[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6684466,"mediaKeyId","2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032","parentId",2171709,"title","Board of Health installs new member, discusses vacancies and nominates vice chair","audioSeconds",5822,"startMs",98000,"endMs",5920000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032&start=98&end=5920","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032/thumbnail_98000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6684466/Scotland-County/North-Carolina/Board-of-Health-installs-new-member-discusses-vacancies-and-nominates-vice-chair","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6684466-2592c854d73fc6df78557b856cd4bf06/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440201&Signature=kFcBEgo3opojCtokUHMpwF~wVcXKCzDl9NpKlNy5dhxBpodw5kEkFhfUVJpH~Gswdc508LvqkzjCQnmHyn0lR3mlyyGHSBPIJ7v6bB0qTxNtfZjzVtkXP0UGBZGOCx6TeU7Zr3sUbKgXI4OlvfZKQkHDZfXybnfpzjvBKze3C00oKAVbPHO7r3-~me-L-ljWVYYviZiQGYGhzgdWWxQqYco773GUpystsolHhF37yJz8BUG1h9kxS-L06E7I20IeUDEyqkDhm8yP-SrD7NUSIA1nCrunSw0Q30Kv4IGR5TUgaHMDbpbT2rqKZhsWCcL3EnLc3ymkTHCaJFP-vFUSjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Scotland County","date","2025-01-01T05:11:50.437Z","article","At the start of the meeting the Board of Health administered the oath of office to Edward O'Neil Jr., who was sworn in as a member of the Scotland County Board of Health.

Later in the meeting the committee reported a nomination for vice chair: the nominating committee put forward Dr. Bear Hughes for vice chair. The transcript records the nomination and subsequent discussion but does not record a formal roll‑call vote in the minutes excerpted.

Board members discussed several vacancies on the board. The optometrist seat became vacant after Dr. Bolen (referred to in the transcript as Dr. Bolen or Bowling) said he would not return; the board considered three options under its bylaws: recruit another optometrist, seek a neighboring‑county clinician, or appoint a non‑clinician public member in that seat. A motion was made on the record to open the optometrist seat to a community member (that is, advertise for a qualified citizen to fill the seat) and to continue efforts to recruit for the pharmacist and veterinarian openings. The transcript records the motion and an affirmation that the open positions to note were the veterinarian, optometrist and a community member seat; a pharmacist candidate had been forwarded to staff.

The board also reviewed and discussed its 2025 meeting schedule, noting meetings will be held every other month (February, April, June, August, October and December) as included in the packet. The transcript shows staff asked members to complete orientation and continuing training requirements; staff noted a free virtual training series and that board members should send certificates to staff for professional records. The transcript does not record a formal vote on the 2025 meeting schedule within the excerpt provided.

Board members were asked to help recruit candidates for open professional seats and were directed to have potential candidates complete the county application form so staff can process appointments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Scotland County Board of Health Regular Session Meeting 12/17/24","oneSentenceSummary","The Board administered the oath to a new member, accepted a vice‑chair nomination and discussed three open board seats (optometrist, veterinarian, pharmacist) and the board meeting schedule for 2025.","taxTitle","Scotland County, North Carolina","taxId",71283,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6684471,"Board hears staffing shortages, pay and contracting pressures; department planning short-term contracts for clinical coverage",787,3383000,4170000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032&start=3383&end=4170","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032/thumbnail_3383000.jpg","/articles/6684471/Scotland-County/North-Carolina/Board-hears-staffing-shortages-pay-and-contracting-pressures-department-planning-short-term-contracts-for-clinical-coverage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6684471-4c56ecfe8f031c5217b42b26285d6022/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440201&Signature=fr2XtwtKnnmWM6U-28pIL2ne-vKWU5IX~EnLXCcIYDx~T5frzlq5uUcrSejR1tx7i2wTl9pdxbKIKMbUSy7ZBLBlrPC9dCXBsj1pBRMPPg4Gt2E-yzNfjx831iPO2su0KNp44IrdwdqRcDJRSMSXyE1745pOoQ0OJPwiw-4uk5HhcBiHbfApOY42BWdEYL0IIR2rcmOXWrXO3tw0nMkvLFWhWAZ2Ilkaf0-IycRWBdQ-WBjt4Jt0BXDTGYk32HDngItLyjvOUtVHlJOL3LWxJr-dY3dzB50s4ba95yb~6f97kXe4id8PQcCBRNXG2QgkH2JNEzORtsqja14g6qP-nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Scotland County health department leaders told the Board of Health they face ongoing vacancies and turnover across clinical and nutrition positions, are contracting short‑term clinicians to maintain clinic hours, and are exploring retention options including hiring retired nurses for part‑time work.

