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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-12-040 SEWER LIST CENTRE POOLS BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING DECEMBER 4, 1978 The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held Monday, December 4, 1978 at 7:00 p.m. in Room G-15 of the Town Office Building. Members present were: Dr. William L. Cosgrove, Chairman; Mr. James W. Lambie, George A. Smith, Director of Public Health. The minutes of the October 16 and November 6, 1978 meetings were approved. The Board again discussed the sewer construction list for fy 1980. Members of the Board had attended a meeting held by the Town Manager and Eng- ineering regarding the sewer construction for 1980. Mr. Smith said he felt that although a great deal of discussion was held regarding the cost of the sewer construction to the Town he felt it was not the concern of the Board of Health any longer. Town Meeting had approved a bond to carry the sewer construction work to the end and in his mind that made it the mandate of the Town Meeting, therefore, he did not understand the latest action regarding the sewer work. Mr. Smith said he had made recommendations in the areas where there was problems but the other areas that were discussed at that general meeting might be all right until there is a change of occupancy. The Board started to discuss the cost of isolated areas suggested for public sewer in order to complete the public sewer program. Mr. Smith said he felt that the Board had to keep in mind that they should be concerned only with the public health problem. Mr. Lambie said he realized that but he wondered if the Board should come up with a change in their policy of demanding connection to public sewer "with- in a reasonable time". Especially if the mown spent twenty five thousand dollars to connect ane house to public sewer. Mr. Smith said that talking about this before he felt certain aspects should be considered, he went on to say the Board of Selectmen could make the connection to public sewer a part of their sewer regulations. Mr. Lambie said he could see problems with demanding immediate connection. Mr. Smith said we could define a reasonable time as 1 year, 3 years or 5 years. He felt this was not going to decide the problem tonight. He also said he had checked with three different installers and they have quoted prices to replace a failed septic system as starting with basic repairs costing about three thousand dollars going to replacing a whole system at at cost of about sixty-eight hundred dollars with reasonable working con- ditions. At 7:30 p.m. the Recreation Committee and members of the Permanent Building Committee came before the Board to discuss what the alternative would be with the Centre Pools if Town Meeting voted not to appropriate funds to build the new pool. The following members were present: Chairman, Recreation Committee, Ms. Judy Urhig, members recreation committee Alice Henkel, Chairman Permanent Building Committee and David Wells a. member of the Permanent Building Com- mittee. 1 1 Ms. Uhrug said that they had been keeping in touch with Mr. Smith regarding the plans for the new pools. What they have come tonight for was to discuss what would be the Board's stand on the continued use of the old pools. She went on to say that she knew that Mr. Smith had been going along with them be- cause he felt the new pools were coming but now she wondered what the Board would demand to use the old pools. Mr. Smith said he had gone along with the pools now for a few years and they were really in rough condition and other than the dedication of the main- tenance crew he would have had to close the pools a long time ago. If the new pools are not approved he would have to demand that the sanitary facilities are upgraded to regulations, the bathhouses, particularly the men's shower rooms and also the filtration system are sub standard. All these things would have to be updated, he said he did not think he could let these things go another year without some repair. Mr. Wells said he felt that Mr. Smith was saying that if the new pool was not approved by Town Meeting and unless the areas of concern were not properly repaired the Board of Health would have no alternative but to close the pools at Centre Playground. Mr. Smith said there was four major areas of concern which must be replaced. or repaired properly or he would have to recommend the pools be closed this summer. Mr. wells said they had figured that it would cost around four hundred thousand dollars to remodel these facilities and with two hundred thousand more they could have a brand new facility. He went on to ask Mr. Smith if the pools were closed would the "Res" take care of the added load. Mr. Smith said even a twenty per cent increase at the "Res" would cause problems. There was an algae problem there this year and we suspect that it will be worse this coming year. Ms. Uhrig asked if Mr. Smith would write a report that the Recreation Committee could present to the Town Meeting regarding the sanitary improve- ients that must be made so that these pools can be operable this coming summer. Mr. Smith said he would, but it would be up to the Recreation and Permanent Building Committee to come up with the cost analysis. Mrs. Uhrig also suggested that Mr. Smith comment on the capacity and con- dition of the "Res". Mr. Smith said he would get a letter written before Town Meeting. The Recreation and Permanent Building Committee thanked the Board and retired. Mr. Ronald d'Cambre and Miss Mary Sammartino of the Mystic Valley Mental MVMHA Health Association came before the Board to discuss the budget for fy 80. BUDGET 1980 Dr, Cosgrove said the first thing he would like to say was that he wished Mystic Valley would use the forms that are sent from the Town, these forms would be easier to understand. He also