IEHA NEWS

March 2017

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

Legisla on see pages 4, 5, 7, 8, and 12

 

IEHA NEWS

 

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE

ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL

HEALTH ASSOCIATION

 

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The purposes of the Illinois Environmental Health Association are: To maintain and improve the environmental health protection of the public by fostering and encouraging research, education and the dissemination of information; To promote the highest degree of skill, efficiency and professional competence among sanitarians and others practicing in the various environmental health disci-plines through the mutual exchange of knowledge and experience; To publish, or cause to be published, technical and other useful information relating to environmental health; In both the public and private sectors, to promote the administration of environmental health programs for the maximum public benefit; To foster cooperation of the various branches and departments of government at all levels in activities directed toward the improvement of health and comfort of the public; To engage in other lawful activities which are appropriate for a professional association; Provided, that the Association shall not function as a collective bargaining agent for the purpose of fixing the compensation or conditions of employment for any of its members; provided further, that the Association shall not endorse or sanction the endorsement by any of its members of products or services of a commercial nature. Illinois Environmental Health Association, PO Box 7505, Rockford, Illinois 61126, Telephone (815) 977-5884, Fax (866) 760-6873. Email: iehaoffice@gmail.com, Web Site: http://www.iehaonline.org

Editorial Policy Goal - IEHA News is to provide useful and profitable information to members and to act as a forum for member opinions and ideas.

Circulation - The IEHA News is the official publication of the Illinois Environmental Health Association. IEHA News is published 4 times a year and is mailed or emailed free of charge to Association members.

Address changes - IEHA, PO Box 7505, Rockford, Illinois 61126, Telephone (815) 977-5884, Fax (866) 760-6873 Email: iehaoffice@gmail.com.

Manuscripts - Authors alone are responsible for opinions and views stated in their articles. FAX articles to (866) 760-6873. Email them to iehaoffice@gmail.com. Email submissions in electronic format are preferred. Mail paper or disk copies to The Editor, IEHA News, Box 7505, Rockford, Illinois 61126. Articles and letters submitted may be edited for clarity or space.

Deadlines - All materials must be submitted to IEHA News by the first working day of March, June, September and November. The next deadline for materials is June 1, 2017.

Advertising - Advertising copy must be submitted to the Advertising Manager in a form that is suitable for reproduction within the dimensions of the selected space. The copy may be submitted as original or good quality photostatic reproductions. No plates are required. Computer graphics files in JPEG format are preferred. Note: Advertising rates have changed. Call (815) 977-5884 for details.

IEHA News Staff Chairman, Publications Committee: Lenore Killam Editor: Paul Chase Circulation: Paul Chase Advertising: Paul Chase Production: Paul Chase

Volume 47 Number 1 // March 2017

 

 

IN THIS ISSUE

Message from the President ............................................................................. 4

By David Banaszynski

Barb Hohlt Receives Citizens of Character Award ........................ 5

Press Release

Editor’s Column ........................................................................................................... 5

By Lenore Killam

Service Animals in Restaurants ...................................................................... 5 By Stacy Thompson

The Return of the Cockroach ………………................................................... 6 By Andy Swartz

Meet the Northwest Municipal Conference ........................................ 6

Legislative Watch ....................................................................................................... 7

By Sam Jarvis

Mark your Calendar ................................................................................................. 8

OPINION: Developing Consistency for Contractor and Department Efficiency ................................................................................. 9 By Nicole Haas

OPINION: The Biggest Threat to Public Health ........................... 10 By Julie Pryde

Join IEHA ........................................................................................................................ 11

Electronic Edition Extra ..............................................................................…..

IEHA News // March 2017

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Greetings Members!

I am writing this to you only a few weeks removed from our Board Retreat at Starved Rock State Park. It is such a beautiful area of Illinois that if things work out IEHA may be holding the Annual Education Conference there in 2018.

At the Retreat the Board plowed through our itinerary with gusto and I can definitively say the phrase “work hard, play hard” is appropriate. Mark your calendars for the Central Chapter conference in Normal on April 20-21. The North Chapter conference is in Elgin on April 26-27. The Annual Education Conference is in East Peoria on October 19-20. Many thanks go to

Chris Pozzi, Brad Bohner and Katie Lynn for putting them together with the help of so many others not the least of which is Kim-berly Bradley. Actively engaged members are and always will be the life-blood of IEHA.