Staff said a mobile‑clinic provider will leave effective Dec. 27, leaving a staffing gap that the department expects to cover initially by contracting clinicians through a vendor. Staff described a six‑month contract in discussion with a staffing firm (referred to in the packet as a local contract arrangement); presenters noted agency or “traveler” clinicians typically command higher hourly pay than county employees and that contracting costs create budget pressures.

Board members raised the question of state‑imposed pay ceilings and classification rules that limit how prior nursing experience is credited for county public‑health pay scales; staff said the state sets key elements of salary bands and that failing to meet state requirements risks accreditation and funding. A board member suggested researching what comparable counties pay and exploring creative staffing models such as part‑time retired RNs or expanded use of LPNs/paramedics where legally permissible.

Staff said some positions have been advertised multiple times with limited applicant pools and that contracting is being used as a short‑term mitigation. The department reported three registered environmental health specialists on staff (including one newly certified specialist), part‑time and intern support, and an open nutritionist position that has been filled temporarily through contract staff because the county position remains frozen from a hiring standpoint.

The board discussed potential next steps: benchmarking pay vs. peer counties, targeted recruitment, reaching out to recently retired nurses about part‑time work, and clarifying long‑term strategy because reliance on contract clinicians is expensive and may not be sustainable. No formal board vote on staffing policy or contract approval was recorded in the transcript.","Board members discussed multiple vacancies, the loss of an on‑site provider, use of contracted clinicians on six‑month terms, and state salary rules that limit pay scales for county public‑health workers.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6684475,"Environmental health staff report three new restaurants, ongoing lead investigations and two recent property investigations",172,2718000,2890000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032&start=2718&end=2890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032/thumbnail_2718000.jpg","/articles/6684475/Scotland-County/North-Carolina/Environmental-health-staff-report-three-new-restaurants-ongoing-lead-investigations-and-two-recent-property-investigations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6684475-48498c668cfe483bc95c55c7f8ecf071/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440201&Signature=NudXa7tDoZM6aZEJTlwgRZvY5hAuDSHkwv4guclrEfog0TexstOMl0N4ksTxt9pawsMZn~6db~sgteD6d3hPwQBK11MK9Sa5tmDnY98BuKnkTYNGz5hsqUGJDugkoViZw7kIMCtHFRtzIPnfp3Mi2OHcoXTpWuIxGuoU1308yQO3rOOzegXJ6mvhz8r3SMxh-4jfoSRBuVQN-Bbg090wpH0w-cXJX2twuqENLy2O-pAwtzE1egQ77A9zbz1SwMLODXV9hdpL~uWaKmERnTHtUdLcVF1S-7JrUr3MbBFQBjGEk7bPzamnEOhwUG9USsBYFbi44XXg0JVzXbATtmYM7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Environmental health staff updated the Scotland County Board of Health on permitted food establishments, plan reviews and elevated blood‑lead investigations.

Staff said the county opened three restaurants in the period described in the packet: a Hispanic restaurant identified in the transcript as \"Tiquiera El Rey de Concito\" (spelling in packet), Bad Rabbit's in Food Lion North, and Adrian's Restaurant in the former Pizza Hut location. They reported closures including Golden Corral, Harvey's Soul Food on McCall Road, and Trades, Blades and Hoagies in a strip near the county line. Staff said three plan reviews were active: Stockton Goes Storm, the Burg 401 project in the old Bull House location, and another site moving into the old caves area.

