neha vice-president farewell address · neha vice-president farewell address bette packer-neha...

MEHA bulletin

MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

President

Robert Servian

Spring 2010 Issue

Volume 40, No. 2

IN THIS EDITION

Farewell Message

Biographies of Candidates

MEHA Winter Conference Photos MEHA Scholarship Recipient Sharon Smith

Calendar of Events

NEHA Vice-President Farewell Address Bette Packer-NEHA Region 4 Vice President This June I will complete six years as your Regional Vice President to NEHA. It’s a wonderfully satisfying feeling to re-tire from an organization that is nationally recognized for leadership in environmental health; from an organization that serves members first; from an organization that is innovative and adapts quickly to changing trends in learning and tech-nology; from an organization of truly dedicated staff and vol-unteers who meet the challenges of change and growth that have characterized NEHA. It’s been a time when NEHA became more involved in public policy that affects our profession. Just last week in Wyoming when that House of Representatives introduced a bill to allow all food sold by farmers and ranchers directly to the public to be exempt from government inspection (including custom processed meat), NEHA responded overnight with a letter to the Governor and many key Senators. The bill died in the Senate. Our grants program has grown exponentially because NEHA is recognized for its expertise in grants management. We have built a partnership with CDC that is strong and will con-tinue to grow. We have developed on-line learning opportu-nities for members that are unprecedented among profes-sional organizations. And there is much, much more, of course. What an experience! I am so proud to have represented you. Thank you.

Minnesota Environmental Health Association www.MEHAonline.org

BOARD ELECTIONS Several MEHA board positions will be voted on by members prior to the annual

meeting. Candidates have submitted the following biographies for your review.

Dan Disrud works for the Anoka County Community

Health and Environmental Services Department as an

Environmental Health Specialist. Since graduation

from Concordia College in Moorhead with a BA in

Biology, he has worked for two environmental con-

sulting firms where his jobs have included laboratory

technician, environmental assessments specialist,

OSHA compliance monitoring technician, and field coordinator, among others.

In his current primary role, Dan is assigned to the retail food inspections programs

delegated through the Department of Health. Secondary assignments include

responsibilities as public health emergency Planning Chief, managing the body art

licensing program, and investigating garbage house and indoor air complaints in

Anoka County. Previous assignments with Anoka County include hazardous

waste and solid waste establishment inspections.

Dan lives in Champlin with his wife, two sons, and two cats (the dog died). He

enjoys coaching youth baseball and soccer and being a Boy Scout leader. He is

retired from the military and from his city’s environmental resources commission.

Dan is honored to have served MEHA as Membership Co-Chair for the past 15

years and looks forward to continued service to our great professional

organization as we celebrate 50 years of distinguished existence. He can be

reached at [email protected] .

Dan Disrud Anoka County

Candidate for Vice President

mailto:[email protected]


My name is Angie Wheeler and I am currently working as a Senior Environmental Specialist

with the Washington County Department of Public Health & Environment. I have been with

Washington County since 1989. My primary work duties include working in the General

Environmental Health Team’s Food, Beverage, Lodging and Public Health Nuisance programs.

I have a B.S. degree in Environmental and Public Health from UW-Eau Claire. Previously I

worked for the Eau Claire City-County Health Department in Wisconsin. Over the years I have

collected and analyzed hundreds of food and water samples, conducted routine inspections of

restaurants, lodging establishments, schools, grocery stores, recreational areas and garbage

trucks, participated in remote household hazardous waste collections, and have investigated

public health nuisance complaints.

I am a member of the second cohort of fellows of the CDC’s Environmental Public Health

Leadership Institute. I graduated from this exciting program in February of 2007.

MEHA activities that I have been involved with in the past year are:

MEHA representative on the Environmental Health Knowledge Management Project

Steering Committee

MEHA liaison to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Environmental and Public

Health program

MEHA Policy & Procedures Manual Review Committee member

MEHA Board liaison to the Newsletter and Resolution Committees

MEHA representative at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Health Affairs

(OHA), Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense Division (FAVD) meeting for input from

Minnesota regarding a Food Sector Benchmarking Toolkit

I have been the MEHA Secretary since 2007 and I am looking to continue in this capacity. I

served as the MEHA Vice President in 2003-2004. In 2004-2005 I served as the MEHA Presi-

dent and then as the First and Second Past President the following two years. I served as the

co-chair of the MEHA publications committee for several years. In 1999 I previously served as

the MEHA Secretary. I have been honored to represent the MEHA members on the MEHA

Board and would like to continue as the MEHA Secretary.