Of the many items discussed during the retreat, getting the LEHP Act re-newed was front and center. Each Board member was tasked with iden-tifying their local legislators both where they work and where they live. Each member is currently reaching out to their legislators to explain to them who we are, what we do and how we can work together. Included in this IEHA News Electronic Edition Extra are examples of our introduc-tions and speaking points with our legislators. IEHA, on the advice from retired representative Mike Tryon, has formed a collaboration with the Illinois Environmental Council. This is one of many new collaborations that IEHA plans to establish. Through this new venture IEHA is pleased to report that we have had two new bills introduced in the House and Senate.

House Bill 3693 was introduced by Representative Robyn Gabel of the 18th District. Senate Bill 1992 was introduced by Senator Pamela Althoff of the 32nd District.

While getting to this point has been an accomplishment in itself, we still have a long ways to go. As members of IEHA, feel free to use the Introduction and Speaking Points letters and edit them to your individual information and contact your local legislators. The more the merrier. While I can guarantee that this Board will do everything in our power to get the Act passed, politics is not our forte. We can promise only effort, not outcome. With your support and involvement, getting the LEHP Act renewed for another ten years can only make the process easier.

Take Care

Dave Banaszynski IEHA President 

 

 

Message from the President

A endees at the 2017 Board Retreat on February 9, 2017. Back row from le : Greg Olsen, Paul Chase, Brad Bohner, Davis Banaszynski, Sharron LaFolle e Chris Pozzi, Doug King, Stacy Thompson. Front row from le : Ev Nevear, Laurie Jahn, Kimberly Bradley, Ka e Lynn, Barb Hohlt. Not pictured: Lenore Killam 

Illinois Environmental Health Association PO Box 7505, Rockford, IL 61126

Phone: 815-977-5884 Fax: 866-760-6873 Email iehaoffice@gmail.com

Web site http://www.iehaonline.org

Paul K Chase, MA, LEHP, Office Manager

IEHA News // March 2017

Editor’s Column By Lenore Killam,

EHA Publica ons Commi ee Chair

Hello All, and welcome to the March 2017 issue of the IEHA News. I am pleased that we can offer updates, opinion pieces, and technical information for your edu-cation and benefit.

One important piece of this information is the Presi-dent’s column in which David explains our association initiative to secure renewal of the IL LEHP Act. You will find letters that you can adapt and amend to contact your state representative and senator. You will also find a flyer for the IL Public Health Asso-ciation Legislative Action Days. Members of the Public Health Student Association at UIS and their Fearless Leader (you-know-who) will be participating with our sister organization to help educate our state legislators about public health needs in Illinois. I hope to see many of you there.

All of our efforts reinforce within me that we are the experts and the guardians of public and environmental health in our communities. Our enemies may be invisi-ble, but we cannot afford to be. Please take the time to be heard and seen!

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St. Clair County Health De-partment Executive Director Barb Hohlt, B.S., L.E.H.P., R.E.H.S., was honored on November 1, 2016 as a Citi-zen of Character by the Belle-ville Achieves Strength of Character Initiative. BASIC (http://www.thebasicinitiative.com/index.php) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) community organi-zation that promotes positive character development throughout the Belleville Community. Each year,

BASIC honors residents of Belleville who are a positive impact on the community and enhance the quality of life in the community. “I am extremely humbled to receive this award. It is a great honor to be placed in such distinguished ranks of others who have been rec-ognized as Citizens’ of Character,” Ms. Hohlt said. “I owe my deep appreciation to my friends, family and coworkers for their continued help and support.” Ms. Hohlt is known as a community leader and serves many profes-sional and civic organizations. She has given hundreds of hours to volunteer services to the community. “Barb demonstrates compassion and empathy for all residents in our community, especially children, those with special needs and those with physical disabilities,” said Kevin Hutchison, former Executive Director of the St. Clair County Health Department. She has served as a board member of the St. Clair County Associat-ed Enterprises (SAVE) and was selected as SAVE Board Member of the Year in 2010.” Ms. Hohlt is also a volunteer of the Willard C. Scrivner Public Health Foundation Board , Belleville Cystic Foundation Association and Hospice of Southern Illinois. In recognition of her respect for persons of all culture and races, she received the 2011 Phenomenal Woman of the Metropolitan St. Louis award from Racial Harmony of Belleville.

Barbara Hohlt Receives Ci zens of Character Award  

Service Animals in Restaurants By Stacy Thompson, IEHA Treasurer

This link is provided from the Fulton County Health Department about rules for service animals in food estab-lishments. It is an issue they have dealt with in the past year. This website actually has a lot of good articles that would be of interest to food inspectors.

  

h p://www.chefsconnec on.org/post/143806190518/

service‐animals‐whats‐the‐deal 

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Pest control technicians, companies and Environmental Health professionals are all reporting a similar trend- increasing Ger-man cockroach infestations. Infestations that are spotted are larger and more difficult to eradicate. What is going on?

