Piscataquis Public Health Council Meeting
November 20, 2002
Mayo Regional Hospital, Dover-Foxcroft
Present: Renée Speh, Community Partnership Director; Susan Crippen, North Country Healthy Communities; Jane Conroy, UMaine Cooperative Extension; Martha Herrick, Greenville co-School Health Coordinator; Sherry Gaudette, SAD 68 school nurse; Robin Mayo, SAD 46 SHC; Amber Gahagan, SAD 41 Wellness Team; David Walker, Superintendent SAD 41; Trish Hayes, SAD 41 Wellness Team; Sue Chaffee, SAD 41 Wellness Team; Ginny Morrill, SAD 41 Wellness Team; Andy Spaulding, Guest Speaker, Maine Cardiovascular Health Council; Greg Bellemare, SAD 4 SHC; Shirley Wright, SAD 41 SHC; Ardis Porter, Occupational Health Nurse, Moosehead Manufacturing; George Woods, Executive Director PRYMCA; Cathy Brown, PPHC Program Assistant; Dennis Lyford, Executive Director, Southern Piscataquis County Chamber of Commerce.

Renée Speh opened the agenda with introductions and welcome. Andy Spaulding gave an overview of his program and guiding principles. He discussed a variety of ways to promote health at the workplace, including policies, environmental change, human resources incentives, and active visible strategies. He distributed some materials about strategies, polices, resources, and about the WELCOA- Wellness Councils of America. The group discussed a wide variety of ideas and issues around this, and Ardis shared her experiences at Moosehead Manufacturing, as a pilot project of Andy's program. Andy may be able to get pedometers for organizations that wish to provide them for employees- contact him for more information.

Andy discussed the Active Living By Design grant program through Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and offered that Medical Care Development may be interested in partnering with PPHC and other local organizations to apply to become a grant community. Members of the group decided to participate if possible. Andy will communicate with PPHC through Renée, who will forward grant information to the whole group in messages labeled “Active Living By Design”.

The group completed Spot ME cards to send information to Maine Department of Transportation about their wishes for changes in roads. The road between Dover-Foxcroft and Guilford was again discussed, as it was last summer, as in great need of change to be safe for cyclists and runners. The group agreed to focus attention on this matter and pursue it as part of the Active Living By Design grant. The Greenville Trails Committee will speak with John Balicki, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Office of Passenger Transportation, about this part of the road.

The group voted on the new PPHC logo, out of four choices. C D & M Communications, the company that has the media contract with Bureau of Health for the Healthy Maine Partnerships, designed the logos. That logo is attached for your reference.

Meeting adjourned. Next meeting: December 18, 1:00-3:00 PM, Borestone Room, Mayo Regional Hospital.

Minutes submitted by Renée Speh