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Skokie Board of Health
Monday, February 9, 2026
7:00 pm
Skokie Village Hall
5127 Oakton Street
Conference Room D/E
MINUTES
In attendance: Dr. Swapna Dave, Dr. Michael Gottesman, Maureen Hanlon, Margaret Keeler,
Dr. Edward Linn (Chair), Dr. Stephen Lupovitch, Rohit Pandya, Rev Dr. Valerie Riley, Dr. Romil
Sood, Patricia Urbanus, Sibyl Yau (Vice-Chair), Staff Liaison: Michael Charley;
Not in attendance: Dr. Sarah Franks, Dr. Bruce Gaynes, Jimmy Gonzalez-Vicker, Juliet Haido, Dr.
Girijia Kalyan Kumar, Irtaza Usman, Dr. William Werner, Ruth Varma: Trustee Lissa Levy
I. Call to Order
The meeting of the Skokie Board of Health was called to order at 7:04 p.m. by Dr. Edward Linn,
Chair.
II. Approval of Agenda
The agenda for the February 9, 2026 meeting was presented.
Motion: To approve the agenda as presented. First by Dr. Sood, seconded by Dr. Gottesman
Result: Motion approved by consensus.
III. Approval of Minutes: January 8, 2026 Meeting
The minutes of the January 8, 2026 Board of Health meeting were reviewed.
Motion: To approve the January 8, 2026 meeting minutes as presented. First by Dr. Sood,
seconded by Gottesman.
Vote: In Favor: Unanimous; Opposed: None, Motion carried.
IV. Public Comment
No members of the public were present to provide comment.
V. BOH Chair Updates – Dr. Edward Linn
Dr. Linn provided a brief Chair’s report, highlighting recent developments in immunization
policy and emerging public health concerns. Dr. Linn reported that the Illinois Department of
Public Health announced it will follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) childhood
immunization schedule, rather than the CDC/ACIP recommendations. He discussed concerns
raised regarding omissions in the CDC/ACIP recommendations, including rotavirus and
meningococcal vaccinations, emphasizing the public health importance of maintaining these
immunizations.
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Dr. Linn referenced a recent New York Times editorial addressing increasing marijuana use in
the United States, particularly daily and heavy use. He noted:
 Significant increases in daily marijuana use nationally
 Health risks associated with heavy use, including cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
 Increased potency of marijuana products compared to prior decades
Dr. Linn suggested the Board may wish to consider future educational or advocacy efforts
related to cannabis regulation and public health impacts. Maureen Hanlon communicated that
she is interested in participating in future discussions regarding cannabis regulation. No action
was taken at this time.
VI. Health and Human Services (HHS) Updates – Mike Charley, HHS Director
Mr. Charley provided an update on Health and Human Services activities:
 Community Communications: Mr. Charley provided an overview of the different HHS
HHS public messaging efforts that have been included within the Village weekly e-
newsletter (“The Scoop”).
o Vaccination Efforts: After-hours free flu clinics held during January and will
continue through February. Free COVID-19 vaccines received from the State and
are being offered at the after-hours clinics in February.
o Promotion of Cook County’s Lead Remediation Program for income-eligible
households was made in a recent Village e-newsletter The Scoop.
o HHS continues outreach on rat mitigation; HHS has noted significant reductions
in rat complaints over the past three years after the Village has strengthened
their rat control programs, which includes using new strategies such as recently
using coordinated smoke bombing and sealing burrow openings with a sand
mixture.
o Maternal and Child Health: There was recent outreach promoting early prenatal
care in The Scoop e-newsletter as part of Community Health Improvement Plan
priorities
o SNAP Program Changes outreach was made via The Scoop: Updates on revised
eligibility and work requirements affecting residents
 STI Clinic: Upcoming free STI pop-up clinic scheduled for February 23, 2026. Free and
walk-ins are welcome.
 Communicable Disease Surveillance: Discussion of current disease monitoring efforts
and coordination with healthcare providers. Update were made on a recent
Meningococcal outbreak in Chicago, including state-level tracking and response
protocols which are followed by Skokie HHS.
 Professional Engagement: Announcement of Health and Human Services’ participation
in the Skokie Community Foundation Health Symposium on March 11, 2026, focused on
vaccines, misinformation, and advocacy.
 Board members asked questions and discussed disease surveillance reporting and the
potential for regular summary updates highlighting notable trends or clusters.
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VII. Old Business
A. Award of Health Research Excellence Updates: Updates were provided regarding the
upcoming science fair and the Board of Health’s award: Two BOH members will be participating
as judges; interested members were encouraged to participate. Plans include presenting
certificates at the science fair and recognizing award recipients at a future Village Board
meeting
B. Protocol for Introducing New Action Items to the Board of Health Workplan: Mr. Charley
reviewed revisions to the proposed protocol for introducing new Board of Health agenda items,
including:
 Multiple pathways for submitting agenda items
 Alignment with the Village Manager’s Office and Mayor
 Use of a standardized request form
 Emphasis on transparency, coordination, and feasibility
Motion: To approve the revised Protocol for Introducing New Action Items to the Board of
Health Workplan was made by Dr. Gottesman and seconded by Dr. Sood.
Vote: In Favor: Unanimous; Opposed: None, Motion carried.
Board members noted the protocol should remain a working document subject to future
revisions.
VIII. New Business: No new business was introduced.
IX. Adjournment
Motion: To adjourn the meeting was made by Dr. Sood, seconded by Dr. Dave
Result: Motion approved by consensus.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:47 PM.
Next Regular Meeting: March 12, 2026 @ 7:00 p.m.
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