10-12-98 Health & Public Safety and Personnel & Finance

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Committtir Z port: Joint Meeting of the Health and Public Safety and Personnel and Finance Committees 'CO Os Common t0 tnta' of tb* City of 6outh ler1 : The October 12, 1998 joint committee meeting of the Health and Public Safety Committee and the Personnel and Finance Committee was called to order by Councilmember Charlotte Pfeifer, Chairperson of the Health and Public Safety Committee and by Councilmember John Broden, Chairperson of the Personnel and Finance Committee at 4:15 p.m. in the Council Informal Meeting Room. Persons in attendance included Councilmembers: Aranowski, Varner, Broden, Coleman, Kelly, and Pfeifer; Ann-Carol Nash, Terry Bland, Robert Hunt, Eugenia Schwartz, and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand. The first item on the agenda was to review Bill No. 58-98 which would establish regulations addressing tattoo, body piercing, scarifying and branding establishments and personnel. Dr.Varner,the sponsor of the Bill made the presentation. He noted that approximately one and one-half years ago state law changed by eliminating the requirement that you must be a licensed medical doctor to provide tattoos. Health considerations are the primary concerns underlying the need for the legislation. He noted that a puncture although small would create some sort of body fluid as a bi-product of the process of body piercing, scarifying, branding or tattooing. A risk to the artist, his or her staff and the client are present especially with regard to blood borne pathogens. Dr. Varner stated that such services should be provided as professionally as possible and therefore the health standards of sanitation should be maintained with regard to equipment, rooms, cleanliness, etc. Dr. Varner also stressed that in his own practice he has seen the need to protect children under the age of 18 from health risks which they may not be aware of or appreciate. There is a public safety need for a professional environment which has sanitary conditions. He noted that he has worked with the Council Attorney and the City Attorney's office and has had a number of meetings with Dr. Plain and the joint committee members. He believes that the proposed Bill is the composite of the best legislation available. He noted that it is not a big problem currently however all you need is one HIV case and there will be a big problem if the City does nothing. He stated that the proposed regulations are fair and establish a necessary process for those individuals who wish to do business within the City limits. The Council Attorney noted that all Councilmembers should have received in their Council mail boxes two (2) documents namely a 4-page Memorandum dated October 12, 1998 setting forth proposed amendments to Bill No. 58-98, as well as a 7-page Memorandum dated October 12, 1998 entitled Bill Regulating Tattoo, Body Piercing, Scarifying and Branding Establishments and Personnel (copies attached). She noted that the August 7, 1998 letter from Dr. George Plain in support of the proposed ordinance was one of several documents attached to the latter memorandum. The Council Attorney noted that the October 12, 1998 Memorandum supplements the April 9, 1998 Memorandum (copy attached) which notes among other things that the City Council has the legal authority to legislate in this area. She highlighted areas within her memorandum which cited health and public safety considerations as a reasonable use of its