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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972-10-02454 BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING OCTOBER 2, 1972 The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held Monday, Oct- ober 2, 1972 at 7:00 P.M. in the conference room G-5 of the Town Office Building. Members present were: Dr. William Cosgrove, Chairman. Mr. James Lambie, Dr. Charles Ellicott and Director of Public Health, Robert C. Heustis. Minutes of the September 11, 1972 meeting were approved by the Board as read. Mr. Williams of the Conservation Committee came before the CLARKE JR. Board to discuss the change in the contour plans surrounding the HIGH Clarke Junior High School and the compliants of debris and rub- SCHOOL & ble being dumped on the Cataldo Farm on Bow Street. CATALDO FARM ON Mr. Williams explained that the State demanded a holding BOW ST. pond for the run-off from the parking lot and roof. The Per- manent Building Committee requested the Conservation Committee to allow this holding pond be placed on Conservation Land. The holding pond area will be used for ecology study and in the winter the Recreation Committee will have it flooded for skating. It is understood that this will not be a pond with standing water all year but more or less a conpensatory storage for the run-off water. Mr. Heustis told Mr. Williams to check the maintenance for this holding pond and also to post the area so that the horses that are ridden on Conservation Land will not go on to the school property. The Board approved the holding pond. Mr. Williams explained that a number of complaints had been received by members of the Conservation Committee regarding the dumping of debris along the brook in the rear of the Cataldo Farm on Bow Street. Mr. Williams said he did not think the Cataldots were responsible for the dumping along the brook but they were bringing in rubble and debris and dumping it on the low land on the farm. He said he had seen trucks from Milford, New Hampshire and also the Town of Arlington trucks. Mr. Heustis said the Town of Lexington will clean the debris from the sides of the brook. He thought Mr. Cataldo was dumping the other debris, etc. under the assumption that he was re-claiming agriculture land. In a letter from the State Health Department dated January 13, 1970, it was stated that the State Health De- partment could see no objection to filling this site with clean fill which contained no putrescrible material. The filling of this land would probably be all right but a permit must be obtained from the Board of Health and then the Board would have to deter- mine what constitutes clean fill. Mr. Williams said the Conservation Committee was concerned with: 452 (1) The wetlands and (2) The easement on the left side of the brook. He said he felt in all fairness that he should have permission to reclaim this agriculture land as long as he sticks to clean fill. Dr. Cosgrove asked if Mr. Cataldo had been in at all to tell the Board what he planned to do. Mr. Heustis said "No". Mr. Cataldo was going on the assumption that the letter from the State was all the permission he needed and that he was not operating outside the law. Dr. Cosgrove said he felt a letter should be sent to Mr. Cataldo stating that he must submit to the Board a plan of his operating type of fill being used and the extent of the operation. The Board approved this action and instructed Mr. Heustis to carry this through. Mr. Williams said he was sure the Conservation Committee would be satisfied if Mr. Cataldo abided by the Board of Health Regulations. Mr. Williams thanked the Board and retired at 7:30 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. Mrs. Freda Cooper, Mystic Valley Mental Health Association, Mr. Vincent E. Maloney, Executive Director of Greeley Village and Mrs. Sally Haines, Lexington Visiting Nurse came be- fore the Board to discuss the need of a nurse to treat the elderly. Mrs. Cooper explained that she was one of the employees from Xerox Corporation on a year's leave of absence to study the need of Social Services in the community. She explained that Mystic Valley had given her space to work out of. Her study, in Lexington, was with the elderly and she felt that many of these people were being neglected because it was so hard to get a doctor and doctor's fees were so prohibitive, also she felt a number of the elderly were being allowed to deteriate both emotionally and mentally. She felt a nurse who went in and visited these people could spot some of the problems before the damage was done. Dr. Cosgrove asked if she had any statistics on how many people at Greeley Village have had mental breakdowns. He also pointed out that there were many more senior citizens not in the Village. Mrs. Cooper said she did not have any statistics but she did feel that there was a lot of neglect for Health Services among the elderly. She said she did not refer to just the Village but she felt a "drop in center" with a nurse on duty would be helpful for the eoderly. Mr. Maloney said he was Executive Director at Greeley Village and he wanted it made clear he was not speaking for the Housing Authority at all, he was concerned with all the elderly in Lexing- ton but rather than the things Mrs. Cooper suggested he had in mind a more of a preventive medicine approach. He said he has found that old people