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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-01-05313 Mr, Heustis went on to tell the Board that Mr. O'Connell was going to request a meeting with the Board in the future to dis- cuss the transfer of the Dog Officer to the Health Department. The Board said they felt that the position of Dog Officer should be under the Police Department. Mr. Heustis said he would have to check the leash law to see how it was worded. Dr. Cosgrove said he felt that the Board should study the Mystic MYSTIC Valley Mental Health Clinic budget. He said he saw no reason to VALLEY have any representative of the clinic in again unless Town Manager MENTAL or Selectmen wanted to talk with them. HEALTH The revised stabeling regulations will be read by the board and STABELING acted upon at the next meeting. The Health Officer's report was read and high milk counts were MILK noted for Ware Dairy, Cumberland Farm Dairy, First National COUNTS Stores. Mr. Heustis said he would re -check these dairies before next meeting. WATER Mr. Lambie asked Mr. Heustis if Stan Brown of the conservation POLLUTION committee had called him about the oil slick in Vine Brook. Mr. Heustis said yes, and he had traced the oil back to a green- house on Waltham Street. He went on to explain that he had called the Department of Natural Resources and referred this problem to them because they handle the stream pollution. Nr. Heustis also reported that in the process of investigating this oil slick he had talked to the Fire Department and they knew about this problem over a week ago. He said he felt there should be a policy set whereby there would be contingency between departments on some of these problems. Meeting was adjourned at 10:30 P.M. Dorothy Jones, Clerk BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING JANUARY 5, 1971 The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held Tuesday, January 5, 1971 at 7:00 P.M. in the Board of Health Office. Members present were Dr. William Cosgrove, Chairman, Mr. James Lambie, Dr. Charles Ellicott and Robert Heustis, Director of Public Health. Mr. Robert Cataldo, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and Mr. Walter O'Connell, Town Manager attended the meeting to discuss MYSTIC the Mystic Valley Mental Health, Children's Clinic Budget. VALLEY MENTAL Dr. Cosgrove thanked Mr. Cataldo and Mr. O'Connell for taking HEALTH the time to attend this meeting. He explained that the Mystic BUDGET 374 Mystic Valley Mental Health Association had submitted a budget for the year 1971 requesting an increase of funds from $8789 paid in 1970 to $19,609.36 for 1971. Dr. Cosgrove went on to say that he did not know what the reaction of the other Board members was but he knew he could not go before the Appropriation Committee and justify this request. I know that the first thing the appropriation committee is going to say is what additional services will the Town receive for this much more money. This budget as submitted is very hard to understand and I could not justify this increase from the information we have. bpd 1 Dr. Ellicott: When this Board first met with the repre- sentatives from the Mystic Valley Mental Health Center I was very sympathetic to their cause, but I have spent approximately five hours studying this budget and all the information that has been sent me and I find this budget very unrealistic. I keep remembering what Mr. Lambie said about the increase of 5 additional professional help in a year enlarging the organization to the point of not being able to deliver the services efficiently. Mr. O'Connell: As often happens in State supported agencies the State keeps increasing professional help and the towns are expected to provide the funds for the clerical help. In this case the Towns are also being asked for money to augment the salaries of the professional staff. This does not mean the professionals are working a great many additional hours or giving more service it is a way of bringing professional salaries up higher than the State allows and therefore the Mental Health Center has more bargaining power to get the help they want. Mystic Valley mentions a training session for school personnel, I feel I should point out that the School has in their budget funds which provide counselors for the schools, these counselors are trained before they are hired so I am sure the Lexington Schools would not be using that program. The Mental Health Department has now started to push their program for the education of the mentally retarded child between the ages of 7 to 16. This is a con- tinuance of their kindergarten program for children 3 to 7 yrs. of age. The State Law reads that all children are entitled to an education from age 7 to 16, therefore, the professional help for these youngsters will continue to increase. Dr. Ellicott: I noticed this description of the program to offer counciling services to the schools and I really doubt that the Lexington Schools would use this program. I wondered as I looked at this budget if we would not be better off hiring a private psychiatrist. I checked with one of the psychiatrists in private practice and asked him what he charged per visit and how long he spent with the patient. He said he devoted 55 minutes to the patient and charged $30.00 per 55 minute period. The evaluation and diagnostic hours as listed by Mystic Valley are not charged to the private patient, also private physicians pay their own over -head costs such as rent, telephone, and etc. Mystic Valley has that property tax fr... Mr. Cateldo: I would give this Board the same advise that all the Boards and Department heads have received regarding budgets this year, that is to hold a hard fast line on ex- penditures except where rates or services have changed. This budget is very idealistic, they do pay to have an audit of their becks, do you people get a copy of this audit? 