Experts point to several reasons for the resurgence of the pest. One is complacency by restaurant operators and dwelling resi-dents. Without cockroaches around much for the last 20 years, people have forgotten old rules about keeping places clean and uncluttered, as well as inspecting shipments and removing card-board. Another is complacency by Pest Management Profession-als. Since the advent of cockroach bait and its great effective-ness, some professionals got use to a service call being a quick visit to the kitchen to place some gel bait in some likely corners. This led to a third reason- bait aversion. While actual resistance to cockroach baits may not be the problem, many populations are hesitant to eat certain baits. Putting the same baits out time after time just doesn’t reduce the populations much anymore.

So, what can be done to re-gain the upper hand over this old nemesis? According to contributors to Pest Management Profes-sional magazine, lots. For starters, baits and gels need to be ro-tated on a regular basis to minimize aversion. As a population builds that is averse to one formulation, bringing in a new and

more palatable bait should prove effective. Also, this bait needs to be placed in areas where active infestations are seen. Even roaches won’t walk halfway across a kitchen for a meal if some-thing else is available closer. Old and stale bait needs to be re-moved. Have you ever looked under a piece of kitchen equip-ment and seen 4 or 5 different types of gels that have completely dried out next to each other? It needs to be removed so the roaches attempt to feed on the newer bait with working active ingredients. Finally, people need to be re-educated on cockroach control. This means cleaning more thoroughly so hungry roach-es have no other food sources than the bait, removing harborag-es by throwing out boxes and caulking cracks/gaps, and inspect-ing incoming product for hitchhiking visitors.

Ultimately, cockroach control must be a partnership with coop-eration from the operators/residents and Pest Management Pro-fessionals to be effective.

The Return of the Cockroach By Andy Swartz, IEHA Pest/Vector Control Technical Sec on Chair

Meet the Northwest Municipal Conference

“The Northwest Municipal Conference of Health Officials meets quarterly to discuss and collaborate on a number of public health issues that affect the local communi es on a regional basis.  The members are employed as LEHPs in ci es and villages located in the north and northwest suburbs of Cook County.  The most recent challenge for the commi ee is training for the roll out and implementa on of the new FDA Food Code that was recently adopted by IDPH.”  Pictured le  to right: James McAlister, Mary Passaglia (chair), David Banaszynski, Giordan Kaplan, Diane Anderson, Serena Klinger, Beverly Slaby, Pa y Livingston, Peggy Starczowski, Tim  Schwartz, Osiel Rivera, Terese Biskner (Secretary). Editors Note: all pictured are IEHA members.

SB1662/HB2466--- Raw Milk Last Action: 2/9/17 in the Senate; referred to Assignments Last Action Statutes Amended in Order of Appearance 410 ILCS 635/8 from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 2208 Synopsis as Introduced Amends the Grade A Pasteurized Milk and Milk Products Act. Provides that a specified pasteurization requirement shall not be applicable to milk produced, sold, and distributed (currently, to milk produced) in accordance with Department rules (removes language limiting the exemption to milk sold or distributed on the premises of the dairy farm). Effective immediately. Senate Actions 2/9/17 Filed with Secretary by Sen. David Koehler 2/9/17 First Reading 2/9/17 Referred to Assignments 2/22/17 Added Sen. Patricia Van Pelt as Chief Co-sponsor

HB3063, HB2820, SB1469 COTTAGE FOOD & FARMERS MARKET! Short Description: FARMERS MARKETS-COTTAGE FOOD House Sponsors Rep. Will Guzzardi, Allen Skillicorn and Anna Moeller Hearings Business Incentives for Local Communities Committee Hear-ing Mar 9 2017 9:30AM Stratton Building Room 413 Spring-field, IL Last Action 2/22/17 in the House; Referred to Assignments Last Action

Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance 410 ILCS 625/3.3 410 ILCS 625/4 Synopsis As Introduced Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning farmers' markets. Pro-vides that the Department of Public Health shall work with the Farmers' Market Task Force to address farmers' market vendor complaints regarding the reasonableness of local health depart-ments' fees and sanitation provisions. Provides that farmers' market vendors shall provide effective means to maintain po-tentially hazardous food at a specified temperature. Provides that handwashing stations may be shared by farmers' market vendors. Makes changes to provisions concerning cottage food operations. Changes references from "cottage food operation" to "producer". Makes changes to provisions concerning the regulation of producers. Add provisions concerning the kinds of transactions exempt from specified regulation. Removes provisions concerning potentially hazardous foods. Removes an exemption from provisions concerning the regulation of pro-ducers that applies when the gross receipts from the sale of food do not exceed $36,000 in a calendar year. Provides that no later than December 31, 2017, the Department shall include in the Department's cottage food operation application form a statement containing specified content. Makes changes to defi-nitions. Makes other changes. House Actions 2/9/17 Filed by Clerk by Rep. Will Guzzardi 2/9/17 First Reading 2/9/17 Referred to Rules Committee 2/22/17 Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Allen Skillicorn 2/22/17 Assigned to Business Incentives for Local Communi-ties Committee 2/24/17 Added as Co-sponsor Rep. Anna Moeller Editor’s Note: A fuller summary is available in the IEHA News Electronic Edition Extra.

