HomeMy WebLinkAbout1961-09-18 BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
SEPTEMBER 18, 1961
The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held Monday,
September 18, 1961, at 8 :00 P.M. in the Board of Health Off ice .
Members present were : Chairman R.L. McQuillan, Dr. William
Cosgrove , Mr James West and Health Officer, Mark D. Lurvey.
Minutes of the July meeting were approved.
Mrs . Muriel York came before the Board to discuss the Child CHILD
Care Center she wishes to operate at 197 Grant Street. CARE
CENTER,
Mr. Lurvey reported to the Board that Yrs . York was having 197 GRANT
a new home built at 197 Grant Street and the physical facilities STREET
were excellent for a Child Care Center but I'rs . York had not had
any formal education in the teaching of Nursery School children.
Our rules and regulations state "The person in charge of a Child
Care Center shall have had training or experience in the care and
education of children of Pre-school age that is satisfactory to
the Board of Health. "
Mrs . York explained to the Board she would like to Have a
day nursery for up to 10 children.
Mr. Lurvey explained that although she rias raised two children
of her own and has done professional baby-sitting we did require
some teaching experience .
Mrs . York said as she planned to take children from 2 to 5
years of age she did not think there would be very much teaching.
Mr. West reviewed the rules with Mrs . York.
Mrs . York said she had called Boston University at Mr. Lurvey' s
suggestion and they have no courses on Child Care at the present time.
She also called Simmons and talked to Miss Gerhart , who explained
their Program for conducting nursery schools , also Leslie College
whose course appealed to her very much.
Mr. McQuillan suggested Mrs York and Vr. Lurvey look into any
Possible course that would meet the approval of the Board and as
s oon as Mrs . York completed this course her remit for a Child Care
Center would be issued.
Mrs . York asked that as long as she had to take this course
could her license be held until the first of January, at which time
her home would be completed and also the required educational
course would be completed.
The Board agreed to hold Mrs . York' s license until the first
of January and also assured her that as soon as she had a course
in Child Care teaching her license would be issued.
Mrs . York thanked the Board and retired.
Mg)
Mr. Francis L. Benoit , 2 Morris street , came before the 2 MORRIS
Board at the request of Mr. Lurvey. STREET
Mr. Lurvey explained that Mr. Benoit had piped the laundry
waste from his home directly into the catch basin in the street .
Mr. McQuillan asked Mr. Benoit ii he would like to explain
the condition and the reason he had piped this laundry waste dir-
ectly into the catch basin.
Mr. Benoit exRlained he had built his house 9 years ago and
as the lot is low,ghe had trouble with drainage he connected a
pump, used to pump out his cellar, directly into the drain in the
street . Mr. Benoit said all the houses in his area have pumps
connected into the street drain. Mr. Benoit said tris automatic
washing machine,5connected directly into the street drain too.
Mr. Benoit said his lot was small and pupping or draining directly
into the yard was not satisfactory.
Mr. McQuillan roointed out to Mr. Benoit that this was directly
against the law to pipe any house drain into the catch basin.
Mr. Benoit stated that it was not just he , in that area, that
was connected into the street drain. He also stated he could not
rut in a whDle new system.
Mr. McQuillan asked Mr. Lurvey if ne needed a whole new
system.
Mr. Lurvey said "No, just extend nis leaching lines. " Mr.
Lurvey also said the area was troublesome because it was low , he
always includes this area on the list for streets to be sewered
for the coming year. Mr. Lurvey explained that a trunk line has
to be extended for this area .
Mr. McQuillan asked Mr. Benoit ii he had broken his laundry
waste connection since Mr. Lurvey had spoken to him about it.
Mr. Benoit said No he had not broken the connection but he
had stopped using the washer and was taking the laundry to the
Launder-mat .
The Board suggested that Mr. Benoit break his laundry con-
nection into the drain.
During this whole conversation Mr. Benoit kent insisting others
on that street were connected to the drain. The board told Mr.
