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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-11-24Vincent Bucca Wood Stove Complaint BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING NOVEMBER 24, 1987 The monthly meeting of the Board of Health was held on Tuesday, November 24, 1987 at 7:30 p.m. in Room G-15 of the Town Office Building. Members present were Dr. Linda Roemer, Chairperson; Dr. Donald Goldmann, Dr. Stan Finkelstein, Barbara O'Donnell, Sanitarian and Mr. George Smith, Jr., Director of Public Health. The minutes of October 13, 1987 were accepted as read. The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m. by Dr. Roemer who welcomed Mr. Vincent Bucca of 78 Cliffe Avenue who had a complaint about a neighbor's wood stove. There were nine other residents in attendance. They had read Mr. Bucca's article in the Lexington Minuteman about his wood stove complaint which he was bringing up at the Board of Health Meeting. Dr. Roemer said, on addressing the group, that Mr. Bucca's letter in the Minuteman was not technically correct as we had not scheduled a general discussion of wood burning stoves. what we had agreed to do was listen to Mr. Bucca's complaint and take it under advisement, which would be done at a later date. Dr. Roemer apologized if anyone had come to the meeting under false understanding fromthe Minuteman. The meeting was then turned over to Mr. Bucca, who allowing him to speak on his wood stove issue. He he had been before the Board, on this issue, was in His complaint is the same. He feels that due to the thanked the stated, the Board for last time the summer of 1985. location of his house and wind direction, the neighbors smoke comes on his property. The smoke is having an effect on their health, it is hard to breath; also, smoke parti- cles get on their laundry and cars. It is impossible to be outside in the fall and winter months as there is so much smoke. He feels the stove is not being operated efficiently. Mr. Bucca would like the Board of Health to draw up regulations on wood burning stoves, similar to those adopted in Northampton, MA. In closing, Mr. Bucca passed copies of his reports and pictures he took of the smoke, to the members... After a brief discussion among the members and the residents, Dr. Roemer stated she had visited Mr. Bucca's location on the previous Saturday and saw for herself the smoke and the problem he was having. she hoped, after the Board finished with the review of the Health Functions, they could make a priority of the wood stove issue assuming they had enough data. They would have to talk to the Town Council and work out an approach on the right way to go about the issue and see about making regulations. At 8:05 p.m. Dr. Roemer thanked Mr. Bucca for attending. The residents left their names and addresses, so they could be notified if there was a public hearing. Before continuing the meeting, pictures were taken for the Town Report. 1 1 1 563 November 24, 1987 Mr. Richard White, the new Town Manager, came in'as the meeting was New Town about to resume. Dr. Roemer welcomed him and introduced him to Manager everyone. She then explained to him that the board was working its way through the health functions from the Guidebook of Massachusetts Board of Health and two other important issues - drafting new smoking regulations for the town and undertaking to find a way for the board and school committee to have a better working relationship. Mr. White said, in a few weeks., when the board was ready, he would be glad to sit with the board or Mr. Smith and Dr. Roemer and go over the issues. After a brief discussion of some of his plans and what he has been doing since his arrival, he adjourned. The board thanked him and wished him well on his new position. The board then went on to the health functions; Dr. Finkelstein began Maternal and with his subject of Maternal and Child Health stating that the boards Child Health responsibilities basically, have to do with premature births, receiv- ing information on them and doing various things such as transporting people to the hospital when there is a premature birth, paying hospital costs if the person has no other funding or unable to pay. The State would then reimburse the Board of Health 50% for the expenses utilized. The rest of the responsibilities under Maternal Health were recommended activities and whatever we want to do, certainly anything educational. Dr. Finkelstein said, on his review of Dental Health that there was not a clear division of responsibility between the School and Board of Health involvement. Mostly, what the Board of Health could do was pro- vide, support, or implement, along with the School Committee, various things relating to correction of oral disease expense. School based in- tervention on menus was mostly discussed, such as foods rich in sugar causing tooth decay and regulating what goes into vending machines - schools cannot sell junk food. The Board of Health is also responsible for a mandate on issues related to fluoridation of water. Some boards run dental clinics for people with children that cannot afford to pay for dental work. At the commencement of Dr. Finkelstein's report, Dr. Goldmann spoke on Communicable Communicable Diseases noting that it was up to the Board to investi- Diseases gate and control the spread of communicalbe diseases in the town and report to the State Board any major problems, including suspected food poisoning, illnesses on dairy farms, influenza, venereal diseases and are suppose to screen for tuberculosis and see that people get booster shots. They should also ensure access to necessary care and treatment of those diseased, infected or exposed to infection, providing neces- sary care and treatment of those diseased, infected or exposed to infection, providing necessary resources or contact services for the protection of the public against the spread of tuberculosis. Dr. Goldmann said, on Immunizations and Vaccinations the Board of Health Immuniza- can investigate school and disease records to determine if a clinic should tions be initiated or assist parents in obtaining immunizations of their and Vac - children, if the individual cannot afford to pay for them the board of cination: health or school committee should provide them service without charge or arrange for a health facility to do so. November 24, 1987 Mental Barbara O'Donnell, Sanitarian, stated that since the early sixties the Health trend on Mental Health has been to treat the mentally disabled in community based settings. Patients that are "deinstitionalized" are more likely to lead productive and enjoyable lives than they would in an institution. It has been found that more cost-effective care can be provided in the community than in institutions. The Board of Health should be aware of the problems deinstitionalized patients may face in the community and participate in developing programs and services that may be able to hlep patients. Alcoholism On Alcoholism and other substance abuse, Barbara said, there are networks of services set up for the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug, alcohol and cigarette abuses. Alcohol abuse, which results in in- creased illness and use of health services accounts for 10 percent of health care expenditures in Massachusetts. In 1971, the legislature passed the Comprehensive Alcoholism Treatment and Rehabilitation Act, which abolished the crime of public intoxication and provided detoxification and other alcohol treatment facilities through the Division of Alcoholism of MDPH. Cigarette Smoking Cigarette Smoking is the major cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Barbara said, and is also associated with fetal and infant mortality and increases the chances of other illnesses when other risk factors are involved. Measures are baing provided to protect the non-smoker and incentives are provided for stopping or reducing the smoking habit. M.G.L. 270.21 prohibits smoking in public elevators, supermarkets, MBTA vehicles and requires designated non- smoking areas in museums, libraries, hospitals, restaurants and nursing homes. More and more regulations are being made against smoking. Drug abuse annual cost in U.S. is seven times that of alcoholism. The Drug reha- bilitation, Department of Mental Health and Department Public Health is responsible for prevention treatment. School Dr. Roemer went on to the final segment of the health functions, School Health Health, she said, is a responsibility of the Board of Health. One of the prime functions is to provide a healthy school environment, see to the removal of asbestos in school buildings, the development of a program of comprehen- sive health education and require and offer assistance to the school committee around these three issues. Clinics and On the subject of Clinics and Community Services the Board has the authority Community and responsibility to establish and maintain dental and medical health clinics Services and conduct general education relative to general health and respond to State suggestions. If there was a particular problem the State could require us to have clinics to deal with the problem. We are required to enforce vaccina- tions and re -vaccination of all inhabitants and if necessary must provide them with free vaccinations. Home At one time, the Board of Health was certified to be home health agents and Health have their own nurses, but with the coming of Medicare and Medicade the Services trend has been for boards of health to drop their status as certified agencies and to contract with certified home health agencies, such as visiting nurses associations, for all or some of the bedside and public health nursing services. 