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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1970-04-061 1 3, maybe more than on alcohol, but what the correct approach is to the problem no one seems to know. Dr. Cosgrove said maybe a letter to the State Health Depart- ment asking what can be done on a local level might be in order. He also said he thought if Dr. Ellicott was asked he would come in to a Board Meeting and talk to the Board about the approach being taken in Town by the Drug Abuse Committee and the local doctors. Mr. Lambie said he felt that we as the local public health should know something of what is being done. The Health Officer's report was checked and it was noted MILK that Ware Dairy still had high counts on their cream. Dr. COUNT Colburn said he felt that this should not go on much longer, a letter should be written to Mr. O'Connor stating that their license to deliver milk in Lexington would be revoked unless this condition was corrected and remained corrected. Mr. Heustis said this company was still on a probationary period. Dr. Colburn said he still wanted a letter written stating that these conditions would not be tolerated and that this Board would have no alternative but to revoke their license. Dr. Cosgrove reported on the Article on Fluoridation for Town Meeting. At the present time the Appropriation Committee will recommend to Town Meeting that $1000.00 be spent for a FLUORIDATION preliminary survey and then the Board will have to go back to a Special Town Meeting for the additional $4000.00 for a defin- itive survey. He said he will check to see when this article will come up at Town Meeting so he could be there. Meeting was adjourned at 9:30 P.M. BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING APRIL 6, 1970 The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held, Monday April 6, 1970 at 7:00 P.M. in the Board of Health Office. Mem- bers present were: Dr. William Cosgrove, Dr. Charles Colburn, Mr. James Lambie and Robert Heustis, Director of Public Health. The permit for the keeping of animals for Joseph Kelley, 83 Cary Avenue was again discussed by the Board. Dr. Cosgrove asked if there was any report from the City 83 CARY of Cambridge on the effect that 19 horses would have on the AVENUE brook which flows through Kelley's property and then into the Cambridge water Basin. 336 Mr. Heustis said no written report had been received and he did not know the results of the water samples taken the day he made a site inspection with a representative from the Cambridge Water Department. Mr. Kelley came before the Board and asked if he could attend the meeting and answer any questions. Dr. Cosgrove: You may certainly sit in on this discussion. First I would like to know what the statis of that manure pile at the end of t;he driveway is. We spoke to you about this at an earlier meeting, I have not seen any improvement and I would be willing to say that at this time it is bigger than when I first saw it. Mr. Kelley: That manure pile has been there since the first of the year. I have just registered the truck which I use for this 2 weeks ago. There are about eight old Italian farmers who will come and get what they want and then the rest I will truck away. When the larger barn is built I will truck the manure out every day. Dr. Colburn: What about next January, will this manure pile be there again? Mr. Kelley: There'll be no problem in January. You people talk about rats, manure piles don't create a rat problem. You do not know what you are talking about, you are just making exception. Mr. Heustis: Mr. Kelley, manure piles do draw rats, residuals of the grain in the manure make excellent places for rats to feed. Dr. Cosgrove: We are making no exceptions, we are only trying to find out what your plans are. We are also waiting for a report on that brook from the Cambridge Water Department,' Mr. Kelley: Let's get down to the Health problems. There are no health problems there. You talk about this brook well I had samples taken at both ends of the bfook and I got my report the next day. There was salt in the end that drains from the street but the other end draining off the property was okay. Besides water soaking into the ground is purified within 15 feet, horse urine is one of the easiest to purify, I can't see where this brook is such a problem. It is my brook, I'll just block it up and then see what problems I can create. Dr. Cosgrove: We will still wait for a report on that brook. That manure is still there and I certainly would not like that odor all the time. Mr. Kelley: Nobody can say they can get a whiff of that manure, there is no odor there and I defy anyone making that statement. Those stupid people are plain stupid, they don't know what they are talking about. Mr. Lambie: I did smell it, to be sure it was a warm 1 1 337 Spring like day, but the odor was there. What will it be like in the Summer for those people in the area. Dr. Cosgrove: A11 those people can't be stupid. We could sit here