Board OK's plan, discusses pertussis

Wahkiakum County commissioners Dan Cothren, Lisa Marsyla and Blair Brady handled a variety of business when they met Tuesday, including:

--The board approved an updated Strategic Plan for Wahkiakum County Health and Human Services for 2012-2015.

Interim department director Sherri McDonald said the plan will be helpful to staff in deciding "where we should put our effort."

The plan's four goals are:

1. To improve accountability, efficiency and effectiveness through critical infrastructure enhancement;

2. To ensure internal readiness to anticipate, recognize and respond to infectious diseases and other community threats;

3. To provide better health for our population, better care for individuals and to reduce costs through Health Care Reform, and

4. To launch and support community based initiatives and individual serves that promote good health.

--County Health Officer Dr. Alan Melnick reported that while Washington is experiencing a widespread outbreak of pertussis, also called whooping cough, there have so far been no cases reported in the county.

Health officials are urging the public to consider updating vaccinations. The illness is uncomfortable for adults but dangerous for infants and young children, so people having contact with youngsters should be vaccinated. And by vaccinating the general populace, he said, the spread of the disease will be controlled.

McDonald said she planned to consult with the Cowlitz Family Health Clinic about vaccination programs.

--The board asked Public Works Director Pete Ringen to gather more information before they would act on a request from a company wanting to film a commercial on the county ferry Wahkiakum.

Ringen said the firm wantss sole use of the ferry for four hours during the day with a target filming date of June 8.

Commissioners were reluctant to take the ferry out of commission for that length of a time.

"I have a problem with a shutdown unless it's for a substantial sum," Brady said.

Marsyla said she agreed. They asked Ringen to analyze the shutdown's potential impact on ridership and to seek input from the firm for a future decision.