Angie Wheeler

Washington County Candidate for Secretary


I am a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and have been

employed by the City of Saint Paul for the past five years. My

primary duty with the City is to conduct routine & complaint-

based inspections of food establishments, including the ever-

expanding Saint Paul Farmers' Market. I also assist with plan review for new and remodeled

establishments, and I serve as an alternate member of the Inter Agency Review Council.

Prior to working for the City of Saint Paul, I was a Code Compliance Officer for the City of

Minneapolis. There, in addition to food inspections and reviewing plans, I conducted food

worker training courses in both English and Spanish.

I received my MPH in Environmental Health from the University of Minnesota School of Pub-

lic Health. I earned my BA with a double major in Biology and Environmental Studies and a

minor in Spanish from Gustavus Adolphus College. While in school, I held a number of Envi-

ronmental Health-related student worker positions and internships: "Team Diarrhea" at MDH,

Brown-Nicollet Environmental Health doing water quality monitoring and post-tornado

community outreach, Minnesota River Basin Joint Powers Board, and Blue Earth County

Environmental Services.

I am a graduate of the Saint Paul Mayor’s Leadership Academy. I also volunteer with the Power

Lunch Program of Everybody Wins Minnesota, a children’s reading program. In my "spare"

time I enjoy reading, sewing, gardening, seeing live music, and spending time in the great

outdoors - preferably in the summer. I used to spend the bulk of my time trying to prevent my

85-yr old house from imploding, but I think we've gotten that under control.

I have been honored to serve as a MEHA Director for the past three years. I have been involved

as a member of the Outreach Committee, and as a liaison to the Student Committee. Projects

that I have been involved with include assisting with the design of the "Environmental Health

and You... A Typical Day" presentation, and with the design and sourcing (and subsequent ped-

dling) of the gray MEHA fleece jackets (get yours while they last!!! no- really). My latest pro-

ject is designing a page so that if you are interested, you can be a "fan" of MEHA on Facebook.

As budgets shrink and workloads increase and employee morale sinks, I think it's important that

we maintain a positive attitude about the work that we do as Environmental Health Specialists.

Being actively involved with MEHA is a great reminder that there are other professionals in

Minnesota who feel as strongly about this as I do. I look forward to continuing to serve on the

Board of Directors.

Kim Carlton City of St. Paul

Candidate for Member-At-Large


I came to the United States on November 12th, 1987 to Eau Claire WI and passed all required

exams to earn my G.E.D. on December 23rd, 1987. I graduated from the University of

Wisconsin Eau Claire in May of 1995 in the field of Environmental and Public Health. I

started working for the City of Saint Paul on July 3rd, 1995 as a License and Permit

Aide. My duties included translating the City's Food Ordinance into Hmong and Laos, in-

specting retail grocery stores and enforcing the City's Keeping of Animals Ordinance and

other duties as assigned.

I have been a full-time Environmental Health Specialist since 1996. My duties have ex-

panded to include restaurants, hotel/motel, swimming pools, retail grocery stores and food

vending machine inspections. I have also been listed on the City's Language Skills list since I

am fluent in four languages: Hmong, Lao, Thai and English. I will have been with the City of

Saint Paul for fifteen years in July of this year. From 2000 to 2004, I was the City's represen-

tative in partnership with the FDA to conduct studies in Asian food including microbial vali-

dation study and I conducted safe food handling workshops for Asian business operators in

Saint Paul and Asian food workshops for several metro food regulatory agencies.

Outside of my occupational profession, I have done volunteer work for the East Side District

Five Planning Council as an executive board member; John A. Johnson Achievement Plus

Elementary School on the east side of Saint Paul as a Site Team Council member; Hmong

National Organization as vice president; Boy Scouts of America in Silver Maple District as

Product Sales' Chair, Volunteer Resource Chair and District Chair; Lo-Pha Society, Inc. as

Treasurer; Urban Academy Charter school as a board member; and currently co-chair of the

Community Advisory Committee for the Hmong Culture and Language Program at Concordia

University in Saint Paul.