On environmental health investigations, staff reported two lead investigations completed in the previous month. Staff said the state lowered the elevated blood‑lead reference value to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter, which increased the number of investigations the department opened; the department works with regional state staff to conduct property inspections when children have consecutive elevated results and to follow up with families.

Staff also reported current staffing in environmental services: three registered environmental health specialists (one newly certified after passing the required exam), one intern in training and one part-time staff member focused on the county's on‑site program. The newly certified specialist had been an intern and passed the certification exam, the presenter said.

Board members asked clarifying questions about plan-review status and available inspection capacity; staff replied they have been coordinating with regional staff and with animal-shelter partners on related public‑health issues.","Environmental health staff told the Board they opened three new restaurants in late 2024, closed several establishments, completed plan reviews and conducted lead investigations after a change in the elevated blood-lead screening threshold.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6684478,"Director of nursing presents 2023 STD/HIV data: county sees high STD counts, HIV cases concentrated in younger adults",850,1225000,2075000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032&start=1225&end=2075","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032/thumbnail_1225000.jpg","/articles/6684478/Scotland-County/North-Carolina/Director-of-nursing-presents-2023-STDHIV-data-county-sees-high-STD-counts-HIV-cases-concentrated-in-younger-adults","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6684478-1f0c8395a0608af4cd9d9e199fa07fea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440201&Signature=gIM99gy1yQf09-RcvzUZmcFoeTMShJN3x55Jp9geZgeG8neoxIpNAhV4wneve5OPRIX21pxTKTYKyo37xAOhlAy-7tvkpxNPdqfE-sptIoGHxmpUJqN~G9BnbKI3k4k24i2aqg40t7QrWcJB4KeZcZlWReYT14Oec4r7JRm~4-XjIoCpSHUeV5TyH9dpqKx7G0vQy7Pjf-BrmQMcb8wJWtkIOAwaeGzOSWNIYpmSBZdrmbBrp0IYGp9oAFofc6AujaAffo65N0nxmShwIkH9YmpXzYFl6BrjXmb3~~40HdopjIjGl8Cv8XiNvr5vOaFLgbt8V4DeU7DyP77KJtHCCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","John Page, the Scotland County director of nursing, presented the health department's 2023 communicable-disease summary to the Board of Health, reporting elevated sexually transmitted infection (STI) counts and describing operational challenges with testing and follow-up.

Page said the county recorded about 601 reportable STI cases in the reporting period, with the highest burden among residents aged 15–24 and higher reported rates among females for chlamydia and gonorrhea. He reported that HIV cases have historically been small in absolute numbers but large per 100,000 because Scotland County's population is relatively small; the department recorded 13 HIV diagnoses in 2022 and 10 in 2023 in the state database, but staff said one of the 2023 records was for a South Carolina resident and should not be counted as a Scotland County diagnosis.

Page noted hepatitis C comprises a large share of reportable communicable disease counts for the county and that a meaningful portion of those cases are recorded when persons who were formerly incarcerated become county residents, which increases the county's reported totals.

The director described challenges in getting symptomatic people tested and treated through emergency rooms and urgent-care settings, where patients frequently receive care but are not always linked back to the health department for follow-up or education. He said emergency rooms often recommend patients get testing at the health department but that many do not come in for follow-up. The department works with state disease investigation specialists and regional offices to ensure treatment and partner notification when required.

Board members asked about prevention tactics. Page said the department emphasizes education and outreach, offers testing in clinic settings and works to normalize HIV testing in routine care. He cited barriers including stigma and logistics of contacting transient patients; he offered examples where positive results were not acted on promptly because the health department could not locate the patient.