all night and discuss these complaints and get no where. People have expressed concern about the traffic and the danger of the horses getting loose and out of control. Mr. Kelley: They're all weak in the head, there is no danger to the children. Dr. Cosgrove: What about Mrs. Fawcette being hit in the head when a horse threw the rider and bolted and she was pro- tecting her grand children? (Dr. Cosgrove read Mrs. Fawcette's letter) Mr. Kelley: That was an accident caused by a wild dog biting the horse en the leg, not by an inexperienced rider. An accident could happen anytime. You talk about the odors, well, I could complain about the 125 cars in the neighborhood causing causing sir pollution more than they can complain about my horses causing air pollution. Dr. Cosgrove: Public Health Laws say anything that offends the senses constitutes a nuisance, and horses and manure piles can certainly give off obnoxious odors. We know cars do con- tribute to general pollution but we have no control over the cars. Dr. Colburn: Mr Kelloy requested permission to state his case, we cannot make a decision tonight because we do not have all the information. Dr. Cosgrove: That is right. we cannotact until I have something in writing from the City of Cambridge. Mr. Kelley: Does this go on month after month. since I started this business the cost of the buildings has increased 12°1. 1 hoped to get this over with tonight. Dr. Cosgrove: Just as soon as we hear from Cambridge we will act I would think that before the end of the week you should hear from us. Mr. Lambie: We must be sure we have pursued every area we could, we know we have kept you waiting but we must be very sure before we make a definite decision. Mr. Kelley retired. Mrs. Arthur Collins, Mr. Robert Dugan, Mr. Edward Kelly HORSE and Mr. Oaul Plisse came before the Board as representatives OWNERS of the horse owners of Lexington to discuss some of the pro- lems the Board has had with the keeping of horses and the change in the Animal Permit Regulations. The group expressed concern with the changes in the regu- lations increasing the required acreage to 2 acres and wondered 338 C4, what the reasons for the changes were. They also asked what they could do as a group to help the Board solve the pro- lems they have encountered. The Board explained that more than one-third of all their time was being spent on complaints regarding the keeping of horses. Most of the complaints were about odor from the manure, flies from the barn and the manure. and an increase of rodents in the areas. The disposal of manure has got to be a major problem, most owners ere instructed to keep the manure in covered containers and then truck it out every week, but where it is to be trucked to. we do not know. The Board pointed out that it was not all horse owners causing these problems, probably only a small minority. but the problems were there and therefore of concern to the Board. After a lengthy discussion Messers, Collins, Dugan, Kelly and Plasse said they would go back to their group and explain the problems and possibly through the 4-H Clubs and the Light Horse Group set up programs to give people more education in the proper keeping of horses, more adult supervision, better housekeeping methods and a manure disposal program. At 8:15 P.M., Dr. Charles Ellicott and Reverend Lund met with the Board to discuss the Drug problem in Lexington. DRUG ABUSE Dr. Cosgrove explained that the Board was concerned about the drug problem in Lexington and felt as a Public Health Board that this was a public health problem. They knew that the Drug Abuse Committee had been working on the problem but wondered if there was anything that their Board could do. Dr. Ellicott and Reverend Lund explained that they have been working with an educational program in the schools, churchs and some adult groups such as P.T,A,'s etc.. but like any educational program it is slow, also, it is hard to make people realize this problem exists. Dr. Ellicott said that actually the real problem is what causes the child to go on drugs in the first place, if those problems can be reached then the drug problem can be treated. A new social worker has been hired and they believe he will work closely with the Mystic Valley Mental Health Association Clinic. Dr. Ellicott went on to say that police action is not the solution, it does not help to arrest or put these children in jail. He went on to say that so far they do not have enough workers that can go out among the drug users and gain their trust so that they can be treated. He also ex- plained that they have talked with the School people to see if they could lessen the educational pressures most of these people are under and if the parents would lessen the social pressures it would help. This problem was discussed by the Board with Dr. Ellicott and Reverend Lund at great lengths. The Board felt they under- stood this problem better and told the Drug Committee if there was anything they could do they would be glad to help in any way they could. 