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Complete Forecast for  May 09 2008

By LAUREN GROVER
Staff Writer

A Tyler restaurant owner received the public health district's W.T. "Doc" Ballard award on Thursday, an annual honor recognizing a local resident or organization that shows exemplary dedication to health and the community.

Robert Westbrook, a franchise owner of CiCi's Pizza, served on the Northeast Texas Public Health District board for six years. He continues to serve on the Texas Restaurant Association state board and is a past president of the East Texas chapter.

"Bob has been a true community servant, has put his heart and soul into the district for several years," said George Roberts, public health district CEO. "He's extraordinarily deserving of this honor."

In addition to his board services, Westbrook was instrumental in the passage of State House Bill 1585 that allowed health departments and health districts to assess administrative penalties pertinent to food operation, Roberts said.

He also supported the passage of District Food Order 2007-1 that provided the no-bare-hands contact rule for ready-to-eat foods served at retail food establishments. These actions fortified safety for the Tyler-area community, Roberts said.

Employee service awards were also handed out Thursday evening. Eight employees were honored including Nutritionist Rebecca Choice and Nurse Pamela Oswalt, who have both served the health district for 25 years.

In other business, Health Authority Dr. Jonathan MacClements is recommending a syndrome surveillance program to all Tyler hospitals that would help alert public health officials to epidemiological trends among patients without compromising patient privacy, he said.

The program - which could tip health officials off to disease outbreaks that aren't otherwise reported - has been utilized by 65 other hospitals in Texas as a tool for health preparedness.

Financial Director Larry Lancaster presented a $24,400 net income gain for February for NETPHD and the Community Health Clinics of Northeast Texas combined. That is a more than $120,000 gain over January, when the combined finances were well in the red.

As the CHCNET work to get on their feet, NETPHD will see bettered finances - it is currently supporting the clinics as they prepare to become an independent nonprofit entity, Roberts said.

The board also approved a two-year contract for information technology services by Wood Networks for $7,500 a month, $500 less than its current expenditures for IT.

"There are still a lot of answers that need to be addressed with the computers from a clinic standpoint," said Dr. John Adcock, board chair.

After one rabid bat was reported last week, Tyler Animal Control Supervisor Shawn Markmann said the influx of bats in the area should continue through June, a normal migration from Mexico.

No one should touch bats - healthy, injured or dead - as some 10 percent of the bat population can carry rabies, he said.

If a resident encounters a bat, please contact Tyler Animal Control at 903-535-0045.

Roberts announced that NETPHD will host the 2008 Public Health Preparedness Symposium on June 11-12, an educational event to encourage healthy initiatives in the Tyler area.