The Flathead City-County Board of Health has approved a new employee bargaining unit agreement, a Whitefish variance request and changes in community health service fees.

Board members passed the new bargaining unit agreement after little discussion. Negotiated in a little over two hours, the agreement makes no increases in the pay-step matrix but does tighten some language.

Health Officer Joe Russell pointed out that the new agreement adds some mandatory employee vaccinations for Hepatitis B as well as rabies for animal shelter staff. It also requires clinically oriented staff to have an annual skin test for tuberculosis.

“It’s a good first step,” Russell said. “We’ll continue to work on that.”

After some discussion, the board followed Russell’s recommendation to grant a 12-month extension of a variance allowing two unpaved parking lots in downtown Whitefish for use during reconstruction projects in the area. Without a variance, the city would have to spend $120,000 to pave the temporary lots.

Russell said the lots were in good condition without puddles or materials carried on to the highway. Air monitors in the area did not detect any dust in excess of the acceptable standard.

The board also approved increases in community heath service fees that had not been changed since 2002. The former fees did not cover the department’s average cost of salary and benefits for a nurse of $33.70 an hour.

Changes include the nursing service fee up from $25 to $40 an hour and travel consultation fees increased from $25 plus the cost of immunizations to $30 for a minimal visit, $40 for an intermediate visit and $50 for a comprehensive visit plus the cost of immunizations.

Under department reports, Jody White, director of community health, said the department has received some rabies-related calls but nothing that has raised concern. She said the Women, Infants and Children program had received an extremely favorable state audit with compliments on Saturday clinics and exceptional outreach efforts.

Reporting on Environmental Health, Wendee Jacobs presented a new graph that shows trends of average sanitation grades of food preparation establishments. The graph showed a lower mean grade trend but may have been affected by changes in the grading system.

Her report of low grade (C+ or lower) establishments included Taco Mexico (C+), Marina Cay Restaurant (C-), Charlie Wong (C+), Woody’s Country Store food service (C+), Glacier View Golf Club food service (C+), Mountain Cinema (C+) and Rising Sun Bistro (C-).

The Marina Cay Restaurant only raised its grade to a C in a follow-up inspection that triggered a plan of compliance. A compliance plan requires accelerated inspections paid for by he establishment and completion of a safe food handling course by the people most responsible for the operation.

Wendy Doely, executive director of the Community Health Center, said medical patient visits were down but the center had its biggest month to date in the dental clinic.

The clinic was helped by four dental students from the University of Connecticut during a weeklong internship.

“The instructor was very pleased with the experience they had,” Doely said. “I suspect they’ll be back next year.”

She announced that Dr. Mandrea Stebbins was hired for the staff dental position.

During the report from Flathead County Home Health, director Paul Conrad discussed ideas for marketing using television to reach consumers. The agency is one of two licensed home health agencies in the valley.

 Some board members raised questions about the small numbers of referrals received from Kalispell Regional Medical Center which is affiliated with Home Options Home Health, the other home health agency.

It was pointed out that discharge counselors are legally bound to provide all options for home health care to patients.