Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Attendees: Assistant Director-Laurel Schafer; Katy Maxwell, Public Health Planner; Nionna Phillips, Prevention Specialist. Jim McClain – IT Director.

Board of Health (BOH): Gerald Koppenhafer, Kent Lindsay and Jim Candelaria.

1. Call to order and introductions: (1:30)

Laurel Schafer called to order the regular meeting of the Montezuma County Public Health Board of Health Meeting at 1:30 on 7/1/2025 at Montezuma County BOCC Room. 

1. Approval of minutes from last meeting and introductions.

• Meet the Healthy Montezuma Team:

Laurel, Katy, Heather and Nionna shared about the Healthy Montezuma coalition and its goals & areas of focus. Shared about the plans to move forward with a community health fair, short film, podcast and prevention campaigns. Introduced Healthy Montezuma/MCPHD partners and they shared how the work they do correlates with the Healthy Montezuma work. Cameron Schafer-Sand Canyon Therapy, Gene Peck-Community member, Rosa Dimon – SCYC, Imo Succo – IWP and Tess Lynston- IWP all shared. A suggestion was made to focus on issues related to mental health with increased usage of social media and electronic devices, by Commission Candelaria and a suggestion to make that idea a potential podcast. The team asked for any other ideas to be shared at any time.

1. CNC/S.A.F.E Coalition/County Fair Update:

Nionna updated the BOH on what the coalition is working on, including the Cattle, Crops and Coffee project. The group will be at the County Fair doing surveys and in exchange for filling out the survey, people will be entered in a giveaway for a new gun safe.

1. Communicable Disease Update

Measles update.  No current COVID outbreaks. 21 animal bite cases this quarter. 1 active TB and 1 suspect TB.

1. MCPHD Update:

MCPHD is still waiting for federal funding for immunization, EPR and MCH programs. New OWTS regulations have been released, and we have until June of 2026 to adopt our local regulations that align with the changes but are encouraged to do so by January of 2026.  Also, the state is increasing food licensing fees starting in August of 2025 and will gradually raise them until 2028. They have not released the amount yet but will soon.

• Suggestions for the next BOH meeting: OWTS regulation changes and food licensing fee updates.
• Next BOH meeting will be held on 10/7/2025.

Laurel Schafer adjourned the meeting at 2:30

Minutes submitted by: Laurel Schafer       

Minutes approved by: Katy Maxwell