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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-11-05Mr. Lambie asked if Mr. Heustis would also check the lay- out of the street drains on Spring Street. He said they were set so that bicycle tires would get trapped and the rider could get a bad fall. These drains were square and if they were turned around this problem would be corrected. The following permits were signed by the Board: Animal Permits Gerald M. Cupp - 3 horses Manuel Rose - 2 cows Child Care Centers Food Establishment Permits LeBellacour, Inc. Drummer Boy Restaurant Light Horse Club, 1 day Hayden Recreation Center Living & Learning School Church of Our Redeemer Nursery School Dunkin Donuts Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Dorothy Jones, Clerk BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING NOVEMBER 5, 1973 The regular meeting of the Board 1973, at 7:00 P.M. in the Conferfence Members present were: Dr. William L. and Mr. James Lambie. of Health was held Monday, November 5, Room, G-15 of the Town Office Building. Cosgrove, Chairman; Dr. Charles Ellicott The minutes of the October 1, 1973 meeting were approved. Mr. Walter O'Connell, Town Manager met with the Board to discuss the hiring of a new Health Officer to replace Mr. Heustis who had resigned to take a position in Needham, Wellesley and Weston. Mr. O'Connell suggested that the Board re-examine the job description to best meet the Town's current needs. He said he felt that the position called for a good administrator. The Board said they felt a well qualified person in the Health field should be considered and not a person that is just a good administrator. Training someone in the Health field could take 5 years. Mr. O'Connell said he wanted to be very sure that the right person for the job was employed. Mr. O'Connell and the Board discussed this problem for a few minutes and then Mr. O'Connell had to attend the Board of Selectmen Meeting. He suggested the Board discuss this problem further and come up with a new job description and he would also have his ideas on paper. A meeting will be held later in the week. HEALTH OFFICER 496 L.V.N.A. Mr. Frank Totman, Chairman of the Lexington Visiting Nurse Association Advisory Board and Mrs. Jayne Tapia, Director of the L.V.N.A. came before the Board to discuss the budget increase of $2500. Mr. Tolman explained that the L.V.N.A. was in the process of up dating their services and costs. He explained that the association has been operating in the same way for a number of years. Monies are received from the United Fund, the Town, Fees and Medicare. Medicare is at least 6 months behind in their payments. The new Well Elderly Clinic is going well and part of the increase will be used for that. There is also some talk of the nurses doing inspection work in the Nursing Homes and Child Care Centers so even if the current work is cut back these additional things will off set the increase requested. Mrs. Tapia stated that the biggest cut back would be in the visits to pre-school children. This is basically a health guidance type of visit. It was asked how these children get referred to the L.V.N.A. Mrs. Tapia said they could be picked up when the nurse visits the home on a Communicable Disease call or a neighbor might call rec- ommending the home be visited. These children are usually followed until they enter school and then the school nurse takes over. Dr. Cosgrove asked if these people were indigent. Mrs. Tapia said "No" not in Lexington, but the problems that the nurses sees could be such that only a trained person would notice them. Dr. Cosgrove asked why there was so many TB visits when our register showed only about 13-15 cases. Mrs. Tapia said the contacts of the patients had to be visited, but this was also an area where review was being done. After further discussion it was decided that Mr. Totman would attend the United Fund Budget meeting and then get back to the Board of Health for further discussion. Dr. Cosgrove said he would like to see the Well Elderly Clinic re- valuated after it had been in operation a little longer. Mrs. Tapia and Mr. Totman said they would check these things out and then get back to the Board. Dr. Cosgrove said he felt that the Board could let this budget re- quest go until the first of the year as long as Mr. O'Connell was aware that the Board of Health would be requesting a change in the present budget. Mr. Totman and Mrs. Tapia thanked the Board and retired. MOSQUITO Mr. Robert Armstrong of the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Com - CONTROL mission and Mr. Manfred Freidman met with the Board to discuss the mosquito control program approved at Town Meeting. 