1 1 The letter approving the proposed exhaust system for Dunkin Donuts was read by the Board. This letter was from the DUNKIN State Department, Bureau of Air Use Management and stated that DONUTS with proper maintenance the exhaust system should operate in a satisfactory manner to carry off all the odors, etc., from this operation. In view of this letter the Board voted to grant approval to Dunkin Donuts for their proposed establishment at Marrett Road and Waltham Street with the and estanding that the exhaust system must be maintained to assure proper odor control. The proposal from Whitman & Howard,Inc. for a preliminary survey for the fluoridation of the water was signed by the FLUORIDATION Board. Mr. Heustis explained this contract would have to be counter -signed by Mr. O'Connell, Town Manager. The approval for the renewal of the license for Hancock House Nursing Home was signed by the Board. The variance request from Pleasant: Brook Pool Corp. for less sanitary facilities than stated in the Sanitary Code. PLEASANT Article VI was granted by the Board. BROOK POOL The letter to Francis J. Belcastro, Dog Officer con- cerning the policy on the quarantine of animals who have DOG BITES bitten a person was read and approved. The letter to Donald McElman, 74. Blossomcrest Road re- garding the violation of the spreading of manure on his property was read by the Board. McELMAN HORSE PERMIT Mr. Houstis reported that Mrs. I'icElman claimed the manure was spread on a garden plot. The letter stated that the manure had to be turned under by April 6, 1970. This has been done. Mr. John Grabski, 64. Blossomcrest Road, delivered a letter to the Board opposing the renewal of the permit to keep a horse by Donald McElman at 80 Blossomcrest. Mr. Grabski cited several reasons for this request, namely the lack of responsibility and callousness in observing the Board of Health Rules and Regu- lations. The Board discussed these problems and agreed that before the renewal of these permits were made a re -valuation of all animal permits would be made. The letter to Cumberland Farm regarding the gasoline odor from one of the plastic milk bottles was discussed. Mr. Heustis reported that Mr. Hershberg had ordered all CUMBERLAND store managers to check the returned bottles. Mr. Hershberg FARMS claims this is a common thing during the summer months when people buy gas for lawn mowers and boats. The letter to Mr. Hamburg, Inc. regarding the condition 340 of the stools at Brewster's and also the use of plastic liners MR. HAMBURG in th<.: garbage pails was discussed by the Board. BREWSTER4S "OLD RES" Mr. Heustis explained that this establishment was still Brewsters. He said that they are using the plastic liners now and that new stools have been ordered. The post card from Mr. Bond, Recreation Committee, was read by the Board. Mr. Bond indicated that they planned to install a house trailer at the Old Res as a temporary facility for this year. The Board agreed that until such time es they received a description of the temporary facilities planned no action could be taken. The letter to Catherine Myer of Citizens of Participation AIR POLLUTIONPolitics on air pollution was read by the Board. Mrs. Jones said the Pre -School P.T.A. representative had called and stated that the Pre -School P.T.A. had extra money and wondered if the Board had any suggestions for a program suitable for pre-schoolers in the health field. The Board discussed several things but; found most of these programs were covered by the school nurses or were Laken care of through the Medicaid Programs. Mrs. Jones was instructed to write to the Pre -School P.T.A. and thank them for their interest but to also state that at; the present time the Board did not know of any program suitable for pre- schoolers. The application for a permit to keep one horse by John HOLDSWORTH Holdsworth, 6 Coach Road, was discussed. One of the abuttors ANIMAL wanted to know what health problems he could expect to encounter. PERMIT Mr. Heustis was instructed to check with this abuttor. No action was taken at this time. L.V.N.A. REPRESENT- ATIVES Mr, James Lambie was appointed as representative of the Board of Health to the Lexington Visiting Nurse Association. Mr. Robert Heustis was suggested as the representative of the Town Manager to the Lexington Visiting Nurse Association. The memo sent to all Board Members regarding the meeting with the Town Manager of the expected goals and projects for the coming year was approved by the Board. Some of the Board of Health projects and goals for the coming year will be fluoridation, food handlers course, better interdepartmental communications and better environmental services. The Health Officer's Report was discussed and it was noted that some improvement; had been made by the dairies on probation. The following permits were signed by the Board: FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS: Ledgemont Lab Cafeteria. American Legion (1 day, April 20) The Attic 1 1 1