I was recognized by former Saint Paul Mayor, Norm Coleman, as the 8th Karl Neid Commu-

nity Involvement Award recipient, which was named in honor of a former City Council mem-

ber, Karl Neid, who passed away about sixteen years ago. Thanks to Steven R. Roy, Barbara

McMonigal-St. Dennis and others involved for nominating me for this award. I have also

received numerous awards from all the different organizations that I had been involved with.

It would be an honor to serve in this great organization which serves my profession and with

the many great colleagues and friends that I have come to know and consider as a part of my

extended family.

Fong Lor City of St. Paul

Candidate for Member-At-Large


Laura works for the Minnesota Department of Health-Environmental Health

Services and for the past 4 years (will be 5 in October) has been a plan reviewer

for food & beverage, lodging, transient food service, recreational campgrounds

and manufactured home parks facilities. Laura is a member of the Ventilation

Committee and Construction Committee from the Inter-Agency Review Coun-

cil. Prior to state service, Laura worked for the City of Minneapolis as code com-

pliance inspector for the Environmental Health department and the Environmental

Management department. Laura had a ethnically diverse territory in the Washing-

ton Avenue, Cedar-Riverside and East Lake Street areas. In Environmental

Management, Laura worked with the source water protection planners and the

Minneapolis water treatment staff in development of the source water protection

area for Minneapolis' drinking water intake. Laura also worked for the City of

Bloomington as a water treatment plant operator for 4 years prior to taking the

environmental health position in Minneapolis. Laura graduated from Ely Com-

munity College with an Associate of Applied Science in Water Resource Technol-

ogy and Bemidji State University with a Bachelor's degree in Aquatic Biology.

In her spare time, Laura spends time with her fiancée, Rick Broberg (building

inspector in Minneapolis), riding motorcycles, bicycles, traveling, investing,

playing Xbox 360 games and remodeling their homes. Now that one remodel is

finished, Laura would to channel some of the time toward activities in MEHA to

recruit new members and work toward educating the public about environmental

health issues facing Minnesota.

Laura Huseby Minnesota Department

of Health Candidate for Director


Paul Allwood is Assistant Director of Environmental Health and Safety, and Assistant

Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota. He has extensive

academic and professional training in environmental health and has worked in a variety of

public health program areas, including 12 years as an Environmental Health Specialist/

Sanitarian and the state and local levels. He holds Masters and Doctoral degrees in Environ-

mental Health Sciences from the University of Minnesota and is a member of Minnesota

Environmental Health Association, National Environmental Health Association, and the

Conference for Food Protection.

Paul Bancroft Allwood, PhD, MPH,RS

University of Minnesota Candidate for Director


News from NEHA

The NEHA office has had many inquiries about the role we should be playing in the Haiti disas-

ter. It is clear that during the immediate aftermath the acute need is for medical services, but

that in the future environmental health will play a significant role. NEHA has been in frequent

contact with the CDC to determine the scope of our participation. As of March 1, there appears

to be a very significant agreement to be announced about the partnership between NEHA and

the CDC to help rebuild Haiti. Monitor the NEHA website for developing details.

Recently I read a letter that claimed NEHA was doing little if anything to help the profession

advance or to assist and encourage environmental health students. I wondered if the writer did-

n’t have access to the internet or just wasn’t curious enough to go to the NEHA website to get

the latest information on our activities. Our collaboration with the CDC is just one of the many

efforts NEHA makes to promote environmental health and the professionals who work in the

field. In regard to support of students, NEHA has strengthened its relationship with EHAC

(The National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council), as well as

providing support to new environmental health programs that are being initiated in states such

as Iowa and Wisconsin. If you have never gone to NEHA.org, please do! You will be amazed

at the breadth our involvement that supports your profession.

The Annual Educational Conference (AEC) is in Albuquerque this year, and will be another

outstanding event. The section chairs look at each potential presentation for its return on in-

vestment (ROI) to assure you that your time will be well spent and accountable to your agency.

Anytime you have questions about NEHA or its involvement or support of your work, please

call or send me an email. If I don’t have the answer I’ll find someone who does.

