Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Health
Monday, September 25, 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
Linda M. Grant, MD, MPH
Michael J. Blanchard, MS, Director
Nelly Browne-Janga, Health Inspector
Deborah M. Manning, Principal Clerk
1. No one attended for Citizen's Speak.
2. Minutes of the August 21, 2006 Board of Health meeting were approved with minor wording changes. A motion was made by Ms. Musto, seconded by Mr. Lowney and unanimously approved by the Board.
3. Outstanding bills were signed for payment.
4. The Board was advised that the Town's tobacco retailers had 100% compliance during a compliance check conducted September 5, 2006. There are currently ten licensed establishments and of those, nine were included in the event. The tenth, Curry College Bookstore has recently changed hands and stated that they no longer sell tobacco products. The Health Inspector said she would follow up to determine if this is the case.
Letters will be sent to each establishment congratulating employees on their diligent work in checking the identification of customers and thus prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors.
5. Mr. Blanchard updated the Board on concerns relative to the Cunningham Park pool. Following a resident's complaint about the lack of changing rooms at the newly renovated facility, the Director spoke with Mr. Wahlgren, manager at the park, who will put the matter on the agenda for the Park Trustees' October meeting.
6. The Director informed the Board about the recent volunteer medical corps training drill he attended in on Saturday, September 9th in Needham. The scenario was that a container of anthrax had been placed by an air vent in a Walmart-like store. He explained various roles assigned to volunteers and how the scene played out. Mr. Blanchard felt the event was successful and the experience would be helpful in the event of a future emergency of a similar nature.
He explained that an after action report will be completed by auditors who had observed the event.
7. Mr. Blanchard advised that the Health office will be receiving 110 hours of services from Mr. Liam Sexton, a senior from the Town's tax program.
8. The Board was advised that the mosquito spraying program had ended but that testing will continue for humans and horses who show signs of EEE infection. Residents will be urged to continue to use caution against mosquito exposure until the first hard frost. He also mentioned that dead bird collection will end on September 29th.
In response to concerns voiced by Mr. Lowney about vernal pools, Mr. Blanchard stated that the Conservation Commission provides a map of the town's vernal pools to NCMCP so that these sites will not be sprayed since they are breeding grounds and habitats for certain species including the tree frog.
Ms. Musto inquired about signs posted by the upper baseball field and concession at Milton High School. The Director advised that the Park Department had requested mosquito spraying at its basketball courts located adjacent to the high school property. Mr. Blanchard also noted that the Milton School Department's IPM does not include mosquito spraying but that he has been in contact with School Department representatives about this and will work with them to formulate a plan. Dr. Grant mentioned that working with a site council to get parents involved can also be helpful since they will take precautions necessary because children are involved.
Ms. Musto inquired if the property adjacent to Milton Health Care Facility which is used for youth soccer practice and games was sprayed and was told yes due to its close proximity to Fowl Meadow. She also mentioned that residents have informed her that Mary C. Lane Park on Churchill Lane also appears to have a significant problem with mosquitoes.
9. A discussion of annual flu clinics was held. Mr. Driscoll inquired if the Board would conduct a clinic at the Senior Center. After a discussion of several of the difficulties experienced last year at that site, it was decided that a clinic would not be held there. Instead, a wording change on the schedule would note that the clinics held at local senior housing developments would be held primarily for the benefit of the residents of those developments but that the general public would not be turned away if they chose to receive their flu shot there.
The flu clinic schedule will be advertised in the local media, church bulletins, public libraries and various other locations.
10. The Medical Advisor suggested the topic of Cough and Sneeze etiquette for the Board's upcoming informational articles submitted by the Director to the local media. Everyone agreed this was a very timely and worthwhile topic.
The next meeting was scheduled for Monday evening, October 30, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. in the Small Basement Conference Room of the Town Office Building.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________
Roxanne Musto, RN-C, MS, ANP
Secretary
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