are not to avail themselves of clinics and in many cases they do not have their own doctor. In cases where the family is interested there is not too much problem but where there is no family or the family is not interested then it is very diddicult to get help for the old people. He went on to G.? tr 1 1 1 say his idea would be a mobile unit which would operate on a Regional basis possibly with a nurse and if not a doctor or a medic. Mrs. Cooper said she felt a public health nurse could get closer to these people. She had approached Mystic Valley Mental Health Association regarding sending a student nurse in- to the Village but then she would have to have a supervising nurse. Dr. Ellicott said when they talked of the Village and the new Vinebrook housing for the elderly they were talking a total of 190 elderly when he would estimate that there was at least 5 to 6 hundred members in the Senior Citizen organiza- tion and he felt that there was many more not affiliated with organizations. He went on to say that he was sure the doctors in town were not that difficult to reach in case of emergency. Also when one of the elderly needed medical help quite often it was a fall or attack requiring hospitalization. Mrs. Haines said she was sure the L.V.N.A. nurses made reg- ular visits at Greeley Village, these visits were, of course, on the doctor's orders. After further discussion Dr. Cosgrove said he felt that the medical and health needs had been discussed but he felt the Senior Citizens should decide how they want it handled. Mrs. Cooper, Mr. Maloney and Mrs. Hain thanked the Board and retired. Dr. Cosgrove said that he had been considering all the in- formation presented by Mr. Mason regarding the allergy of his son to the McDonald's horses. He went on to say he had been over the area 5 or 6 times. this is only my opinion, but when you consider the width of the houses, the street between Mc- Donald's and the Masons, and then the row of trees and bushes which are very dense, you wonder how any horse dander could penetrate as far as the Mason house. The dander would move toward the Mason house when the prevailing wind was southwest which is only during June, July, August and September. As I say, this is only my opinion but I think the whole thing is ridiculous. Mr. Heustis said Mr. Mason did ask to have the Board post- pone it's decision because he wanted to present more informa- tion, which was going to be his allergist, Dr. Ethan Brown, coming into Board Meeting. Dr. Ellicott said if that was the case then we would have to notify the McDonalds so they could bring their allergists in. Dr. Cosgrove said I feel we should take a stand and then let them settle this among themselves. Mr. Lambie said he thought we had listened to everyone and unless there was more very important information we should be able to decide. 453 MASON HORSE ALLERGY McDONALD HORSES 454 It was agreed that a letter be written to McDonalds that as all opinions had been considered and it was decided not to revoke their permit to keep a horse. The information on the survey of immunity in school IMMUNITY children was discussed and it showed mumps and rubella had SURVEY not reached 50%. The Board felt that mumps and rubella im- munization should be supported. The State policy of only testing for tuberculosis in high risk areas was discussed. It was decided that until T B TESTING this testing could be disculled with the school physicians and nurses the Board would go along with the State recommenda- tions. The letter from Dr. Robert Carey, Arlington Board of PHYSICAL Health, regarding the physical examinations for town personnel EXAMS FOR was discussed. This letter will be referred to Police Chief TOWN James F. Corr and Fire Walter Spellman. Dr. Ellicott said he PERSONNEL would also look into it. Mr. Heustis reported that the new Town Counsel, Mr. Cohen, NEW TOWN will meet with Mr. O1Connell and Mr. McSweeney every Wednes- COUNSEL day morning, if any department head or board has a problem they can leave word with Mrs. McCurdy and Mr. Cohen will contact them that day. The Board approved the orders to clean the demolition LOTS ON material from the lots owned by Mr. Sowkow and Mr. Ransom VALLEY on Valleyfield Street. FIELD ROAD Mr. Heustis reported that this material was from the Mobil Station demolished at the corner of Waltham Street and Marrett Road. This has been all taken care of now. FITZGERALD The letter from Dr. Peter Morey, Veterinarian, stating HORSES that Mrs. Fitzgerald of James Street took excellent care of her horses was read by the Board. Mr. Heustis was instructed to see if Mrs. Fitzgerald TRUDEAU and Mrs. Trudeau had the required 2 acres of land, if so, their HORSES permits could be issued. Mr. Heustis showed the plans of the new Honeywell Radiation HONEYWELL Center and explained that there would be a hearing on this on RADIATION October 17, 1972. He went on to say that the initial Honeywell CENTER Buildings required sub -division approval and now the Board of Health should make recommendations regarding drain easements, town water and sewer and if extensive alterations are made would flood control be affected. Mr. Lambie said he would look over the area and make a report. Dr. Cosgrove said the Budgets could not be discussed to- night because all department heads were going to meet at a later date to discuss the budgets and he would then report back 1 1 1