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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.,
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