10 new Healthcare Advisory Board members take on major task

MANATEE -- An advisory board intended to advise Manatee County Commission on health care issues took shape Tuesday.

Commissioners appointed 10 members to the Healthcare Advisory Board during the meeting. The advisory board is expected to convene after the first of the year, according to Karen Windon, deputy county administrator.

The county received no applications for individuals interested in serving on the board as the "medically needy consumers of health care" representative and the county will readvertise the vacant position, Windon said.

The appointments to terms expiring in September 2016:

Philip Brown, social services representative;

Thomas Skolada, substance abuse representative; and

Lori Dengler and Ernest (Sandy) Marshall, representatives from any discipline.

The appointments to terms expiring in September 2017:

Henry Raines, representative from any discipline;

Kirk Zeppi , behavioral health representative;

Dominique Kohlenberger, health care representative; and

The appointments to terms expiring in September 2018:

Ray Fusco, health care representative;

Stephen Hall, business representative; and

Beverly Hindenlang, higher education representative.

"It's a great commitment for everyone who applied and we are very thankful for that," Windon said.

The commission also appointed Barbara Turner-Grace, a retired educator and former Manatee County School Board member, to fill the child advocate vacancy on the Children's Services Advisory Board. The term will expire Sept. 30, 2018. The vacancy was created after a Jennifer Radebach, a child advocate, was abruptly removed from the advisory board in October for an alleged conflict of interest.

The commission also:

Set a public hearing Jan. 26 to name the East Bradenton Pool in honor of Willie J. "Bro" Clemons Jr., a coach and mentor for many young Manatee County athletes.

Increased the speed limit on Ninth Street East from State Road 70 to 57th Avenue East to 40 mph from 30 mph.

Recognized Myakka City Fire Chief Dan Cacchiotti, who is retiring Dec. 31, with a proclamation designating it as Chief Dan Cacchiotti Day.

Recognized the Remote Area Medical host committee and volunteers for the two-day event at Manatee Technical College where 1,128 patients received free dental, vision and medical services. Appointed Commissioner Larry Bustle to serve on the 2016 Manatee County Canvassing Board as 2016 Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh is running for re-election making her ineligible.

Adopted an ordinance to allow the commission to issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity to up to two private ambulance providers to perform interfacility transport, according to agenda materials. Bob Smith, county Public Safety Department director, said the goal is to alleviate the need of taking a county ambulance offline to provide the transport.

"It allows us to call these ambulances into service and respond to calls as we need them," Smith said.

Did not set a public hearing to consider an ordinance to prohibit bicycles on Hidden River Trail in Lakewood Ranch. Cyclists spoke the meeting against such a ban. Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said "it's going to take community and county coming together to try to find a solution for this."

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter@Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 8:09 PM with the headline "10 new Healthcare Advisory Board members take on major task."