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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-06-15-BOH-min LEXINGTON BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, June 15, 2016 7:00 P.M. Estabrook Room Cary Hall Memorial Building 1605 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA Board of Health Members in Attendance: John J. Flynn, David Geller, M.D., Sharon MacKenzie R.N., CCM, Burt Perlmutter, M.D. Health Division Attendees: Gerard F. Cody, Health Director Francis Dagle, Clerk Speakers: Ben Mattocks, Kristen Lake, Rick Reibstein Documents: Community Health Report June 2016 Environmental Health Report June 2016 Establishment Inspections June 2016 Public Health Intern Document 15 Oxford Street Document Rodent Prevention Tips Document Emergency Waiver Application for Pesticide in Schools Document Lead Contamination Control Act, LCA Document CDC Lead in Water Document “Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners” Course Document Youth Mental Health First Aid documentation Old Reservoir Beach Closure Policy Document Lexington Community Coalition, Youth Initiative documentation Public Health Emergency events workshop documentation Community Endowment of Lexington Grant Document MDPH “Regional HMCC Surveillance and Medical Countermeasure Page 1 of 5 BOH June 2016 Dispensing Tabletop Exercise Series” Document MAHB document TURI Grant Application Document Emergency Preparedness Report June 2016 The meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM. Sharon MacKenzie R.N., CCM., served as acting Chair Person. The Community Health report was reviewed and the following topics were discussed; Community Health and Infectious Disease Report: Director Cody discussed the training sessions that took place in June, hosted by the Office of Public Health. Youth Mental Health First Aid, introduces common mental health challenges for individuals, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. The training had high attendance, and this success will allow for annual trainings. Director Cody informed the Board of a Grant received from the Community Endowment of Lexington to conduct tick surveillance, tick-borne disease testing and “tick tube” deployment in target areas in town. The Office of Public Health has contracted with Vector Disease Control stst International and the work will take place between June 1 and December 31, 2016. A detailed report will be produced upon completion. The Board reviewed an introduction letter from Carly Mitchell, Office of Public Health Intern for this summer season. Ms. Mitchell will be establishing an opioid addiction education and prevention program, along with the Community Center, and the Lexington Police Department. The Environmental Health report was reviewed and the following topics were discussed; Environmental Health Report was reviewed for various inspections conducted by the Health Agent. Lexington Battle Green BBQ; The Barbeque festival took place from May 20 to May 22, 2016. Beth Grossman, contracted Health Agent Alternate, conducted pre-event inspections. Ms. Grossman reported a satisfactory inspection, for the event. Page 2 of 5 BOH June 2016 Nuisance Case Reviews: The Board reviewed the Nuisance Case for 15 Oxford Street; The homeowner expressed concern about a noise that may be coming from an unidentified source at or around 177 Massachusetts Avenue. In order to conduct an investigation, Director Cody requested that the homeowner provide data, to determine when to detect noise from the property. State Sanitary Code Case Reviews: The Board reviewed the State Sanitary Code Case for 16 Hancock Street; On March 18, 2016 representatives from the Fire and Building Departments inspected the dwelling. Upon inspection completion, the home was declared unfit for human habitation, as described in the State Sanitary Code. Occupants have since vacated the dwelling. 24 Trauma, a biohazard waste contractor removed any signs of filth and biohazardous materials. The dwelling was recently sold to a buyer, and permitted through the Building Department for renovation. The Case is closed. 337 Bedford Street; On Wednesday May 18, 2016 at approximately 11:15 AM, Lexington Dispatch notified the Health Director that 337 Bedford Street was found to be in deplorable condition. A body was found on site and it was removed by the MA Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. After speaking to emergency responders and viewing the condition of the property, the Public Health Director recommended that the BOH declare the property located at 337 Bedford Street be unfit for human habitation. No other occupants were believed to reside at this location. 24 Trauma had been contacted to start clean-up. A relative for the deceased contacted the Office of Public Health, and legal council will keep the Health Director informed on the cleanup process. At current the bio-hazards have been removed and the property has been boarded and secured. 9 Hillside Terrace; On March 30, 2016 Gerard Cody, Health Director for the Town of Lexington, Board of Health and Kelley Axtell, Assistant Director of Senior Services and Paul Bates, Fire Department Inspector, were invited to conduct an inspection of a dwelling located at 9 Hillside Terrace. Based on the results of that inspection, the Board of Health found that the dwelling was unfit for human habitation. The occupants were ordered to vacate and the owner was ordered to secure the 9 hillside Terrace within 48 hours of receipt of this order. The homeowner since met with the Health Director once a week, to discuss the progress to comply with the order. Page 3 of 5 BOH June 2016 703 Massachusetts Avenue; The Office of Public Health was informed that rodents have been observed at the Waldorf School. In order to resolve and prevent future infestation, it was recommended that the school hire a licensed Pest Management Contractor. Director Cody provided the School with an Emergency waiver application for pesticide use in schools, along with general tips of rodent prevention. Recently Director Cody reviewed the fiscal FY17-FY18 Lexington Public Health goals with Town Management. A new Lodging Place Regulation was proposed as a priority for the Office of Public Health. The objective of this potential regulation would be too effectively regulate short term rentals within the Town of Lexington. Mr. Cody attended a Webinar session that addressed the subject matter for this regulation on May 10, 2016. The Health Director discussed a local regulation that will allow all applicable codes into one document. The new regulation will be a team project that will drafted over the next fiscal year. The Minutes of May 18, 2016 were approved with correction. The Emergency Preparedness report was reviewed and the following topics were discussed. The Board was informed on the Staffing Public Health Emergency Events and Recovery Efforts workshop. This workshop was held on June 9, 2016. The Office of Public Health invited Municipal Administrators and Emergency Responders from the Town of Lexington and Town of Winchester to attend. Region 4A had hired John Carter of Emergency Preparedness Consulting, LLC, to facilitate the discussion about the Public Health Emergency Planning with these two towns. The goal of the workshop was to reduce the gaps that have been identified by the Region 4A plans for Community Preparedness and Volunteer Management. The Lexington Office of Public Health’s emergency plans were reviewed, to show how these plans would be exercised in the event of an Emergency Dispensing Site or an emergency shelter operation. Region 4AB HMCC Update; On June 2, 2016 Governor Baker announced that the hospital-side of the Cambridge Health Alliance has been selected as the Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition sponsoring organization for Region 4AB. Starting July 1, 2016, the Director of Emergency Management and Safety Officer for CHA, will be reaching out to the members of the five core disciplines to provide an introduction to CHA, and the explain the next steps for Region 4AB HMCC. Page 4 of 5 BOH June 2016 The Health Director reviewed the Old Reservoir Bathing Beach’s current Closure Policy. The Board reviewed the process of obtaining a recombinant DNA permit in the Town of Lexington. After much discussion, the Board agreed that review of these permits should go through the Lexington Board of Health. The Charter will be reviewed at a later date. The Lexington Office of Public Health, recently received notification from the Lexington Public Facilities Department, that they will be testing water at ten public school buildings, in accordance with the Lead Contamination Control Act. In coordination with the Public Facilities, Director Cody met with the Assistant Director of the Department and provided a previous sample data process, along with the recommendation that the same data collection process be followed for the current process. Sharon MacKenzie R.N., motioned that the meeting be adjourned and John J. Flynn, seconded. All were in favor. The meeting adjourned at 8:04 PM. It was noted that the next meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. Page 5 of 5 BOH June 2016