1 1 The Board said as Mr. Friedman was the one who requested this meeting he could ask his questions of Mr. Armstrong. Mr. Friedman said he wondered if the program that was carried out all year was very effective when in the recent outbreak of encephalitis large areas had to be sprayed. As he understood that the mosquito program was primarily for the individual comfort he felt the whole program a detriment to the environ- ment. He said he would rather see a program carried out on an emergency basis when an outbreak of disease occurred, rather like calling out the National Guard. Dr. Cosgrove asked Mr. Friedman if he would rather see encephalitis in the area. Mr. Armstrong asked if Mr. Friedman got mpstof.ahiinformation from the Audubon Society. Mr. Friedman did not answer. Mr. Armstrong asked again if the information Mr. Friedman used was not from the Audubon Society. He also went on to say that basically the con- trol of mosquito breeding was for comfort and the Commission was aware of the Immune mosquito which Mr. Friedman was concerned about. Mr. Friedman said he had read an article about the immune mosquito is California but he received his other material from the Audubon Society. Mr. Armstrong said they tried to control the mosquito larvae with drain work, but to control the adult mosquito was not possible with the wind factor and the fact that surrounding towns do not have a mosquito program. The pres- ervation of the wet lands also hinder the effectiveness of the mosquito work. He went on to say they do not have all the answers to the outbreaks of disease but then even the experts do not know. Dr. Ellicott asked if testing was being done to see if the mosquitoes were resistant to insecticides. Mr. Friedman said New Jersey was testing. He went on to say he felt the spraying and control program did not last long enough to be effective. Mr. Armstrong said this past summer wa an exceptional year and although the young broods had been controlled in the Spring the adult mosquitoes came so late that the spraying was the only effective control they could use. Mr. Armstrong described the mosquito control program, the insecticides used and also the reduction of complaints regarding mosquitoes. He also stressed that the mosquito control Commission is well aware of the environmental problems and therefore watch the program carefully. The program has been modified from time to time to better accomplish the objective. The application for a permit to keep 1 goat by John W. Brucchi, 53 Westview Street was approved. Mr. Brucchi has 8 acres of land available. The application for a permit to move his horse from Wood Street to 30 Patterson Road by Mr. Richard I. Miller was discussed by the Board. It was explained that the area where the horse is now stabled is being developed and therefore Mr. Miller is forced to find new quarters for his hors, The Boston Edison Company has given Mr. Miller a written agreement allowing him to tether his horse on Edison easement property. There were no objections from the neighbors. Mr. Miller plans to erect a prefabricated 497 GOAT PERMIT HORSE -MILLER 30 PATTERSON ROAD 498 HORSE _ SANDS 57 MERIAM STREET PONIES - 22 BLOSSOM STREET KLEINMANN 143 BEDFORD STREET 2 GOATS 3 DUCKS stable at the rear of his lot. Dr. Ellicott said he had been out to see the area Mr. Miller intended to use and he questions the drainage for the barn and corral because of the proximity of the brook and pond in the area. He said he also- would like to see a plan of the barn and where the water supply was for cleaning and also the grain storage space. A letter will be sent to Mr. Miller requesting this information. The application for a permit to keep one pony by Mr. Frank Sands, 57 Meriam Street was discussed by the Board. Dr. Cosgrove and Dr. Ellicott agreed that the make -shift stable now being used could not be approved. This property is all on a hill and there is no objections from the neighbors. The Clerk was instructed to write Mr. Sands stating that plans for a suitable stable should be submitted and also to point out the regulations governing manure pits. The application for a permit to keep 2 ponies by Phulomenia M. Chiacchia of 22 Blossom Street was discussed by the Board. Dr. Ellicott said he would question the size of the stable that is on the property for 2 ponies and also the area where the grain and hay are to be stored. The clerk was instructed to notify Mrs. Chiacchia regarding these questions and if a satisfactory plan is presented to the Board the permit will be issued. There was no objection frau any of the neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. Kleinmann, 143 Bedford Street attended this meeting to discuss an application for a permit to keep 2 goats and 3 ducks. These animals have been on the premises and a complaint has been received from one of the abuttors. The survey of the abuttors show 2 against and 3 for the keeping of these animals. Dr. Cosgrove explained that the Kleinmann's had the ducks and goats without a permit. He went on to ask Mr. Kleinmann what had upset him after he had filed his permit that he called the Selectmen and requested a meeting with Town Counsel. Mrs. Kleinmann said she felt that the cards to the abuttors were not sent out soon enough. Dr. Ellicott said he had checked this application out and the barn or shed where the goats were kept was right on the lot line. Our regulations state it must be at least 15 feet away. Dr. Ellicott asked if the Klein- mann's thought they could make peace with their neighbors. The Kleinmann's said the goats were noisy when they first came but now they had adjusted and were not noisy anymore. The children in the neighbor- hood come to see the goats and they are noisy when they are there but they are no worse than the motorcycle across the street and the dogs that are tied out all day barking. Dr. Ellicott said he felt there was a question of policy, too, is it right to let people keep goats on a Jg acre of land. Our regulations also require 1 1