Town of Concord
Board of Health
Minutes from the Meeting
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
PRESENT: Ann M. Snow, Chairperson
John H. Henderson
Deborah R. Farnsworth
Dr. Susanna Bedell
Brent L. Reagor, Public Health Director
Karen M. Byrne, Administrative Assistant
OTHERS: Judith Quanrud, FinCom; King Harvey, 15 Harrington Avenue
1. MINUTES & BOARD CALENDAR
The Board reviewed and discussed the minutes from Tuesday, June 15, 2008. Jack Henderson moved to accept the minutes as submitted. Dr. Bedell seconded it. All VOTED in favor.
The Board reviewed the calendar for August 2008 and confirmed the meeting date of August 19th for the next meeting.
2. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT & REPORTS FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS
There were none.
3. REPORT FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR
The Public Health Director (PHD) presented the Board with his monthly update outlining the activities undertaken by the Health Department since the last meeting.
Food Service – Pete & Jen’s Backyard Birds
The PHD advised the Board that the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit and its crew processed approximately 200 chickens on June 28th at Verrill Farm. He said that he inspected the unit prior to the operation and was on site to monitor the process for about 2 hours. An inspector from the MDPH Food Protection Program was on site the entire day. Although the process was mainly a success, Mr. Reagor noted that since it was a pilot-program some of the operations were still being “tweaked”. He said that modifications would be made to the chill chests used (after the evisceration table) to ensure that the product is cooled to 41 degrees within a four hour time frame.
Housing – Sanitary Code Enforcement
Mr. Reagor informed the Board that the tenants at 68 Sudbury Road had vacated the property and that housing complaint was officially closed out. However, the new owner was reminded that the property was not to be occupied for residential purposes or he would be subject to further enforcement actions. The new owner advised the Health Department that the home was slated for demolition within the next month and that there were no plans to rent it out.
Emergency Planning
Brian Eustace, the Health Department’s Emergency Preparedness consultant, completed the first draft of the Town’s All Hazards Emergency Operations Plan. Currently, Chief Willette and the PHD are making the necessary revisions so that the final version can become part of the newly developing “Unified Concord Emergency Preparedness Plan”. Mr. Reagor noted that he and the Fire Chief met with the principal at the High School earlier in the week to discuss how the town could better coordinate disaster planning with the School Department.
Lincoln Contract
Mr. Reagor was happy to inform the Board that after nearly a year of negotiation and discussions, the towns of Concord and Lincoln had reached an agreement for the provision of public health services to the Town of Lincoln in fiscal year 2009. He reiterated that the rate had been increased to better reflect the Town of Concord’s actual costs and the contract is for one year, with a six month cancellation clause. Further discussions will be held in the fall to determine whether the relationship will go beyond June 30, 2009.
Flu Vaccine Clinic
Using previously encumbered funds from an FY05 Emerson contract and with remaining funds from the FY08 contract, the Health Department was pleased to announce that for the first time this fall, the Town of Concord will provide an employee flu clinic. The PHD explained that this has been something both Human Resources and the Fire Department have wanted to pursue, but funding was not available.
4. SEPTIC BETTERMENT LOAN PROGRAM
In the next week or two, Karen Byrne noted that she and the PHD would be reviewing the Septic Betterment Program in its entirety to determine whether changes needed to be made to the screening process, loan requirements, what works, what can be improved upon, etc. For example, one item of concern for the Assistant Treasurer is that more recently, applicants have been utilizing the betterment process to obtain “liquid cash” to pay vendors to replace their systems and then immediately selling their homes. The original intent of the program was to provide assistance with financing for property owners that were staying in their home. Another concern of the Finance Department that was addressed early on in the program was filing the initial liens of up to $20,000
in the beginning of the loan process as opposed to the end; this eliminated the possibility of missing a recording before a title changed hands.
Jack Henderson asked why the money could not be re-loaned if it was paid back immediately. During previous discussions, Ms. Byrne said that it was thought that this account had been set up as a revolving account and that if a loan had been “repaid”, then the Town could “re-loan” the funds as long as the repayment for individual homeowner loans did not extend beyond the time the Town needed to repay the money borrowed.
However, she spoke to the Town Accountant and confirmed that this was not the case. Once the funds have been committed they are not available to be re-loaned. In order to continue this program, the Board of Health would have to go back to Town Meeting for approval to borrow additional funds.
The Public Health Director said that once he and Karen reviewed the current paperwork on hand they would obviously work closely with the Finance Department to ensure that all the proper items were addressed to move forward with the Town Meeting process.
Final Betterment Lien Assessments
The onsite sewage disposal systems for the following properties have been completed and all invoices have been processed by the Health Division:
Ø 24 Magnolia Street (Neville) - $15, 175
Ø 18 Whittemore Street (Haughton) - $20,000
Jack Henderson moved that the Board VOTE to issue the Order to Assess the Betterment for the above listed properties and that order shall be forwarded to the Town Collector. Deborah Farnsworth seconded it. All VOTED in favor.
Preliminary Approval for Betterment Liens
Karen Byrne processed a loan application for the following property(s) in July. Stanley Sosnicki, Environmental Health Inspector reviewed the Title V inspection report and confirmed that the system was in failure:
Ø 46 Pine Hill Lane (Palmer) - $20,000
Ø 33 West Circle (Galland/Igleheart) - $20,000
Ø 215 Virginia Road (Rogers/Long) - $20,000
Ø 108 Blueberry Lane (Shih) - $20,000
Ø 15 Harrington Avenue (Harvey) - $20,000
Jack Henderson moved that the Board VOTE to find the onsite sewage disposal systems on the following properties to be a public health nuisance per MGL, CH 111, s., 127 B & 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.
5. PUBLIC HEARING – ONSITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM
The Board heard a request from Brent Reagor on behalf of David Schofield, RS, Schofield Engineering Services for his client King Harvey, 15 Harrington Avenue to replace the on-site sewage disposal system serving this property. The applicant asked the Board to grant two local upgrade approvals in accordance with 310 CMR 15.402 through 15.405:
Local Upgrade Approvals
· To construct a soil absorption system (leaching field) 5.9 feet and a septic tank 7.3 feet from a property line, instead of 10 feet as required by 310 CMR 15.405 (1)(a).
· To construct a soil absorption system (leaching field) 11.8 feet from a full foundation, instead of 20 feet as required by 310 CMR 15.405(1) (b).
Remedial Use Approval
· To allow a 2 foot reduction to ESHGW (estimated seasonal high groundwater) per Presby Approval for Remedial Use. DEP approval required per 310 CMR 15.284
The PHD reviewed the plan with the Board and noted that this property had many site restrictions including proximity to the wetlands and the Concord River. It is a narrow lot and because of the placement of existing structures, patios, decks the designer placed the system in the only feasible location on the lot.
Following a brief discussion, Jack Henderson moved that the Board GRANT the (2) Local Upgrade Approvals as requested and the Remedial Use Approval to allow a 2 foot reduction to ESHGW per the Presby Approval for Redial Use pending approval from the Department of Environmental Protection. Dr. Bedell seconded it. All VOTED in favor to approve.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20 p.m.
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