Wellness Committee Meets

By WRILEY NELSON
ONEONTA

The Community Wellness Committee of the Oneonta Common Council met on Monday, July 17. Chaired by Council Member Mark Davies, the meeting included members Luke Murphy and Kaytee Lipari Shue and City Health Officer Dr. Diane Georgeson.

The committee discussed ongoing efforts to address food insecurity and set their next official meeting with local working groups for 3 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3. Davies said that the meeting should take place after the start of the school year, as Oneonta students disproportionately face food insecurity. He also said that the Committee and its associated community groups must prioritize accessibility to food sources, citing the example of a woman who was unable to reach a food pantry in winter weather. Dr. Georgeson offered to reach out to other regional cities to learn about their municipal and community-based food aid programs. The committee accepted the proposal.

Davies then reported an ongoing conversation with city employees and officials about the potential purchase of an air quality sensor for the city. He said that a simple apparatus would only cost a few hundred dollars and would allow for localized air alerts. During the ongoing Canadian wildfire crisis, Otsego County’s air quality has been roughly estimated from measurements taken outside the area. Murphy, citing studies that recent air quality levels may be equivalent to smoking a few cigarettes per day, said that it may be worth the cost to get a more high-end sensor to provide information for residents.

Lipari Shue rounded out the meeting with a brief presentation on the community wellness model of government. She cited a University of Minnesota study defining community wellbeing in terms of connectedness, livability and equity. The committee briefly discussed ways to promote consideration of the three pillars in each governmental policy and decision.