Bette Packer REHS

[email protected] 763-226-6487

Visit our website: www.MEHAonline.org

MEHA is on Facebook! Visit

our page and join the group!

mailto:[email protected]


The Mary Lauren Olson Scholarship Committee, consisting of: Kris Lee, Carlota Medus and

Steve Roy, are pleased to announce that the 2010 Scholarship Award recipient is Ms. Elizabeth

Gaston, University of Minnesota Master’s Degree student. Ms. Gaston will receive $1500.00

from the scholarship to assist her with her education. She is scheduled to complete her Master’s

Degree in Infectious Disease at the U of M this spring. She then intends to pursue a PH. D. in

Epidemiology and Public Health.

Elizabeth is an outstanding student with a

wealth of local and international experi-

ence in academic and volunteer work.

She earned Bachelor of Arts at the

University of Boston and studied in

Ecuador. She assisted in Thailand’s

recovery from the devastating 2005

Tsunami. She has volunteered with

habitat for Humanity on Minneapolis and

has served as a Spanish interpreter and

patient advocate for the Phillip’s

neighborhood, also in Minneapolis.

Elizabeth is currently working with

MDH’s Team Diarrhea and she is a Lead

Research Coordinator on the joint

research study of Taconite workers,

studying the frequency of lung disorders

among those workers. This study is being

conducted cooperatively between MDH

and the American Lung Association.

Elizabeth was introduced to the MEHA

membership at the January 14, 2010

MEHA Conference in St. Cloud. She was

also able to attend much of the conference.

We, the scholarship committee, were amazed and impressed with the fine caliber of all of the 8

scholarship applicants this year. We were so pleased to know so many fine people are entering

the field of Environmental Health/Public Health.


Sharon Smith—Candidate for NEHA Region 4 Vice President

For those of you who belong to the National Environmental Health Association, a ballot will

soon arrive. This year Region IV will be voting for a new VP. I wish to thank Bette Packer for

her 6 years of service on the NEHA Board.

On that ballot you will see the name Sharon Smith. Many of you know me from a variety of

positions within our association:

co-editor of the newsletter;

scholarship committee member and

co-chair of the Marketing and Outreach

Committee. I was VP for Spence

Pierce and fulfilled the duties

associated with the presidential track.

You may ask why someone would

choose to volunteer for so many jobs?

I feel the need to support our associa-

tion. As an environmental health

professional in Minnesota, MEHA is

my source for education, communica-

tion and networking. I focused on

different areas as I perceived my skill

set could best be utilized.

I now feel that I may best serve you at the national level. Our profession is facing an uphill

battle and NEHA must be a strong voice in establishing the role and value of a sanitarian. The

state of Hawaii no longer requires sanitarian registration and in late January there was a job

listing for a “sanitarian” requiring only a high school diploma or GED. The starting wage was

$12.50 an hour. Our profession requires much more than the ability to use a thermometer, a test

strip or to fill a water bottle. A strong science background and an understanding of disease

transmission and public health practice is essential. We need to have recognition across the

country and that charge should be lead by our National Association.

If I am afforded the opportunity to represent our region I promise to do everything I can to

apply my questioning, objective and rational perspective in an open-minded manner in

service to MEHA and our neighboring states.

Thank You.

Sharon L. Smith

March 25, 2010 Non-Community Public Water Supply Training St. Paul, MN April 5-11, 2010 Public Health Week www.nphw.org April 22, 2010 EHS/Sanitarian Registration Exam St. Paul MN May 5-7, 2010 MEHA Annual Spring Conference Deerwood, MN Ruttgers Bay Lake Lodge June 6-9, 2010 NEHA National Education Conference Albuquerque, New Mexico June 15-18, 2011 NEHA AEC Columbus, Ohio


Food Operations Cited for Health Violations

Reprinted from Victoria Times Colonist

More than one-third of 424 food operations serving the

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games in Richmond, Vancouver, at Cypress Bowl in West Vancou-

ver, and Whistler did not fully meet health regulations, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority

inspection reports show.

Of the 147 food operations not compliant in one or more aspects of their operations, 56, or 38

percent, were specifically cited for "potentially hazardous food" concerns, including failure to

thaw food properly and failure to maintain food at sufficiently low or high temperatures, a re-

view by the Vancouver Sun has found.

The food operations include temporary facilities serving the public, athletes, media, dignitaries,

volunteers and other workers, and can range from restaurant-style operations to smaller conces-

sions and even beer vendors and hotdog stands.

