PUBLIC HEALTH & WELFARE COMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING
JUNE 9, 2005

ATTENDANCE: Rev. Jeanette Olmstead-Sawyer, Chair; Rick McQuaid, William
Krummel, Peter Wien, Douglas Hempstead, Douglas Sutton
Leona Williams.

STAFF: Tim Callahan, Director of Health, Norwalk.

OTHERS: Peter Thor, Counsel for AFSCME Union, Anthony Bento, Counsel
for AFSCME Union, Louis Brey, Counsel for NEMA; Robert
Vingo, NMEA Chairman; Cedric Goo, Norwalk Health Depart.
Union Trustee; Betsey Bain, Common Council, Kevin Poruban,
Common Council; Carvin Hilliard, Common Council, Bruce
Kimmel, Common Council, Tom Hamilton, Director of Finance,
City of Norwalk; Jacqueline M. Lubell, NAACP Health Committee;
Ed Tracey, Board of Health; Victoria S. Schilling, Health Depart.
Grant Writer; Beverly Gibson Mohamed, Health Depart.Grant
Writer; Monique Cigriano, NHD employee; Barbara Alvord NHD
employee; Irene Bagley, NHD employee; Bill Murray NHD
employee; Marilyn Smith, NHD employee; Rhonda Collins, NHD employee; Darlene Hoffner, NHD employee, Pat DiPietro, NHD
employee, Al Kao, NHD employee, Clarence Joseph.

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 7:45 p.m. by the Chair. Rev. Olmstead-Sawyer greeted everyone and explained that this meeting was not a public hearing on the Norwalk New Canaan Health District, but questions would be entertained from the audience, particular the Union Representatives and NHD employees. Rev. Olmstead-Sawyer then requested that Mr. Tim Callahan report to the committee.

Mr. Callahan distributed hard copies of the PowerPoint presentation to the committee. He clarified that the Norwalk Health Department does not provide Primary Care to Norwalk residents. Primary care is handled through clinics and other doctor/patient relationships. NHD provides environmental services, communicable and chronic disease control, well child clinics, health education, emergency response, nutrition services and community nursing services. He then made his presentation to the group.

In conclusion, Mr. Callahan informed the committee that the City of New London had just signed an agreement to join in the Ledge Light Health District, which means they are the first partnership of a city with smaller surrounding communities.

Concerns about New Canaan’s use of services were expressed and Mr. Callahan replied that in the beginning, New Canaan will be primarily using the Environmental Services.

Mr. Krummel asked about the impact of Darien joining the Health District with its population of 19,000, which would give it two seats on the Board. He also pointed out that New Canaan was not all that far from reaching a population of 20,000, which would give it another seat on the Board. If New Canaan and Darien joined together, they could outvote
Norwalk.

Mr. Callahan explained that Southbury, Woodbridge and Oxford faced the same ratio of board members twenty years ago. Once the system was in place, the town board ratio never became an issue.

A question about uninsured people was raised. Mr. Callahan reiterated that the Public Health Department does not provide primary health care, those issues would be handled by the clinics that currently are in place and functioning.

Mr. Krummel pointed out that New Canaan is currently in violation of health codes and practices with the State and asked why Norwalk should intervene.

Mr. Callahan explained that the Mayor of New Canaan is moving pro-actively not only to settle the immediate code violations, but also to put permanent solutions in place. New Canaan believes that regionalization is the best solution.

Questions regarding the impact of a health district on the ability to obtain grants because of higher median income were raised. Mr. Callahan explained that while the WIC program participation does have income criteria for the residents of a city, the actual criteria for obtaining the grant money for the program is not based on income. He repeated that he had never come across any grant that Norwalk was eligible for that had median income criteria.

An explanation of the 9% savings for Norwalk was requested. Mr. Callahan complied and reviewed the numbers, pointing out that Norwalk’s saving of $163,693.00 is based on actual budgetary figures, while New Canaan’s numbers are estimates because they currently have only a part time program.

Mr. Wien raised some issues regarding the Memorandum of Understanding in regards to the employee benefits.

At this point, Rev. Olmstead-Sawyer opened the floor up for the union representatives to give input. Mr. Peter Thor, Counsel for the AFSCME Union rose to address the committee.

