Town of Concord
Board of Health
Minutes from the Meeting
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
PRESENT: Dr. Susanna Bedell, Chairperson
Ann M. Snow
David J. Burgess
Deborah R. Farnsworth
Brent L. Reagor, Public Health Administrator
Karen M. Byrne, Administrative Assistant
OTHERS: Judith Quanrud, FINCOM
1. MINUTES & BOARD CALENDAR
The Board reviewed and discussed the minutes from the meeting of Tuesday, March 18, 2008. Ann Snow moved to accept the minutes as submitted. David Burgess seconded it. All VOTED in favor.
The Board reviewed the calendar for May 2008. The next regularly scheduled meeting for the Board will be May 20, 2008.
2. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT & REPORTS FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS
Chairman’s Report
Dr. Bedell informed the Board that she had recently attended a national seminar on nutrition and received a lot of useful information on how community-wide initiatives could be advantageous for restaurants & schools. She stated that 70% of all cardiovascular disease could be prevented and/or positively impacted by diet and exercise. Dr. Bedell felt that this type of public health education could be beneficial to the community as whole and urged the Board to consider developing guidelines for the local schools and businesses to use.
Mr. Reagor said that most of the schools offer health education that include healthy eating options, etc., and provide incentives for children who make healthy choices. He felt that this topic could provide an excellent opportunity for the Health Department and the Board to offer educational seminars on a local level (to local businesses). Mr. Reagor said this project could be developed by one of the interns from the Boston University School of Public Health who would be working with the Health Department this summer. He said that one student who applied showed great interest in developing public health initiatives and risk-base food inspection programs.
Dr. Bedell also mentioned that she had been contacted by a resident regarding air quality issues as it relates to the new playing fields at the high school and the proximity to Rte 2.
Her concerns mainly pertained to harmful particulates from the exhaust of traffic on Rte 2. This resident was hoping to present her information to the Board. The Public Health Administrator informed the Board that he had already met with the Town Manager on this issue and that they were in the process of developing guidelines to deal with these concerns. Specifically, that during times the state has deemed air quality “unhealthy”, that the fields closest to the highway (Rte 2) not be used.
Reports from Other Board Members
Deborah Farnsworth updated the Board on the EPA Technical meeting she attended regarding the cleanup at Starmet, 2229 Main Street (former NMI site). She said that the groundwater study has been completed and the extent of the contamination has been defined; now that this has been completed, the EPA can prepare the Risk Assessment and move forward in the next step of the Superfund Cleanup process.
Ms. Farnsworth also reviewed some information regarding Marfans Syndrome which is a disease that affects the connective tissue throughout the body, which in turn can affect the heart and blood vessels, nervous system, skin and lungs. Since the disease goes undiagnosed and can be fatal if not treated, she thought that an educational seminar for pediatricians and physicians sponsored by the Board of Health could be useful. Ann Snow agreed to bring the information to the public relations and education manager at Emerson Hospital to see if this could be incorporated into a lecture for the medical professionals on staff.
3. REPORTS FROM STAFF
Report from Public Health Administrator
The Public Health Administrator (PHA) presented the Board with his monthly update outlining the activities undertaken by the Health Department since the last meeting.
Finance & Management
After several months of reviewing and reworking the services contract with the Town of Lincoln, the PHA was happy to report that it was approved by the Town Manager and is now awaiting signatures from Lincoln’s Town Administrator and Selectmen. Mr. Reagor expects this contract to be within the next month. The contract with the Town of Carlisle has been signed by all interested parties and is in place through July 2009.
The PHA reiterated that the Health Department hoped to have at least one (possibly two) interns for the summer from the Boston University School of Public Health. Two of the projects that they have expressed interest in are Public Health Outreach and Education, which he said would tie in nicely to what Dr. Bedell was hoping to accomplish with nutrition; and Community Health Assessment Framework Development. Mr. Reagor expects to meet with the intern(s) in May and would ask for input from the Board at the next meeting.
During a recent meeting with the Town Manager, the PHA discussed the possibility of a Community Health Assessment and Mr. Whelan was very interested in a comprehensive approach to this task. Although the Board of Health would be instrumental in such a plan, he felt that including other departments, such as Planning, Recreation, the Council on Aging, etc. would be useful for the
entire town. The PHA explained that part of the intern’s task would be to coordinate the development of this comprehensive approach.
Emergency Preparedness
The PHA explained that the Concord Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) would be staffing a “Community Assistance Tent” as part of the Patriots’ Day parade celebration this year. The tent will provide basic first aid, cooling and/or warming (weather dependent) for attendees that may warrant this type of assistance. He noted that some other local MRC’s would be set up this year along the Boston Marathon route providing similar services. The PHA said these events provided an excellent opportunity to deploy MRC personnel in a non-emergency “training/practice”.
4. Septic Betterment Loans
Preliminary Approval for Betterment Liens
Karen Byrne processed loan applications for the following property(s) in March. Acting as its agent, Stanley Sosnicki, Environmental Health Inspector reviewed a failure certification letter from ABC Cesspool Co., Inc., for this property and confirmed that the system was in failure.
· 472 Powder Mill Road ($20,000) – Moran/Elliot
David Burgess moved that the Board VOTE to find the onsite sewage disposal system on the above noted property to be a public health nuisance per MGL, CH 111, s., 127 B and 127B ½ and to authorize the initial betterment lien assessment not to exceed $20,000 to be filed at the Registry of Deeds. Deborah Farnsworth seconded it. All VOTED in favor.
Final Betterment Lien Assessments
The onsite sewage disposal systems for the following properties have been completed and all invoices processed by the Health Division:
· 40 Potter Street ($20,000) – Lundy
· 13 Peter Spring Road ($20,000) – Brodeur/Taylor
David Burgess moved that the Board issue the Order to Assess the Betterment for the above listed properties. Such order shall be forwarded to the Town Collector. Deborah Farnsworth seconded it. All VOTED to approve.
5. Reorganization of the Board of Health
Karen Byrne reminded the Board that historically in April, it nominates a new chairperson for the upcoming year. The new chairperson begins his/her term following the annual Town Meeting in April.
Dr. Bedell nominated Ann Snow as the next chairperson for the Board. David Burgess seconded it. All VOTED to approve.
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