Legisla ve Watch By Sam Jarvis, IEHA Legisla ve Commi ee Chair

IEHA News // March 2017

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Below are synopses of legislation that is noteworthy for EH professionals.

2017 LEHP / REHS Exam Review Course

IEHA is co‐sponsoring this event

April 4 ‐ 6, 2017 American Legion Post, LaGrange, Illinois

Register at:

h p://registeredsanitarian.com   

*********  

2017 IEHA Central Chapter Annual Educa onal Conference

April 20 ‐ 21, 2017 Illinois State University Alumni Center

Normal, Illinois   

Register now at h p://www.iehaonline.org  

*******  

2017 IEHA North Chapter Annual Educa onal Conference

April 26 ‐ 27, 2017 Elgin Community College, Elgin, Illinois  

 

Register now at h p://www.iehaonline.org

2017 IEHA Annual Educa onal Conference

October 19 ‐ 20, 2017 Holiday Inn and Suites, East Peoria, Illinois  

 

Mark Your Calendar

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Mark Your Calendar

Illinois residents are very fortunate to have an abundant source of groundwater. For everyone to benefit from this natural re-source, the Illinois Groundwater Protection Act and the Illinois Water Well Construction Code were established to ensure effi-cient use of the resource and protect groundwater for future generations. These statutes rely on two primary parties to work together to safeguard our groundwater resource – water well contractors and sanitarians. The water well contractor is re-quired to be knowledgeable about the geology of an area for water production as well as in methods to drill and pump the well for an end user, and how to legally complete the well. The sanitarian is required to be knowledgeable about the Illinois Water Well Code to confirm that the contractor is completing their work in compliance with the code. While both parties want to ensure quality water and a code-compliant well, some-times other factors come in to play that make this task a little more difficult to complete. When the nature of any industry changes, regulations must also be amended. Even though codes and regulations may evolve, the relationship between county sanitarians and water well con-tractors will always remain significant to ensure proper water well construction and groundwater protection. With changes in government funding, each department must try to find ways to keep qualified, educated sanitarians on staff to regulate the water well program among many other job func-tions. Some counties have introduced additional ordinances and fees to regain income to effectively manage the water well and other inspection programs. The Illinois Association of Groundwater Professionals (IAGP) and water well contractors understand that the Illinois Department of Public Health and each of your county offices has a limited budget, and that is why counties are trying to recoup some lost revenue in addi-tional inspection fees. Similarly, water well contractors must also adapt to changes in the Water Well Construction Code and rules. A contractor’s primary concern is constructing a well to Code and pleasing the customer with the water quantity and quality they deliver. To best complete their work, water well contractors need to have a clear understanding of ordinances and fees before beginning each job, regardless of county or jurisdiction. Communication between the water well contractor and health department is vitally important as there are fewer and fewer licensed contrac-

tors each year. With a decrease in contractors throughout the state and limited projects, remaining drillers travel much farther to complete a job – some to counties they have not done busi-ness in before. Water well professionals understand that a water well permit fee has been established not to exceed $100 as stated in the Code and can justify that expense to well owners when bidding anywhere in Illinois. However, as county departments adopt new ordinances and change the water well permit fees it creates room for confusion between the contractor, well owner and health department if not adequately communicated before work begins. In addition to providing advocacy and education, IAGP is also a resource of information for water well contractors in all areas of our industry. IAGP would be interested in obtaining any county ordinance that has been adopted in addition to the Illi-nois Water Well Code that may change the way a contractor can complete a well in that county. IAGP would make this information available to contractors on their web site as a refer-ence to anyone planning to work in that area. If the correct ordinance information can be shared in a familiar, easy-to-find place, contractors can be more cognizant of expectations before starting work at a new job site. IAGP wishes to facilitate the best working relationship possible between county health departments and water well contractors, and providing clear and uniform expectations in fees and ordi-nances before a contractor bids a job would save hassle and miscommunication between the two parties. IAGP hopes that in uniting our efforts we can create an environment in which we can discuss ideas and possible problems before they are repeat-ed or spur further discontent. For more information regarding this topic, please visit www.iagp.org/healthdepartments. This page also displays a brief survey in which we ask for your feedback as well as infor-mation regarding ordinances and fees unique to your county. We would like to compile this information to make a resource available to all water well contractors doing business in Illinois.

