HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-03-14365
BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
March 14, 1983
The regular meeting of the Board of Health was held Monday, March 14, 1983
at 7:15 p.m. in Room G-1 (Recreation Meeting Room) of the Town Office building.
Members present were: James W. Lambie, Chairman Linda Roemer, Ph.D., and
George A. Smith, Director of Public Health. Mrs. Joyce Kekejian was present
to take the minutes.
The meeting began promptly at 7:15 p.m.
1. Parents Concerned About EEE
The first appointment was with Linda Behar and Kathy Swartz representing
Parents Concerned about Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
The women wanted to meet with the Board to express their concern over the
two cases of EEE that appeared locally in September of 1982. They explained
the purpose of their group and expressed a sincere interest in having a
program of local mosquito control implemented for the coming year.
They explained about the work they had undertaken to this point on behalf
of establishing mosquito control efforts in Lexington and indicated they
were looking for the support of the Board of Health in their efforts.
Documentation, including a fact sheet on EEE, was presented to the Board
for review and consideration.
The Board thanked both women for their concern and the material presented
and expressed a desire to work together on this issue.
2. Meeting VNA Relative to New Programs and/or Program Changes
The second appointment was with Jane Tappia and Virginia Brady of the
Visiting Nurses and Community Health relative to proposed program changes,
and a new program concerned with lead -paint poisoning screening in children.
The nurses indicated that they would like to implement a new elderly clinic
at the most recently opened Countryside Village Elderly Housing Comples.
The Board seemed open to this proposal, but requested information on changes
in the existing program. Under consideration were changes (reducing hours)
at Greeley Village and/or East Village clinic sites. Both nurses agreed to
put this information together and get back to the Health Director with an
up -date.
The second proposal was one to establish a lead -paint poisoning screening
clinic in the fall. It was decided that more information was needed before
a go-ahead could be given.
The third program involved promotion of a bowel cancer screening program.
Use of the Director's Room at Cary Hall was needed as a point to distribute
promotional information and technical material on cancer of the colon. As
there was no appreciable cost involved, the Board voted to support this pro-
posal and instructed the Health Director to secure the Director's Room in
Cary Hall for the date(s) required.
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3. Article 18 - Warrant to the 1983 Annual Town Meeting "Clean Indoor Air"
The third appointment was with Laura Derby and others concerned with this
Town Meeting Article 18 which proposes to require all restaurants, with
a seating capacity of 50 or more persons,to establish "No Smoking Areas".
A group of 15 residents attended this meeting to garner Board of Health
support for this Article.
Speaking to this issue were George Foote, Michael Zach, M.D., Joseph B.
Leader, M.D. and Mary Miley. All made presentations or spoke on behalf
of this proposal. The group was seeking Board of Health support for this
proposal.
After listening to the prepared statements, and entertaining questions,
the Board of Health agreed to issue a statement supporting passage of this
Article. The Board and Health Director did qualify their position by ex-
pressing concern over the efficacy of such a requirement, as well as
problems that may develop from an enforcement standpoint.
Dr. Zach made a formal presentation of his prepared background material,
thanked the Board and the group retired.
4. House at 47 Ridge Road
A fourth appointment - a Hearing on the condemnation of a house at 47 Ridge
Road was cancelled at the request of the legal counsel for the occupants
of the structure. The Health Director spent some time explaining the
situation and the reason for the condemnation.
The remainder of the meeting was to be dedicated to a discussion of Mosquito
Control. As most of this subject matter was brought up in an earlier discussion,
the Board limited itself to a discussion of on-going and relate health problems.
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