Health District Survey Results Discussed in Westbrook, Connecticut

WESTBROOK - A controversial anonymous survey meant to solicit input from users regarding the Connecticut River Area Health District, CRAHD, shows that while staff was rated well for their knowledge, issues of efficiency and price structure were rated less favorably.

The survey's results were released for the first time at a joint meeting of the Ad Hoc Health District Study Committee and the Board of Selectmen with only five residents in attendance.

The committee has spent much time and effort exploring the advantages and disadvantages of joining CRAHD, which currently consists of the surrounding towns of Old Saybrook, Clinton, and Deep River.

According to Committee Chairman and current Westbrook Health Director Dr. Jeff Bernstein, 80 surveys were mailed out and committee members received 33, or 41.2 percent, by the beginning of March.

The groups represented in the survey, according to Bernstein, include 14 installers, nine town employees, six engineers, two hauler/installers, and two others.
Each group was asked ten questions, similar in nature to how they have interacted with CRAHD.

These results reveal that all respondents felt the CRAHD's sanitarians were knowledgeable, while 97 percent felt the supervisor, Mary Jane Engle, was knowledgeable and 58 percent, or 18 out of 31, rated the level of service as good or excellent.

Survey results show that 29 percent, 9 out of 31, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the notion that the supervisor provided service in a timely fashion.
Twenty-four percent, 7 out of 29, disagreed with the statement that the fee structure was reasonable and fair compared to other towns.

Results showed 37 percent, 10 out of 27, felt that the exchange of documentation between CRAHD and land use department officials was not done in a timely manner.

While installers generally agreed that district staff members were knowledgeable and courteous, 33 percent of them rated the CRAHD's level of service as poor.

Regarding town employees, 22 percent reported that CRAHD was poor or very poor while 44 percent rated CRAHD as good.

While they agreed staff was knowledgeable and courteous, 37.5 percent believed that CRAHD did not provide service in a timely fashion and 5 out of 9 surveyed thought that the exchange of information between CRAHD and land use departments was not done in a timely manner.

66 percent of engineers rated CRAHD as good or excellent.

Selectman Marie Farrell had serious questions to the validity of the survey's results since only 33 individuals from three towns participated and there was no control group.

Committee member Sally Greaves admitted that the survey should have been done professionally but that the committee did its best in revamping questions to prevent a skew in results.

While the committee voted 4-2 in April 2007 in favor of joining CRAHD, almost a year later on March 9, 2008, the committee voted 3-2 against joining CRAHD with one abstention.

Those voting against joining CRAHD included Bernstein, Lee Archer, and Carole Ketelsen, while those voting in favor consisted of Marilyn Ozols and Greaves.
An abstention was made by Deborah Lovelette, who serves as the town's Visiting Nurses Association, VNA, administrator.

Ketelsen, who 11 months ago voted in favor of joining CRAHD, expressed concerns regarding their financials and said they fail to have a strategic plan.

In the end, Bernstein said the committee was formed not because of problems with the Westbrook Health Department but was because of "others reaching in for us to make changes...the state is pushing the agenda of a regional health district."

First Selectman Noel Bishop said that the Board of Selectmen will further discuss the possibility of joining CRAHD at its Mar. 27 meeting.