Mr. Thor made several points, including that the Ledge Light Health District issues are more complex than presented, particularly as 38 employee may be laid off in the near future, school nurses were dropped from the Ledge Light Health District and moved to the Department of Education, and that the real issue is privatization of health care because when a Health District is formed, the District, not Norwalk, is the employer. Mr. Thor also went on to say that the four unions involved transmitted proposals to the Mayor today.

Mr. McQuaid expressed concern over the fact that two public meetings had been held without the union representatives or counsels being present. When told that two letters had been sent to Personnel with no response, Mr. McQuaid requested that the lack of response be looked into and reported back to the Committee.

Mr. Thor also took this opportunity to explain the importance of the contract details in order to protect the employees benefits since the District does not yet exist. Some discussion followed this statement.

Ms. Williams requested an explanation about the revenues and fee increases. The rate and fee scale was detailed, particularly the portion dealing with Norwalk Health Department’s written policy regarding those who do not have the finances to afford the services.

Mr. Krummel was curious about whether the unions would continue to negotiate if the Committee voted tonight.

Mr. Hamilton, the Finance Director for the City of Norwalk replied that MERA will protect the current employees and that they are entitled to organize a union. Since more than 90% of the employees are from Norwalk, it is reasonable to expect that the current Norwalk situation will be used as a template.

There was some discussion regarding the payment of the per capita sum to the District and how it would be distributed once the funds are available.

Questions regarding the employee benefits and seniority resurfaced. Mr. Lewis Brey, Counsel for NEMA, addressed this issue, stating that it would be a complicated process if it was not carefully worked out now. Pay rates would stay the same during the bargaining period, and once a new union is formed, NEMA has asked that the status quo be maintained. However, the Mayor, who is the only designated union negotiator through the Head of Personnel, Sara LeTourneau, has not currently stated his intentions.

Ms. Pat DiPietro, a Norwalk Department of Health employee was recognized by the chair to address the committee. Ms. DiPietro pointed out that it was difficult to know where the employees stood with so many unanswered questions, such as whether or not their benefits would be continued, or how to choose a union to represent them. She also added that most of the Health Department employees were long term, but they are unfamiliar with labor law and need clarification.

Mr. Al Kao, a Norwalk Department of Health employee was also acknowledged by the chair to address the committee. Mr. Kao stated that he had worked at the Health Department for some 31 years. He said that he himself has no objection to becoming part of a district, however, he was deeply concerned over the fact that the unions were not present at the public hearings and also about some of the negotiation issues referred to by Mr. Brey.

Mr. Brey explained that the union officials had not received notification from the city until 13 days ago.

Mr. Hempstead explained that the Mayor is the designated union negotiator through Sara and that the Committee is not authorized to deal with any negotiation issues, but the Committee was willing to listen to their concerns.

Mr. Krummel had some questions about the line item budget not including the office space in New Canaan. Mr. Callahan replied that that office space was already allocated in New Canaan and therefore did not appear on the budget.

Mr. Hempstead wanted to know why there was a June 15th deadline, particularly with so many unanswered questions.

Mr. Callahan explained that the State had agreed to give the new Health District the 2005 allocation if they formed before June 15th.

There was some discussion regarding the Ledge Light Health District. New London had a very large budget shortfall and decided to privatize the health care to cut costs. The employees were not unionized and because of that, the unions feel there is some uncertainty about the outcome of merger.

There was also a brief discussion regarding the fact that since New Canaan has already voted on the measure, the Memorandum of Understanding may not be altered.

** MR. MCQUAID MOVED THAT THE ISSUE OF THE NORWALK-NEW CANAAN HEALTH DISTRICT BE MOVED TO THE FULL COMMON COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION WITHOUT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION.
** THE MOTION PASSED WITH FOUR IN FAVOR (MCQUAID, OLMSTEAD-SAWYER, KRUMMEL, WILLIAMS) AND TWO OPPOSED (WIEN AND SUTTON).

** MR. MCQUAID MOVED THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED.
** MOTION WAS UNANIMOUS.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sharon L. Soltes
Telesco Secretarial Services.

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