IEHA News // March 2017

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Developing Consistency for Contractor and Department Efficiency

By Nicole Haas, Illinois Associa on of Groundwater Professionals, Execu ve Director

OPINION:

I believe that the biggest threat to public health is ignorance and apathy that leads to a weakening of regulations and defunding of programs and services. This ignorance can be caused by a person’s own misguided beliefs or through a lack of under-standing of what public health is. Advances in public health are what separate the developing world from the developed world. Gains made through public health led to rapid advances in soci-ety. Despite the amazing decreases in morbidity and mortality that a robust public health system has created, we must con-stantly defend against threats to the survival of public health programs and services. Seemingly educated people believe that their Google™ search results are as good as rigorous, scientific studies. This has led to a decrease in vaccination and corresponding outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, pertussis and chicken pox. These outbreaks have consequences beyond individual choice. When a person chooses not to vaccinate their healthy child because of “personal beliefs”, they put truly vulnerable persons at-risk of serious complications or death from a vaccine-preventable disease. There are more examples of seemingly rational people engaging in irrational behavior. It is not enough for them to privately engage in this behavior, they want to weaken public health laws and expose others to danger. People are knowingly consuming “raw”, i.e. unpasteurized milk, in the erroneous belief that they will gain health benefits. They then fight for laws that allow the unpasteurized milk to be sold at Farmer’s Markets, in stores, and used in foods where others could be unknowingly exposed to harmful pathogens. One needs to look no further than the local health departments in Illinois to see how little public health is valued. Many have cut services and eliminated staff. Some have closed their doors. Funding is drying up at the national, state, and local levels. We must fight against our success. When vaccine preventable dis-eases are actually prevented, then we can rest assured that there will be a legislator or county board somewhere who suggests cutting funding for vaccination. When milk is safe to drink, there will be those who think that pasteurization is unnecessary,

if not harmful. When infant mortality decreases, funds are cut for case managing high risk pregnant women. And always pub-lic health must justify maintaining budgets and staff for when the unthinkable happens, and a pandemic breaks out or we are confronted with the consequences of bioterror or bio-error. The biggest threat to public health comes from misguided be-liefs and ignorance of what Public Health has done, and contin-ues to do. Vigilance is needed to keep public health funding and regulations at adequate levels. If not constantly held in check by public health advocates and scholars, this epidemic of igno-rance and apathy threatens the health, safety and wellbeing of us all.

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The Biggest Threat to Public Health By Julie A. Pryde, MSW, LSW, CPHA; Student, University of Illinois at Springfield

OPINION:

Julie Pryde receives her award from Lenore Killam a er winning a recent essay contest sponsored by the Public Health Student Associa on and the University of Illinois at Springfield. The essay is reprinted here. 

 

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Illinois Environmental Health Association

2017 Membership Application

IEHA News // March 2017

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Instruc ons: New members please complete the en re form. Renewing members, please enter your name and any other informa on that has changed. Members who are renewing with no changes, please enter your name only.

Spring is on the horizon and that is a busy time for the IEHA office. The North Chapter and Central Chapter conferences are being held in April and registration for these events is available now. In the Extra this issue, there are several items of interest:

Two sample letters in support of renewing the Environmental Health Practitioners Act, which expires at the end of the year.

An expanded legislative update.

Two NEHA Affiliate Reports.

A scholarship application for attending the 2017 NEHA AEC in Grand Rapids, Michigan in July.

The mail-in registration flyer for both the Central Chapter and North Chapter AECs I also wanted to mention that this issue contains two articles that express strong opinions which may or may not be shared by IEHA members. These have been marked “OPINION” in big red letters. Of course, any article has a point of view, even if it is akin to “cockroach infestations are bad.” My point is, just want to point out that the opinions expressed in any article in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of the Illinois Environmental Health Association or its board of directors (including mine). Finally, the email address, ieha2001@aol.com has been retired. Actually, it has been retired for some time and I rarely look at email from that account. So if you sent an email there and have not gotten a response, try resending it to iehaoffice @gmail.com. That’s the official IEHA Office email address and is monitored regularly. As always, if you need anything IEHA related, please let me know. Thanks!

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ELECTRONIC EDITION By Paul Chase, IEHA Office Manager