Benoit that if he broke his connection then Mr. Lurvey would be
in a position to find anyone else who had connected to the drain.
Mr. Lurvey said if Mr. Benoit would add 50 feet of leaching
line it would take care of the laundry waste .
Yr. Benoit asked if the addition of leaching line would take
care of the cellar water as his cellar is flooded from September
to June .
504
Mr. Lurvey said "Ido, but it would take care of the Laundry
waste . "
Mr. McQuillan said if Mr. Benoit did not disconnect this
laundry waste connection within a certain length of time , set by
Mr Lurvey, then Mr. Lurvey would have to go to court on this.
Mr. Benoit said it was only laundry waste not septic tank
waste .
Mr. Lurvey exrlained that laundry waste had an odor and
therefore was causing the trouble .
The board told Mr. Benoit he must disconnect this connection
of laundry drain from the catch basin immediately. Mr. Lurvey
will inspect this condition in the very near future.
The Board thanked Mr. Benoit for coming in. Mr. Benoit
retired.
The letter to Mr. Joseph DeFelice, Mr Nicholas DeFelice
DEFELICE and Mr. Anthony DeFelice stating that as pigs are being kept
PIGGERY without a permit they must be cleaned up by E'eptember 22, 1961
and a permit obtained or further action would be taken.
Mr. Lurvey and Pit-. McQuillan exrlained about these pigs
being kept in the rear of ITEK Cooreration and that Mr. Lurvey
was working with the Bedford Health Department to get these pigs
cleaned up.
A motion was made by the board and dully passed that the
pigs and the pens owned by DeFelice in the rear of the ITEK
Cooperation on the Lexington side of the Town line must be
cleaned un to Mr. Lurveyis satisfaction by September 22, 1961 or
Mr. Lurvey was to start court proceedings against Mr. DeFelice .
Just at this time Mr. Anthony DeFelice , Mrs . DeFelice ,
Joseph DeFelice and Nicholas DeFelice came into the meeting.
Mr. DeFelice explained that the purpose of this was to ask
the board the name of the complaintant about his pigs in the
rear of ITEK Corporation.
Mr. McQuillan said the Board never divulged a complaintant ' s
name . Mr. McQuillan further stated that rir. DeFelice was
keeping rigs in Lexington without a permit .
Mr. McQuillan further explained that whether it be one pig
or twenty pigs a permit was required to keep pigs in Lexington,
Mr. DeFelice should aptly to Mr. Lurvey for a rermit which would
then be brought before the -board.
Mr. DeFelice said he never had any trouble until ITEK came
there.
505
Mr. McQuillan said he wo_ad say this much it was not the
reorle at ITEM that had made the carr_rlaint .
Mr. DeFelice said 65% of his land was in Bedford but he
paid his taxes in Lexington. He did have a remit to keep pigs
from Bedford.
Mr. Lurvey said he had hr. Higgins , assistant Town Engineer,
for Lexington go out with him and point out the line between Lex-
ington and Bedford. At that time there was pigs on the Lexington
side of the line . Mr. Lurvey went on to state further that in
his seven years as Health Officer for the Town of Lexington he had
never seen pigs kept in such a condition.
Mr. McQuillan said regardless of any arguments Mr. DeFelice
might have the pigs must be kept according to the law If the
buildings and land are not cleaned to Mr. Lurvey ' s satisfaction
then a permit cannot be granted.
Messers DeFelice started to argue and insist that pigs have
been kept there for 50 years with no trouble.
Mr. West said Mr. DeFelice must comet the buildings to suit
j
Mr. Lurvey if he was to keep rigs in Lexington. If the recommendations
are met then a permit will be granted and he may keep the rigs .
Messers DeFelice asked for the complaintants name once more .