asked if the MVMHA had given any thought to how they could reduce their budget by ten percent as requested by the Town Manager. Mr. d'Cambre said that they made so many reports for the State and Federal Agencies but they would try to use the town forms in the future. Miss Sanmartino said the only place they could possibly cut their budget would be on consultations, and that she would hate to do so because they are just getting to the point where people are accepting them. Dr. Cosgrove questioned why the line item of rent was increased, as he remembered the main house should be all paid for. Mr. d'Cambre said that was because the two adolescent homes were included in that item. Mrs. Sanmartino explained again the progress of the clinic, she also stated that the consultation program was very important. She said they were now picking up as many outside contracts as possible to help reduce the costs to the Towns. Dr. Cosgrove asked about the income from investments. Mr. d'Cambre said they really don't have investments per se, what that item is the interest from the medicare funds that the State lets them hold until they call for it. In other words they collect the medicare and medicaid payments and put them in a savings account until the State calls for them. In that way we get to keep the interest on these funds. Just a month ago the State called for the 1977 medicare funds, so there was interest from that we were able to put into our account. After further discussion Dr. Cosgrove said that he felt we had covered all the questions but he would charge that Mystic Valley try to cut where ever possible to realize the ten percent cut the Town has asked for. Mrs. Sanmartino said it was very hard to cut any of the services but they would do the best they could. Dr. Cosgrove reminded Mr. d'Cambre to contact Mr. Perry about the correct forms and thanked Miss Sanmartino and Mr. d'Cambre for coming in. He said he felt this meeting was one of the most informative ones the Board had ever had with the Mystic Valley representatives. REPLACE Mr. William Blout, Director of Replace, Tonly Cleft and Steve Politi, BUDGET members of the Board of Replace met with the Board to discuss the Budget for fy 80. Dr. Cosgrove asked the people from Replace to describe the services they are rendering to the Town, also how they think they can cut their budget. He explained that he did not know what Replace did. Dr. Cosgrove also said he understood that services to the clients or patients to Replace were free. He went on to ask what possibility there was to charge for services. Mr. Blout said that had been discussed several times with the Selectmen and the Appropriation Committee but it was their decision that as they were treating minors any fee would be minimal. He said it would also be difficult to figure a fee because the kids drop in some for five minutes, others for an hour. Dr. Cosgrove said he didn't see why Replace could not charge the same as Mystic Valley did. Mr. Cleft said they could not be compared to Mystic Valley , they operated on a very informal basis and a financial fee would be another problem. They felt as long as they operate in the way that they were the kids will drop in but they will not go to Mystic Valley. Mr. Blout also explained that they have a contract with the schools under the 766 Chapter. This contract is just getting under way and so far there is no fees from it. After further discussion Dr. Cosgrove thanked the members of Replace for coming in. Mr. Blout was asked to resume the quarterly reports as soon as possible. Mrs. Nancy Banks, Assistant to the Town Manager, came before the Board, to WORKMAN'S discuss a new workman's compensation program. COMPENSATIC PROGRAM Mrs. Banks had sat in on some of the meeting with Replace and she suggested that the Board might like to see the report of the Youth Commission to make suggestions regarding the Replace Budget. Dr. Cosgrove and Mrs. Banks talked briefly regarding the services offered by Mystic Valley and Replace. He said he was satisfied with the meeting the Board had had tonight. Mrs. Banks then explained to the Board that the reason she had attended this meeting tonight was because Mr. Hutchinson had requested that she look into the problem of workingman's Compensation. They feel that at this time they are paying out a lot of money in claims. They are thinking of the possibility of setting up their own and utilizing the services of the Tri Community nurses to work with the physicians. This might get the people back on the job sooner than now. Even if the patient went back on light duty during a recooperative period. Mrs. Banks said last year Workingmen's Compensation cost the town about one hundred thousand dollars and this year so far we have spent up to eighty thousand dollars in claims. It is projected that claims this year will go to at least one hundred and forty thousand dollars. If we can cut this down it would help. Mr. Lambie said he did not see how the nurses would evaluate the cases, the'r could only work with the doctors. Mrs. Banks said she would notify the nurses and they would contact the doctors so that they could translate the medical terms to laymans language so that when a doctor said light duty the sypervisor would be able to relate. Dr. Cosgrove said he felt that there were many questions that would have to be asked and answered before anything like that was done. He also said if this should come to pass we would have to increase the Tri Community budget at just the time the Town has asked us to keep costs down. He felt this would have to be a separate item in the contract. Mrs. Banks said they did not anticipate that this program would be too expensive. She felt we were not using all the monies alloted for the nursing service. BURROUGH'S INC. HAYDEN HEAD LICE DEFELICE PIGS FLU VACCINE CLINIC SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION