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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1968-04-05181 BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING APRIL .5, 1968 The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held Friday, April 5, 1968 at 7:00 P. M. in the Selectmen's Room of the Town Office Building. Members present were R. L. McQuillan, Chairman, Dr. William Cosgrove, Dr. Charles Colburn and Robert C. Heustis, Director of Public Health. The minutes. of the March 8, 1968 meeting were approved as read. Mr. McQuillan reported that the article on the warrant for the proposed new Town Structure of Government had been postponed until the June Special Town Meeting. In the mean- time the Committee for Government Structure will hold meet- ings regarding the proposed changes. TOWN GOVERNMENT Mr. McQuillan went on to say, that the report on Government Structure by this Committee stated that any policy making or administrative Board would have the approval of appointment by the Board of Selectmen. How- ever, the report shows the Town Manager having the power to appoint the Board of. Health and Executive Health Officer. The Board wanted it recorded that they objected to this manner of appointment because the Board of Health was one of the major policy making and administrative Boards in Town Government, answerable to no other governing body, also many of our laws, as well as, some of the rules and regulations which must be adopted by this Board come from the State Health Department. The appointing and firing of the Executive Health Officer should be a responsibility of the Board of Health be- cause they are more aware of the requirements necessary to qualify for this position. Mr. McQuillan reported to the Board that after the BAKERI & last Board meeting he and Mr. Heustis inspected the SHERATON Bakeri and the Lexington Sheraton Inn. He said he thought the operation at the Motor Inn was working well with the help from the Metropolitan State Hospital, but the Bakeri was a disgrace and something must be done. Mr. Heustis said he had re -inspected this establishment that afternoon. Some cleaning had been done in the base- ment but not enough to show much improvement. The lumber had been delivered for the baseboards but the work had not been started yet. He stated that there has been very little improvement in this establishment since his initial inspection last August. Mr. George Kolovason, propietor of the Bakeri, came before the Board at 7:30 to discuss the sanitary condition of his establishment. 182 Mr. neustis introduced Mr. George Kolovason to the Board and explained that Mr. Kolovason had been notified br certified mail to appear before this Board to discuss the continued violations to the Sanitary Code which exist and have continued to exsit at the Bakeri. Ir. McQuillan suggested Mr. Heustis state to Mr. Kolovason the violations to the Sanitary Code. - Mr. Heustis: You are familar with the State Sanitary Code, Article X? Mr. Kolovason: Yes Mr. Heustis: Since the there have been large cracks floor and walls these should an ideal place for harboring the public. repairs made after the fire left around the edges of the be made tight, these cracks are vermin and are dangerous to Complaints of rats in the area are continually received. The weavils in the flour and sugar were another thing I have called to your attention. I know you have initiated a control program with Waltham Chemical Co. for this but it does not seem to be too effective. The storage rooms in the basement should be cleaned and all the debris cleaned up. Actually you are in violation of all the basic laws of sanitation for a Food Service Establishment. The State Food and Drug people have also found and called to your attention these violations but there has been nothing done about them yet. I have seen no noticeable improvement since August of 1967. Basically you are now running two types of businesses, a retail food store which comes under the new State Food and Drug Regulations and a Food Service Establishment which comes under the State Sanitary Code, Article X. Mr. McQuillan: You told me that one of those storage rooms in the basement had things belonging to Marshallts, has that been cleaned out yet? Mr. Kolovason: I have asked them to clean it out but it has not been. done yet. Dr. Cosgrove: When was the fire? Mr. Kolovason: One year ago in July. Mr. McQuillan: With these holes and cracks the animals, vermin and weavils can get in there, this is not good with food being sold to the general public. It is our job to see Co hoof1 1 1 183 that these things are cleaned up and repaired and then main- tained in the proper condition. Mr. Heustis: I have stated the things that must be done. I feel a time limit must be set for these repairs and cleaning. If they are not done by that time we would have no alternative but to suspend your permits and notify the Selectmen to suspend your common victullars license. Dr. Cosgrove: The complaints regarding the rats, has any- thing been done about controlling this problem. Mr. Kolovason: We have not been able to trace down the source of this problem. The Waltham Chemical Co. has reported that in the last three visits they have seen no evidence of droppings, but that does not say there are not any rats. We have not been able to find anything to indicate where the harborages are. We have set a number of traps as well as continuing the control program. Mr. Heustis: When I went down to investigate the complaint from Mr. Robinson regarding rats, I saw a rat coming from the Robinson property to the Bakeri. Mr. Kolovason: We have initiated a program to improve the outside conditions. A rubbish and garbage pick-up will be made daily and the containers sanitized daily. I have also hired help to police the area around the fence and grounds. I shall be very frank with you gentlemen, up to about six weeks ago I was unable financially to do anything about the repairs and violations needed. Six weeks ago my brother came into the business with me and I am now able to start the corrections required, the work will be started as soon as possible, the materials have been delivered now. This is an old building and is difficult to keep clean. Mr. McQuillan: How is the front of the store shaping up? Mr. Heustis: A little better, there is quite a bit of traffic going in and out of there, but it still requires a good cleaning job. Mr. Kolovason: I have tried a number of things but it has been hard to get the personel that would do a good cleaning job or that will stay working steady. At the present time I have 2 