Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Health
Monday, August 21, 2006 - 7:30 p.m.
Small Basement Conference Room
Town Office Building
Attending: Philip J. Driscoll, Chairman
Roxanne Musto, RN-C, MS, ANP, Secretary
Timothy J. Lowney, Esq., Member
Michael J. Blanchard, MS, Director
Mary A. Whitney, RNC, Public Health Nurse
Linda M. Grant, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor
Nelly Browne-Janga, Health Inspector
Deborah M. Manning, Principal Clerk
1. No one attended to address the Board for Citizens' Speak.
2. The minutes of the June 19, 2006 and July 13, 2006 Board of Health meetings were approved as written. The minutes of the July 24, 2006 were approved with minor wording changes.
3. There were no outstanding bills to be signed for payment.
4. Mr. David DeFilippo attended to discuss his concern about the lack of changing facilities at the newly renovated Cunningham Park pool bathhouse. During his visit he found that the only place he could change his clothes was in the bathroom stalls which he felt was unsanitary.
Upon filing his complaint with the Health Director, Mr. DeFilippo was informed that this pool has been licensed as semi-public for many years because it is only open to Milton residents and not to the general public and that it meets all state sanitary codes for a semi-public pool.
However, it is Mr. DeFilippo's opinion that the pool should be licensed as a public pool. He further stated that as an architect, it was his understanding that undertaking major renovations necessitated compliance with current state building codes. In response to remarks about building and plumbing code requirements, Mr. Blanchard advised that these do not come under the Board of Health's jurisdiction and therefore he could not comment on them.
Mr. DeFilippo submitted plans of the bathhouse to the Board noting the layout of the building and how the former site of the changing area has been changed to office and storage space.
The Director mentioned that the pool is presently closed for the season but offered to contact the manager of the facility to discuss the feasability of using some of the storage area space as changing rooms. He will report back to the Board at its September meeting.
5. At the request of the owner of 14 Lothrop Avenue, a hearing was held on housing violations at that address. Ms. Maureen Morales addressed the violations listed on the inspection report and explained that prior to placing this tenant, the Boston Housing Authority had conducted a thorough inspection and found everything to be in order. Mr. Morales also spoke about the repairs he has made to this apartment at the request of this tenant. Ms. Johanna Flacks, a representative of the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of Ms. Harper, the tenant. She reviewed her findings of rodent droppings, leaky pipes in the bathroom, etc. during her recent inspection of the apartment itself and explained that
she determined one of the more serious problems to be a moldy piece of cardboard under the water heater which was adversely impacting one of Ms. Harper's children who has asthma.
The Morales explained the steps they have taken to remedy the problems including hiring an exterminator, repairing the leaky sink and doorbell and replacing smoke detector batteries.
The Director explained that the two critical violations must be corrected within twenty-four hours of receipt of the correction order and the remainder of the violations must be completed within the time specified. Mr. Blanchard further explained that it falls to the owners to correct the violations and they may pursue the matter legally with the tenant.
Mr. Morales asked if he could accompany the Director on an inspection of the tenant's apartment but was told the process is usually to work with the two parties separately. He did agree, however, to inspect the cardboard under the water heater in the basement to which Ms. Flacks referred.
Mr. Blanchard thanked everyone for attending and said that he would be in contact with them.
6. The Director distributed information on the Incident Command System 100 training that will be required of all Board of Health members and staff in order to continue receiving Region 4B funding. The Board agreed to take the online test prior to the next Board meeting.
7. The Director advised the Board that there have been 87 replies to the Volunteer Medical Corp. He also explained that he and Mrs. Whitney had participated in a communication drill where they had to call every volunteer to see if they could respond: if so, how soon and if not, why? The procedure for the drill was to call the person's cell phone first, read a script and ask them to complete a survey that would be sent to them later. If the person did not answer their cell phone, the work phone, then the home phone were to be called. A message was to be left on the home phone.
Dr. Grant asked what the procedure would be if a disaster such as 9/11 knocked out cell phones. The Director explained that the volunteers' work and home phones would be used if cell phones were not available. He added that in this instance the emergency was a measles outbreak.
The Director also explained that a class had been held to familiarize volunteers with what would be expected of them and approximately 30 attended. They received CEUs for attending.
He also advised that a regional drill will be held in Needham on September 9, 2006. This will constitute an Emergency Dispensing site and Milton has been requested to have 25 volunteers and to date only 6 have responded.
Dr. Grant asked where the Red Cross fits into the picture in the event of an emergency. Mr. Blanchard advised that the Red Cross will provide assistance in local emergencies but would be spread too thin in regional situations.
8. The Director presented a mosquito spraying update. He advised that the staff has received many phone calls from residents. If we were not able to answer their questions, they were directed to the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project for assistance.
In response to Ms. Musto's inquiry about the status of retention ponds at Fuller Village, Mr. Blanchard advised that they had been sprayed. Mr. Lowney then asked about whether the vernal pools in town would be sprayed. The Director said that he would check with the Conservation Commission and inform the Board of their answer.
Following discussion, Ms. Musto suggested a larger article in the local media to be certain that as many people as possible receive any future information on the subject.
A census of residents' opinions was suggested by an attendee of the public hearing. Since the scope would be far too wide for the office to undertake, Mr. Lowney suggested this may be something that an intern may concentrate on in future mosquito seasons. Mr. Blanchard stated that professors have been away for the summer but he will contact area colleges to see if an intern program is something their students may be interested in.
9. The Director advised the Board that the owner of 610 Harland Street had requested the signing of a declaration of restrictive covenant for his septic system by the Chairman. This is a follow-up to a matter that they Board had worked on with the owner allowing him an extension on bringing his septic system into compliance with current Title V regulations.
10. The Board discussed office staffing. The Chairman inquired if another staff member might be able to work Mondays to assist the Director in the event he is called out. Mr. Blanchard advised that this seldom happens but we expect to have a senior assist in the office in the coming weeks to cover his tax responsibility. Another option is to have the intern work in the office on Monday so that there would be access to a desk and a computer.
11. The Board reviewed a Financial Policy Statement received from the Town Administrator and asked that a short acknowledgment be sent saying that everything appeared to be in order.
12. The Public Health Nurse advised that the incidence of lyme disease has increased significantly both locally with six cases since July 1, 2006 and statewide.
13. The Director related that this month's preoccupation with mosquito spraying prevented him from submitting his monthly educational article. He advised that he will be submitting an article for September and the topic of coughing/sneezing etiquette was suggested by Dr. Grant.
The next meeting was planned for September 25, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. in the Small Basement Conference Room of the Town Office Building.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________
Roxanne Musto, RN-C, MS, ANP
Secretary
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