Food service has been farmed out to caterers at the various Olympic venues that are not perma-

nent sites.

Vancouver restaurants typically receive one visit annually from health inspectors. Olympic food

venues were generally visited three times by inspectors in February alone, evidence of the extra

measure of vigilance underway to guard against an outbreak of food-borne illness during the

Games.

A total of about 35 Vancouver Coastal Health inspectors are working full-out in the Olympic

field every day in two shifts.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed that we get through without any adverse impact on people,"

Domenic Losito, regional director of environmental health, said in an interview Tuesday. "So

far, we seem to be on top of it." Losito said temporary food outlets typically have more health

violations than permanent restaurants due to issues such as inexperienced staff and difficulties

maintaining proper food temperatures and supplying hot water at remote sites.

Verbal and written warnings from health inspectors are generally sufficient to address compli-

ance issues, but in the most serious case to date, Austria House at Lost Lake in Whistler re-

ceived a Public Health Act order.


The order required that:

* Each food preparation and service area is equipped with a hand-wash station serviced with hot

and cold running water and provided with liquid soap and paper towel.

* No food is stored outdoors.

* All dishware and utensils are washed and sanitized before use.

* Critical limits are monitored in accordance with the food safety plan; written temperature logs

are maintained.

* Food is kept protected from contamination at all times.

Losito said conditions were met within a matter of hours of the order being issued. Failure to

act on such health concerns could lead to a fine or closing of a facility.

Inspectors also found an "unapproved food preparation area" at Russia's Sochi House at Science

World. Service was temporarily restricted to "low risk food items" and single-service dishware

(paper, plastic) and utensils until officials could get a permit and address health problems re-

lated to issues such as heating and refrigeration.

Among the compliance issues elsewhere: the Alberta Pavilion in Vancouver fell under scrutiny

for lack of hand soap and paper towels and for storing milk on ice; Germany House at Whistler

for "partially cooked meat, beef joints and chicken breast found cooling at room temperature;"

and Maison du Quebec in Vancouver for gravy stored at room temperature, improper tempera-

ture in the dishwasher, and improperly cleaned washrooms



MEHA will be a cosponsor for the Wednesday, April 7th food/environment-themed films, part

of the National Public Health Week Film Festival, April 5-9.

The free public screening will be held at the Coffman Memorial Union Theater, University of

Minnesota Minneapolis campus. The films are:

School Lunch: What Parents Should Know about Food and Fitness at School, about the

nutrition problem in lunches at Minnesota public schools

Food Fight, a closer look at how American agricultural policy and food culture developed

in the 20th century and how the California food movement created a counter-revolution

against big agribusiness

The films will be shown as part of the

National Public Health Week Film

Festival, April 5-9, hosted by the University

of Minnesota School of Public Health. There

will be free admis- sion and beverages. The

Campus Club will provide free local, organic

appetizers for all film goers. Doors will

open at 5 p.m. daily with expert introductions

and films starting at 5:30 p.m. A panel of ex-

perts will provide post-film discussion and

answer audience questions.

To learn more about the April 7th food-themed evening, view the film schedule, and promo-

tions, go to www.sph.umn.edu/filmfest.

Minnesota Environmental Health Association

Published Quarterly by the

Minnesota Environmental Health Association

P.O. Box 441

Anoka, Mn 55303

President…………………Robert Servian

http://www.sph.umn.edu/filmfest

Congratulations to Frank Sedzielarz on his retirement from the FDA!

Our Sympathy to Dan Disrud, Anoka County, on the loss of his father-in-law

On the Move… Robert Servian from the City of Bloomington to Hospitality

Minnesota.

Thank you to the following people who contributed to this newsletter: Dan

Disrud, Angie Wheeler, Fong Lor, Kim Carlton, Laura Huseby, Paul

Allwood, Manny Camilon, Oren Larson, Kris Lee, Sharon Smith, and Joe

Hibberd.

A BIG thank you to Bette Packer!

Request From The Editor

An important part of the newsletter is the human element— what is going on with MEHA members. Please let the editor

know about any comings and goings, births, weddings, honors…

Deadline for the next issue is

June 1, 2010. Send to:

Lori Green, R.S.

St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health 2785 White Bear Avenue N., Suite 350

Maplewood, MN 55109-1320 651-266-1172

[email protected]

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