high schoolboys cleaning in the basement paying them 52.00 an hour. Mr. Heustis: Are the bakers in a union, could they clean up after themselves, that would help. I should think their professional pride would make them want their work area cleaned. Mr. Kolovason: They are not in a union, but the bakers just bake and will do very little cleaning. Dr. Colburn: You have not contradicted Mr. hejstis about the weavils in the flour, etc. do you have any suggestions what should be done to correct this condition? The matter of the flour weavils infestation was discussed, the manner of storage, supplier and etc. 184 After further discussion of the general corrections and The violations the Board agreed that renewal of the Food Establishment would be held up for a period of 2 weeks during which time Mr. Kolovason would make the necessary repairs. Mr. McQuillan instructed Mr. Heustis to make a list of the corrections needed to get this establishment into shape. A re -inspection will be made at the end of the 2 week period granted by the Board and if the corrections have been made the Food Establishment Permit will be issued. Mr. Kolovason thanked the Board and retired. MILK SAMPLES Mr. Heustis reported on the samples taken from Blue Ribbon Dairy truck on March 22nd. He recalled to the Board That Mr. Martines had requested that the sample next to the one taken b;,= him be set aside by the driver for testing by Mr. Martines Laboratory Service. When iqr. Martins received our reports of our testing, he came into the office and showed Hr. neustis his reports from his laboratory of the milk set aside by the driver. His reports were well within the State reg- ulations while our laboratory had reported the cream sample very high in both plate count and coliform and the pasteurized vitamin D milk very high in coliform. On April 2, 1968 a split sample was taken and our reports show the heavy cream high and the 2 milk samples were very good. At the present time there has been no report from Mr. Martines Laboratory on this sample. Mr. Heustis reported that Mr. Martines is letting ten of his producers go because of the high counts in their raw milk. The Board requested another set of counts on this dairy before the May meeting. Mr. Heustis reported to the Board that Ross Dairy was now out of business and also Buttriekts would not be selling milk products anymore. He said the general trend will continue to store milk and therefore he felt that the handling of the store milk must be improved upon. ITEK-LAND FILL The letter from Neal Mitchell Associates regarding the filling of land for the new Itek Building was read the Board. Mr. Heustis explained that the filling of this land came under the Hatch Act (G. L. Chapter 13, Section 117C) and could be approved by the Board subject to the conditions that the State Department of Public Health, and Natural Resources approved. The filled land will be used as part of the parking lot and the new building will be serviced by municipal sewer. The Board approved the filling of this land subject to the approval and recommendations of the legally authorized D" kstigi 1 1 1 185 Authorities having jurisdiction in this project. The request from Dr. William McLaughlin, Metropolitan APPOINTMENT State Hospital to appoint Mr. Richard F. Moynihan to replace Edward Karr as Special Agent at the Metropolitan State Hos- pital for the purpose of signing burial permits was approved by the Board. The clerk was instructed to notify Mr. Moynihan and the Town Clerk of this appointment. The Clerk reported that a Lexington Resident, Miss Rose Sprinkle, 36 Grapevine Avenue, had requested aid in paying TB MEDICIItiE for tuberculosis drugs prescribed by her doctor for 1 year. Miss Sprinkle is employed at Radcliff College and showed a very positive reaction to the tuberculin slin test and al- though all the other tests were negative her Doctor had prescribed INH and Paradoxine for a period of 1 year. The Board discussed this request and agreed they felt a precedence would be set by any action taken on this request, there- fore, the legal aspects of this request should be looked into. Mr. Heustis was instructed to contact the State Health Department, the Tuberculosis and Health Association in this area and also Middlesex Sanatorium to see if there was any ruling for this type of aid. Nr. Collins, Welfare Department, should also be contacted to see if this resident was eligible for Medicaid. Mr. Heustis reported that all elementary school children were being offered the Tine Test next Monday and Tuesday. Mr. McQuillan reported that at the Northeast Boards of FLURIDATION Health Association Meeting a new legislature bill on fluor - dation was discussed. The local Boards of Health will be advised by the Commissioner of Public Health to recommend fluoridation for their communities of this bill is passed. After a short discussion on this bill the Board voted to go on record as favoring this legislation.. Mr Heustis was instructed to write to representative Cole, State Senator MacKenzie and the Board of Selectmen advising them of the Board's approval of this bill. A short article for the newspaper stating the Board's action will also be prepared. Mr. Heustis reported that Dr. Singer, who is the Lexington Representative for the Diabetic Clinic Association, was in and DIABETIC he asked about information for a Diabetic Clinic and Program CLINIC for the Senior Citizens Group as Mr. McQuillan was interested SENIOR in a few health programs for the Senior Citizen Group. CITIZEN Dr. Singer has offered to show films and talk on Diabetic as part of the program for a Senior Citizen Meeting. He will wait to hear from Mr. McQuillan before making any definite plans. The following permits and licenses were signed by the Board: Funeral Directors Louis H. Spencer Alice M. McCarthy Arthur F. Douglas John B. Douglas Howard C. Ela, Jr Food Establishments Joseph Macauda (Pepe's Italian Food) Stanley Hill Post for 19th Parade David Buttrick Co. 186 The permit for the Bakeri was to be held for 2 weeks until re -inspection of the establishment. The permit for Sheraton Motor Inn was issued with the condition that a new permit will be applied for when the new facilities for the kitchen are completed and approved. Swimming Pool Permit Sewage Permit Sheraton -Lexington Inn John Z.anni, Inc. The Rubbish Permit, for disposal of rubbish for Richard Valento was signed by the Board. Nr Heustis was instructed to check the truck used for this operation. The Health Officer's report was checked and as there was no further business the meeting was adf ourned at 10:00 P. M., 1 1 1