Mr. Smith said if they are used he felt they should not be called Board of Health nurses but Town nurses. Mr. Smith and Mr. Lambie felt this could be written into our contract as a separate item. Dr. Cosgrove reiterated on the various agencies and departments which have been put into the job of Health Director, he felt that too many things were being put onto the Director now and the nurses for Workingmen's Comp would be one more thing. Mrs. Banks said she would be taking care of that in her office but she wanted to speak to the Board about permission to speak further to the nurses regarding this. Dr. Cosgrove said he did not mind her speaking to the nurses but he would like more information on this and he would like all these requests in writing. Mrs. Banks agreed and thanked the Board and retired. Mr. Smith reported that Burrough's Inc. had gone to the Conservation Commission and the Commission has listed the conditions by which Burrough's must abide while installing the sewer line. He went on to say that this should be all taken care of by Spring. This must be done before Route 2 is resurfaced according to a notice sent by the State. A complaint regarding head lice at Hayden Recreation Centre was re- ceived from Dr. Erdos. Mr. Smith went on to say that every year we receive complaints about the hockey helmets being stored in a common bin. There is no standards in the State to govern this type of thing, he also checked the helmets and found no evidence of lice. He went on to say he spoke to Al Moll, Director of the Chase Rink, about this problem but the only way to control this would be by washing the helmets in 1900 degree water and disinfectant or perhaps spraying them with R ffi C spray. He went on to say that the street coats the kids wear are usually thrown in a pile in the locker room that way any lice present could be transmitted that way. Mr. Smith said he has made some like they do with bowling shoes, and of these helmets would help eleviate suggestions for them to try, sort of maybe by formalizaing their handling this problem. Mr. Smith reported that the pigs at DeFelice's, 81 Westview Street, were gone at the time of the last inspection. The Board had received a report of this inspection. Mr. Smith reported that the State vaccine for a second flu clinic was obtained and the clinic was held. The weather was bad but we did vaccinate about 100 people. Mr. Smith reported that the school nurses have requested a clinic for the mandatory school immunization. This really isn't our problem, we offered to have a clinic for them in September but they did not feel there was a need for the clinic then, We have requested that the school nurses assist us with this clinic. The Board agreed that after this when school immunization programs came 1 up it would be best to contact the superintendent of schools to see that he would be aware of the problems of running the clinics. Mr. Smith reported that the Sheraton -Lexington Motor Inn has started to SHERATON - discuss putting on an addition. He said he would not like this because they LEXINGTON still had trouble with the sewer line. They did put in a new grease trap and MOTOR INN relocate the garbage disposal but most of the problem is in the sewer line which appears to say under Route 128. They are talking about 50 - 80 rooms and a new swimming pool. I will request a report from DPW/Engineering. After some discussion the Board agreed they would not agree to an ad- dition until the sewer line was changed or re -built. Mr. Smith said the revised plans of Willow Ridge Subdivision just shows WILLOW RIDGE a couple of houses have been moved and have changed the road from a cul de sac to a hammer head. This is no major change and at present the plans are at engineering. Mr. Smith explained that Hancock House has been taken over by a bank and a group from Connecticut is running it and wants to change the name to Lexington Manor. He said he had made an inspection today and there was a number of HANCOCK things that need correction. HOUSE Mr. Smith said he has told the director that she should make arrangements to meet with the Board and in that way they can let us know what they plan to do. Mr. Smith presented a plan for a new septic system on Rockville Avenue, ROCKVILLE and when the tests were done ledge was discovered at 31/ and 4 feet. This system AVENUE could not really be approved as shown in this plan because of the ledge in this area. This area has been tentatively scheduled for sewer construction in 1980. Mr. Smith said the Town Manager has been talking about raising the fees FEES FOR for permits and licenses, but he felt that our fees were fairly high now. PERMITS He said he would make a list and send them to the Board for review, Last year we took in approximately forty-five hundred doll ars, which is not too bad. Mr. Smith reported that Mr. Harry Mimno, 93 Pleasant Street, had cleaned MINNO'S up his barn and he has also built a manure pit so he can retain his animal BARN permit. Mr. Smith read the following report from the Animal Control Officer, Mr. Littleton to the Board. "Upon today's inspection of the Mimno property and animals I found that a manure pit had been constructed beside the barn. The pit is complete with a cover and only needs to have the cover attached. In my opinion this does constitute a proper manure pit. Mr. Mimno and Gordon, his helper, stated their intention of using the barn cellar as a. manure pit but the conversion of the cellar will begin in the Spring; Mr. Smith reported on the progress of the rat problem at Woodpark Estates WOODPARK and it has been cleared up now except for one lady that believes she is still ESTATES having problems. To date, i feel we have this problem under control if the residents of the area will cooperate with the department in keeping their property clean. Meeting was adjourned at 10:::45 P.M.