Mr. McQuillan said the Board would not divulge the complaint-
ants name but would tell Mr. DeFelice that it was not ITEK Coop-
eration. Mr. McQuillan again said if Yr. DeFelice was go ng to
keep rigs in Lexington he must get a permit and also keep them
to Mr. Lurveyts satisfaction.
Mr. De1elice said the water was,_ed out the road and that
was what made such a mess around the rigs .
Mr. McQuillan asked how many rigs did hr. DeFelice have.
Mr. Defelice said as many as the pigs produced. At the
present time there were no rigs in Lexington, they were all in
Bedford.
Mr. Lurvey said it still had to be cleaned up on the Lex-
ington side 31 tue Town Line and if the rigs are kept in Lexington
a permit must be obtained from the board of iiealth of Lexington
but if the pigs were gong to be kept in Bedford then it was up
to the Bedford Health Department to enforce the law.
The cony of the letter from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
to the Board of Public Works , Arlington, Massachusetts , regard- ARLINGTON
ing the Municipal Dump off Sunnier btreet Arlington was read by SANITARY
the board. This letter stated that in response to a request LAND FILL
from the LetIngton Board of wealth repeated examinations had been
made of the Town Dump off Summer Street in Arlington near the
Lexington Town Line. This letter explains the situation of the
two brooks which converge and flow through Lexington and then back
500
into Arlington.
The State further suggested in this letter as this dump con-
stitutes a nuisance the Town of Arlington engage the services of
a consulting engineer experienced in refuse disposal methods and
before any remidal action is undertaken a report from the consul-
ting engineer must be submitted to the State health Department .
The State health Department asked that they be advised by the
Town of Arlington by October 1, 1061, of any action taken by
the Town of Arlington.
CIVIL The letter from Mrs . Ruth Morey , Chairman of Board of
DEFENSE Selectmen, asking Mr Lurvey to submit to Mr. Arthur Burrell,
Civil Defense Director, a report on the plans of the Health
Department in case of attack, was read b the Board.
The letter to 1Ir. Burrell listing the steps that would be
taken by the Health Department in the case of attack was read by
the Board. The Board felt Mr. Lurvey " s letter to Mr. Burrell
covered the duties of the Health Department very we'l and they
agreed that in case of attack the health Department would do all
they could.
MARRET The definitive subdivision plan of Adam Grigor, "Marrett
GARDEN SEC 2 Gardens, Secti )n 2" was approved by the Board.
The copy of the approval of the Planning Board for the
definitive subdivision plan for Adam urigor, "Marrett Gardens,
Section 2" stating that the permanent turnaround at the end of
Roosevelt Road be 110 feet in diameter was placed on file b} the
Board.
EMERSON The subdivision entitled "Emerson Garden Development" was
GARDEN approved by the Board. The Board of Health stated that with
DEVELOPMENT proper grading all lots can be properly drained and therefore
this subdivision may be approved.
CARRIAGE The letter from the Planning Board stating that the
GROVE EST "Carriage Grove Estates" was disapproved and after the rec-
ommendations of the Planning Board are carried out this elan
will again be submitted to the Board of - ealth for approval.
No action was taken on this subdivision at this time.
RUBBISH The letter to all rubbish dealers who are licensed by
DISPOSAL by the Lexington Board of health, stating the regulation con-
DEALERS cerning the cove 'ing of rubbish was read and approved by the
Board.
DR DAVID The letter to Dr. David L. Singer, 1644 Massachusetts
SINGER Avenue was approved. Mr. Lurvey explained Dr. Singer was a new
internist in Lexington and had been in the office to pick up
biologics and also to inquire about our rules and regulations
in regard to Communicable Diseases .
®7
The letter to Manuel u. hose , 748 daltham Street , stating 748 WALTHAM',
a complaint had been raade 01 cow manure very near the property STREET
line at number t3 Bloesomcrest Road was arproved bti the board.
Mr. Lurvey reported he had received a letter from Mr. Rose
and the matter had been completely taken care of.