Page told the board he expects final statewide published counts may differ slightly from the department's internal tracking because of interstate reporting and state data quirks; he said he has raised a correction request with state staff for a case wrongly attributed to Scotland County.","The Board received the health department's 2023 communicable disease overview: roughly 601 reportable STI cases, highest rates among ages 15–24, an HIV caseload that peaked at 13 in 2022, and hepatitis C counts driven in part by people newly counted after incarceration.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6684479,"Scotland County Health Department reports under-budget spending, proposes small fee increases for private vaccines",5257,271000,5528000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032&start=271&end=5528","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171709-010b2176d5818473cdd147d0004f0032/thumbnail_271000.jpg","/articles/6684479/Scotland-County/North-Carolina/Scotland-County-Health-Department-reports-under-budget-spending-proposes-small-fee-increases-for-private-vaccines","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6684479-f7754723e836c7769521ca998eaa7963/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440201&Signature=EmAjVnHpG3U1kaB0g8jsZnUqv4yn4E-uK32uLvZtLaFhCwGZmJkAWsErFxdIbuGkemFF4SJa02QEg-rGA79PCgd5pl9JEwHJcTJNeXP5fZdRxYWLSakejF43-HnFbRdL80QLK-hIl1S0fMwvHvl~zCHuNHFNeO5mpb4Y8-apIMABV4aD69ozFaT9X0eojhhMatfYIirBtbos~vF6HW-8-5SpZyPLAzjSOVJdM7rLPQEi0CGTHQon1y2N0sER~dBh5B1As4TCvb~uJUUAtju-0O8F8BN7gOZvA9C-J55jscbAQxj8NDkuXxCbXv5084BczIxlxx5ncezWi0XwXeIHYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Scotland County health department staff reported that departmental spending through the fifth month of the fiscal year remained below the pro rata target while immunization spending exceeded expectations, and they asked the Board of Health to approve modest fee increases for privately insured vaccine services.

The presenter said departmentwide expenditures were about 34.3% of budget at the five-month mark, below the 42% point the fiscal year would normally reach. Revenue collections stood at about 27.2% of budget, the presenter said, and immunization lines showed both higher spending and higher revenue because the department is purchasing more private vaccines and billing third‑party payers (including Medicare). Staff told the board that private‑pay and third‑party vaccination activity increases revenue that helps offset program costs.

Staff explained the county fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30, while some state grants operate June 1 to May 31, creating a roughly one‑month timing difference for state grant revenue recognition. The presenter said that seasonality — flu and recent updated COVID shots — and school vaccine sessions contributed to higher immunization activity in November.

Board members were shown a proposed schedule of updated fees for private immunizations. Staff described the fee-setting method as taking cost, adding about 5%, and rounding to the nearest dollar; the packet showed columns labeled 2023–2025 proposed fees. Staff asked the board to approve the changes but no formal board vote was recorded in the transcript.

Staff also noted routine revenue‑related activity increases outside immunizations, such as a rise in adult health revenue from school and work physicals.

The board discussed timing and asked clarifying questions about how flu, school sessions and third‑party insurance affect both expenditures and revenue. Staff emphasized the increase in vaccine purchases precedes increased revenue from billing insurance carriers.

Less-critical packet items discussed during the presentation included accounting timing between county and state fiscal calendars and that federal/state reimbursement lines are typically one month behind the department's internal reporting.

If approved, the proposed fee adjustments would affect privately insured patients who use the health department for vaccinations and would be intended to offset program delivery costs rather than expand services.","Health department staff told the Scotland County Board of Health the department is under budget for the fiscal year to date but immunizations are over budget; staff proposed modest fee adjustments on private (third‑party) immunizations to offset costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board of Health installs new member, discusses vacancies and nominates vice chair

Board hears staffing shortages, pay and contracting pressures; department planning short-term contracts for clinical coverage

Environmental health staff report three new restaurants, ongoing lead investigations and two recent property investigations

Director of nursing presents 2023 STD/HIV data: county sees high STD counts, HIV cases concentrated in younger adults

Scotland County Health Department reports under-budget spending, proposes small fee increases for private vaccines