1 1 375 Clerk: No, we do not, we have never requested it. Mr. Cataldo: You should request a copy of the audit, in fact I suggest that you request a copy of audit as soon as pos- sible. Nr. O'Connell: If there are any changes they should be ex- plained very plainly. On service programs I would find out what the charges are what the added services will be for the increase in costs. I would certainly insist that they submit a statement for 1970 including all their income, all the expenses and all money on hand. Mr. Cataldo: I would rather put more funds into our Drug Program we have seen some results there, we do not see any results from the Clinic. Dr. Ellicott: When we started our Drug Program Mystic Valley was not very sympathetic, I think they felt we were infringing on their services. Dr. Cosgrove: I talked with the Chairman of the Board of Health of Arlington and they have sent this budget through as it is, but they figure that the Finance Committee will take it from there. the same with Winchester. When I spoke to the Chairman of the Burlington Health Department he said he was upset because people who used this Clinic also had to pay for services, he felt a Clinic should be available to everyone at a lot less cost than this one is. Mr. O'Connell: I have noticed that with State oriented pro- grams the money goes for professional staff and as these programs grow it becomes very hard for the third party payer to keep up with the other costs. Dr. Ellicott: Mrs. Welch talked with me after the first meet- ing we had with the Mystic Valley people and at that time she asked if I thought the Tcwn would help with their accounting system. Mr. O'Connell: I think that could be arranged. Right now I would request a statement from them of all their income, even though they are reluctant to give it. All their expenses and a list of their payroll which would include rate time spent and total salary for each employee. I would suggest a letter be written to Mrs. Welch stating that although the expansion program is very commendable the town Boards and Departments have been instructed to hold a tight hard line on all budgets for 1971. You may also mention the fact that the accounting system is very hard to under- stand and we would be glad to allow one of our accountants to work with her in setting up an accepted accounting system. I would certainly ask for a statement of audit for 1970 to be sub- mitted as soon as possible. After further discussion Dr. Cosgrove thanked Mr. Cataldo and Mr. O'Connell for taking the time to attend this meeting and the Board appreciated their help in this matter. Motion was made and passed that the Board of Health would recommend that the amount of $8789, be submitted for the 1971 Warrent Article for Mystic Valley Mental Health Association, 37t3 Children's Clinic. Mr, Heustis reported that Mr. Legro. Town Counsel. sent his apologies to the Board for the delay in replying to their PARSON'S request regarding the location of the Parson's fence. He went HORSE PERMIT on to say that Mr. Legro advised the Board to say where they wanted the fence located and then write to Mr. Parson's statim_ that the fence must be re -located before the permit will be renewed in April Mr. Legro said in view of the problems with this case he would advise the Board to set the fence line where they wanted it and take a firm stand. It was agreed that a letter be written to Mr. Parsons stating that before his animal permit would be renewed in April he would have to put a fence up that would coincide with the provisions as stated in the December 9, 1969 letter which stated at no point would the horse be closer to the Hopkins residence than 10 feet from the proposed stable and going from the point nearest the stable in line to the north- east corner of the Hopkins residence. Mr. Heustis reported that an inspection of the Minute MINUTE MAN Man Buffeteria had been made for the renewal of their Common BUFFETERIA Victulars License. At the time of the inspection a number off violations to the State Sanitary Code were noted. A letter had been written and when a re -inspection was made the pro- prietor stated he never received this letter. Copies of this letter will be made and hand delivered tomorrow. If the violations are not corrected within a reasonable time this establishment will be closed either because he has no Common Victulars License or the Food Establishment Permit issued by this office will be revoked. The letter from Stanley Brown, Conservation Committee SICKLE regarding the dump on the edge of Sickle Brook in back of BROOK Wilson's Farm was read by the Board. Mr. Heustis explained that during the Great Meadow Survey it was noted that Wilson Farm was dumping debris at the edge of this brook. A site inspection was made and NIr. Wilson stated they were not using this dump any more, they had installed a compacting unit. At the time of the inspection there was about one foot of snow on the ground so it could not be determined to what ex- tent the edge of the brook had been cleaned up after the dumping was discontinued. The letter to Mr. Cataldo regarding the filling of land LAND FILL owned by Curtis K. Parker on Woburn Street opposit Marshall WOBURN ST. Road was read by the Board. Nr. Heustis explained that this lot was governed by the Hatch Act. The order to Carlo Eraclio, 91 Grove Street, regarding the discharging of waste water onto a public way thereby 91GROVE ST. creating a nuisance was approved by the Board. Yr. Heustis explained that an inspection was made with the Town Engineer and the Eraclio's are willing to correct this nuisance it they can come to terms with the Town Departments. 1 1 1