approves ‘comp time’ payment

At the August 18 Nodaway County Health Center Board meeting, the board approved Administrator Tom Patterson to pay compensation for COVID hours worked over 40 hours per week to the health center employees as he deems necessary.

This request was in response to the extra hours worked by Nursing Supervisor Tabitha Frank. The board was informed that Frank does delegate contact tracing.

Board Member Bridget Kenny, a Mosaic Medical Center employee, said the hospital was giving COVID vaccines to 70 to 100 more people per week at the Friday vaccine clinics.Patterson and maintenance person, Bob Phillips, toured the health center building examining the windows. They decided the windows were in better shape than previously thought. Phillips said no rain was coming through them. Two still may need to be replaced. Some of the others will need paint and minor repairs.

The tax rate hearing was held and the maximum authorized levy of 4.94¢ per $100 assessed valuation was approved. The health center has a voter approved rate of 5¢ per $100 assessed valuation.

Total assessed valuation of residential, agricultural and commercial property real estate, personal property and railroad and utilities in Nodaway County for 2021 is $399,126,552. The assessed 2020 valuation was $360,083,303 minus the TIF increment of $1,563,380 for a total of $358,519,923.

This will be sent to the state auditor for final approval.

Member Deb Hull had questions on the 2021 budget not balancing. Patterson explained the budget is based on the previous year’s financials. He purposely estimates low on income and high on expenses with the year end totals normally in the positive.

In accounts payable, a check for $801.30 to Nuisance Wildlife Control, LLC, was explained. Two raccoons had been going in and out of the roof. Patterson had put out live animal traps which the raccoons had ignored but had netted a skunk. The skunk is now residing under the storage building. The nuisance wildlife company had installed flashing along the dormer roofs where gaps were allowing the raccoons access.

Suzanne Von Behren, RN, BSN, is going to be conducting a Youth Mental Health First Aid training at The Bridge, This is a eight hour training which the state offers for free. Her goal is to reach out to other churches, community organizations and people to see the interest in hosting and attending the training. She wants to facilitate these trainings.

Patterson reported, “COVID numbers remain elevated through we have not seen the major spike at this time that we expect will occur. Last year at this time we spiked for about four weeks. The region is largely in the same situation with high transmission levels. Requests for vaccination has increased accordingly.

“Other communicable disease is quiet though we have had a rash of bat specimens for submission, following news of the two bats earlier this summer that were positive.

“I believe the last time we had a rabies positive test result for bat in Nodaway was in 2013. We did have some puppies and possibly a couple of other animals text positive in the interim.

“I do not believe we have an abnormal situation this year as there is a very small percent of rabies infections naturally in the bat population. Those infected are probably more likely to be found due to erratic behavior.”

Patterson provided a copy of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Missouri School Reopening and Operating Guidance. Highlights shared was all buses and public transportation require masks; the 10-day quarantine has been put on the website and all of the neighboring counties have the 10-day quarantine.