Mr. nose also submitted an application to keep 2 cows and
a steer at 748 Waltham Street . Mr Lurvey reported that there
were no objections from the abbutors .
The Board voted to anprove the animal pe-•mit fro Mr. Manuel
Rose , 748 Waltham Street , to keep 2 cows and 1 steer.
The letter to Dr. William McLaughlin, Metropolitan State BURIEL
Hospital, stating that three agents were named at the Metropoli- REMOVAL
tan State Hospital for the convenience of the Health Department PERMITS
and the Board of Health would appreciate it if the Metropolitan
State Hospital would continue to use these agents, was annroved
by the Boad.
Mr. McQuillan reported that when Dr. McLaughlin, Director
of Metropolitan State Hospital was on vacation his assistant
discontinued the practice of the special agents to sign buriel
removal permits and all the undertakers had to come to Lexington
and this caused quite a bit of conf.'ussion. Now the previous
practice was back in use and everything had been straightened
out .
Mr. McQuillan also said he felt an agent should be made in
the health Department so that peorle would not halve to be sent
to Miss Murray in the Selectmen' s Office to have a Buriel Permit
signed. The Board voted to appoint Dorothy Jones as agent for
the Health Department for the purpose of signing Buriel Permits .
Letter from Arthur J. roisey, Arlington, Massachusetts , DOG BITE '
regarding a dog bite he received on August 7, 1961 from a dog A. FOISEY
owned by Nicolo L. Anastasy, 187 Grove Street , Lexington was
placed on file .
Report from v+uitman & IIowa^d, Inc . , regarding Lot 15 LOT 15 CRESHENT
Crescent itoad, was read bt the i>oa 'd. In this -enort Mr. ROAD
Lucas , Whitman & Howard engineer stated he could not arrrove
this Lot for building purposes because of unsatisfactory
leaching.
Mr. Lurvey reported that Mr. Cadario had brought this Lot
up before , a year ago, and Mr. Lucas stated then he could not
approve this Lot . Mr. Lurvey also stated that hr. Cadario has
requested that Mr. Lurvey request the State health Department
send an engineer out to look over th__s Lot .
The letter from the commonwealth of Massachusetts , Institute
of Laboratories, regarding ttie g 'anting of Laboratory approval LABORATORY
for the operation of the health Department Laboratory for the APPROVAL
coming year was placed on file .
E;
!r CAPY ACRES Letter from Mr. Samuel P. Snow , Planning Uoard, stating
that at a rublic heAring relative to an application of approval
for the proposed Cary acres , Section 3 subdivision, attention
was called to the very objectionable sewer odor on Tufts Hoad. 111
Mr. Lurvey reported he had investigated this complaint and
after gong over the area felt it was one of those conditions where
the odor was c.oming from the roof vent pipes .
BRUCE ROAD The letter to the board of Selectmen complaining about iron
being dumped off bruce road was approved The report of the
investigation by the Selectmen was read and placed on file.
MIDDLE The letter from the Planning board reEarding the definitive
RIDGE subdivision plan for Middle Ridge , Section 6, was read by the
SEC 6 Board and placed on file This letter states that Lots 50, 68,
75, 77, 7d, 79 , 80 and 81 shall riot nave any structure or building
placed on these lots without the consent of the Lexington Board
of health.
DAIRY MATIC The letter from Dairy-Matic vending, Inc . was read by the
VENDING Board. Mr. Lurvey reported that this Vending Machine for the
dispensing of milk was far superior to the ones nut in sections
of Town a few years ago.
LOCKER The memo from the office of the hoard of Selectmen regarding
ROOM the locker room at the Center Playground was read by the Board.
CENTER
PLAYGROUND The letters to Mr Adolph Samborski, Chairman of the Rec-
creation Liommittee , was anproved by the board. This letter called
Mr. Samborski' s attention to the condition of the locker room at
Center Playground and the other was a report on a re-inspection
of the locker room with recommendations for the storing of equip-
ment now on the floor of the locker room.
