1983-08-23 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

1 1 1 SPECIAL BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1983 A special meeting of the Board of Health was held Tuesday, August 23, 1983 at 3:00 p.m. in Room G-15 of the Town Office Building. Members present were: Linda Roemer, Ph.D., George A. Smith, Health Director and Mr. David Henley, Superintendent of the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project. The Board discussed for the record - the confirmed case of encephalitis in the Taunton, Millis, Lakeville and Brockton areas. Also, one horse has died in North Dartmouth and one in Marlboro, Mass. The Marlboro horse was the first indication of the virus in the Middlesex County. An advisory from the State Department of Public Health recommended a step up of truck spraying in the State. Mr. Henley told the Board that Sudbury and Framingham had been completed and his trucks would be finished spraying the Town of Bedford tonight. Mr. Henley recommended doing truck spraying in Lexington. The surrounding towns will be completed this week. He said the population of mosquitoes is low right now but when they did truck trapping last week, one of the mosquitoes trapped and tested was perturbing - the others were all right. 389 Dr. Roemer said with the recommendation from Mr. Henley, and the Mass. Public Health and also the news of the encephalities in the horse in Middlesex County, I feel that we should spray (truck) and do it now while the other towns surrounding the Town are being done. Mr. Henley said he feels all towns should be done at the same time - Lexington, Bedford, Burlington and Lincoln. He said Lincoln will only have aerial spraying or nothing at all. It was decided to truck spray the town and they will get the notice in the Lexington paper for Thursday's edition, put it on cable T.V. and also record it on the HOT LINE. Mr. Henley said that he could do the whole Town on Thursday evening if he had his whole crew. If not, he could complete it Friday evening. This would begin after 8:00 p.m. and would continue until 5:00 a.m. in the morning. Of course, this will be subject to weather conditions. If it rains or there is a serious wind condition, they will not be able to do it that night. Mr. Smith and Dr. Roemer decided that they would go out in the Town car and spot check the areas that night. Mr. Henley discussed with the Board that he would not suggest any aerial spraying at this time. If the virus esculates and there is an emergency, it should be done by airplane. Mr. Henley is discussing this possibility of aerial spraying now, in case it becomes necessary. If it becomes a real public health emergency, the State would pay for the spraying. If it is an emergency in Lexington, it would cost the Town $8,500.00.