1 1 1 6 November 24, 1987 Contracts between boards of health and private nursing agencies frequently include school health services for various clinics - screening clinics, well-child or well adult clinics, and prenatal counselling. Boards of health are also responsible for prevention and control of communicable diseases and food poisoning, which fre- quently requires a nurse's investigation and counselling. The boards may find it useful to investigate regional cooperative arrangements to improve both home health services and public health nursing services. Upon conclusion of the health functions, Dr. Goldmann mentioned that he had visited the Life Task Force and felt the board should go on record that they favor allocation of funds for the Life Skills Curriculum. Dr. Finkelstein stated he had been to the School Committee Tea and had a long conversation with Linda Wik, from Lexington School Committee, making it known that the board is a very active one and is really inter- ested in what effects the schools. Dr. Roemer said she had received a letter from the School Committee to Chair - be a member of the Citizens Staff Committee. Copies of the letter person's would be made for the board members. Report The no -smoking regulations are still being drafted. Restaurants will be done separately as a Board of Health Regulation. Dr. Roemer feels it is necessary for the health secretary to be taught word processing, especially for working on the minutes of the meetings. After completing her report, Dr. Roemer turned the meeting over to the Health Director. Mr. Smith said, there has been environmental problems cropping up at Health the Brookhaven project on Waltham Street. Asbestos was found in Director's buildings, pesticides in greenhouses, and seven or eight tanks were Report found in a dump out in the back, some in the ground. All tanks had to be tested and pumped out. They had to have a 21 E study redone which is an environmental study. They had the proper information but it was not put together right. Thenew budget was submitted,at end of last week, no more than 4% increase. This is a different budget period as we have a new Town Manager. It is just an operating budget and Mr. Smith thinks there will be changes. Asbestos getting to be more and more of a problem. There was an asbestos removal on Massachusetts Avenue and when cleaning up an oil line got broken. It was not safe in the house as there were oil fumes and no heat one night. An air filter was brought in to get rid of odor. Over the years, Mr. Smith said, the Board of Health put restrictions on some lots because they would not perk or were not suitable for septic systems. We received a request from a lawyer in town to release Lot 103, on Kendall Road for construction. This lot has sewage available. there were very little records available. After discussion the board agreed to release the lot for building. a b 6 November 24, 1987 The breast screening turn -out was good, about 30 women. The price for the screening was reduced from $80 to $65 for town employees. The screening was publicized thru the COA. It looks good for money from the State on Hazardous Waste. In the spring, we will have a paint collection. Dr. Roemer said, Hazardous Waste Day went very smoothly. There were about 320 people. John Carroll took all the batteries which saved the town some money. There was a five dollar household charge this year and about $1500 was collected from the town. The members made a motion to make the annual budget an agenda item at the September meeting, this will give the members more time to decide what they need to do. Mr. Smith is concerned about Mosquito Control being in our operating budget. Before adjourning the board decided that a letter should be sent to Mr. Bucca. The date set for the next board meeting is January 5, 1988 at 7:30 p.m. Meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m. The following permits were signed by the Board: Animal Permits Marian M. McIntyre 205 Wood Street Daniel Palant 16 Slocum Road George Redick 38 Adams Street Seasons Four 1265 Mass Avenue Lawrence A. Smoske 39 Robinson Road Catering Permits Jeanette's Catering Service 99 Great Road Bedford, MA The Moveable Feast 203 Belmont Street Belmont, MA Vaughn's Deli 373 Mass Avenue - 1/horse - 12/chickens - 15/goats - 7/geese - 6/each - sheep, goats, ducks, geese, peacocks, turkeys - 2/horses - Commissary Catering 1 1 November 24, 1987 Food Establishment Friendly Ice Cream Shop 66 Bedford Street The Lexington Club, Inc. - Vending Machine Facility 475 Bedford Street Maunder's Market 1768 Mass Avenue Canteen Co., for Mitre Corporation 91 Hartwell Avenue Apple Vending for Tektronix, Inc. 482 Bedford Street Tres Frais Lexington Boston Properties 420 Bedford Street Vaughn's Deli 373 Mass Avenue Retail Food Store Vaughn's Deli 373 Mass Avenue Methyl Alcohol Five Forks Shell 286 Lincoln Street Lafley's Mobile Service Station 27 Mass Avenue Vaughn's Deli 373 Mass Avenue Woodhaven Wallpaper & Paint 424 Marrett Road - In -Plant Cafeteria - Vending Machine Facility