DENTAL Dr. Cosgrove reported he talked to Mr. Spiries , of the
CLINIC School Department and they had two locations for the Dental
Clinic for him to look at . One at Parker School and the other
at iiarrington School. the location at Barrington School seemed
to be ideal. It was a class room adjacent to the lunch room
with adeouate lighting and a good circulation of air. This room
can be sectioned off for the use of the Dental clinic. Mr. Casey
Head Custodian, and Dr. Cosgrove are to meet on Wednesday morning,
September 20, 1961 to go over the nebessary requirements which will
have to be installed to equip the Dental iliuic . Dr. Cosgrove said
as far as fie could see they would have to _nstall a couple of out-
lets and the necessary plumbing but the location was far superior
to the one now in use , also a number of the children who use the
Dental L,linic are from the area near the iia ^rington School. Dr.
Cosgrove felt that the progress now being made to re-locate the
Dental Clinic was very satisfactory.
7 SHIRLEY Letter to Resident , 7 Shirley Road, regarding dog manure
111
STREET on the porch was approved. Mr. Lurvey reported this condition
was taken care of satisfactorily.
1509
Two animal permits were reviewed by. the Loard. An app- ANIMAL
lication to keep a horse at 25 Packer Street , Ralph Burnham PERMIT
was denied because of the congested area. The application to
keep a Horse by A. John uale , 10 Diana Lane was held for futher
investigation. Mr. Lurvey reported that every time he went out
to inspect this property at 10 Diana Lane he could find no one
home.
Mr. Lurvey reported that the State Inspector had been out STATE
to Lexington and inspected some of the restaurants and all re- RESTAURANT
ports were very good INSPECTIONS
The Whitman & Howard, Inc. bills for engineering services ENGINEER
for the Health Department were unproved for payment . These bills BILLS
are from M„rch 28, 1061 to September 1, 1q61. The Board asked
Mr. Lurvey to write to Mr. Howard of Whitman & Howard and ask
if it would be possible to have an engineering bill submitted
each month.
The following licenses were signed by the Board:
First Baptist Church Weekly Kindergarten
Church of our Redeemer Nursery School
Arthur 1i. Field, Methyl Alcohol
Pat Iavino, In6. , Sewage license
Budget standing of the Health Department was reviewed by the
Board.
The case of premature infant tteece which has been invest- PREMATURE
gated by Mr Collins, Welfare Agent , and proven to be a Lynn INFANT
Settlement was brought to the boards attention. REECE
Mr. Lurvey reported he had a complaint from Mrs . Fitz re- 555 MARRETT
garding the location of the corral fence at Mr. Bode ' s , 555 ROAD
Marrett Road. After investigation Mr. Lurvey felt this was not
a legitimate complaint .
Mr. 'West said he had received a call from Mrs . Margolis , LANDRY' S
next to 5 Minute Man Lane , regarding the horse on the property HORSE
next door owned by a Mr. Landry. Mr. West said Mrs . Margolis
didn't think it right for these people to have the horse in the
yard, Mrs . Margolis talked for some time to Mr. West about this
situation. Mr. West said he told Mrs . Margolis he was new on
the Board and did not know the details of the case but he would
check with the Board at this meeting and report back to her.
Mr. Lurvey explained that when the first application for a
permit to keep a horse was investigated it was denied because a
family on Massachusetts Avenue did object to the location of the
stable . Mr. Landry then brought in a Plot Plan of his land and
re-located the stable and the objection of the person on Massachusetts
Avenue was withdrawn. Mr. Lurvey reported that Mr. Landry had
about 3 acres of land and his stable and corral are way out of
sight of Mrs . Margolis ' house He further explained that Mrs.
Margolis was very disturbed when he explained that the horse
could be rode in the- street . Mr. Lurvey assured Mr. West that
he would investigate the situation and see what was going on.