HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-08-23 .389
SPECIAL BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING
TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1983
A special meeting of the Board of Health was held Tuesday, August 23, 1983
at 3 00 p m in Room G-15 of the Town Office Building Members present were
Linda Roemer, Ph D , George A Smith, Health Director and Mr David Henley,
Superintendent of the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project
The Board discussed for the record - the confirmed case of encephalitis in
the Taunton, Millis, Lakeville and Brockton areas Also, one horse has died in
North Dartmouth and one in Marlboro, Mass The Marlboro horse was the first
indication of the virus in the Middlesex County
An advisory from the State Department of Public Health recommended a step up
of truck spraying in the State
Mr Henley told the Board that Sudbury and Framingham had been completed and
his trucks would be finished spraying the Town of Bedford tonight
Mr Henley recommended doing truck spraying in Lexington The surrounding
towns will be completed this week
He said the population of mosquitoes is low right now but when they did truck
trapping last week, one of the mosquitoes trapped and tested was perturbing -
the others were all right
Dr Roemer said with the recommendation from Mr Henley, and the Mass Public
Health and also the news of the encephalities in the horse in Middlesex County,
I feel that we should spray (truck) and do it now while the other towns surrounding
the Town are being done
Mr Henley said he feels all towns should be done at the same time - Lexington,
Bedford, Burlington and Lincoln He said Lincoln will only have aerial spraying
or nothing at all
It was decided to truck spray the town and they will get the notice in the Lexington
paper for Thursday's edition, put it on cable T V and also record it on the
HOT LINE
Mr Henley said that he could do the whole Town on Thursday evening if he had
his whole crew If not, he could complete it Friday evening This would
begin after 8 00 p m and would continue until 5 00 a m in the morning Of
course, this will be subject to weather conditions If it rains or there is
a serious wind condition, they will not be able to do it that night Mr Smith
and Dr Roemer decided that they would go out in the Town car and spot check
the areas that night
Mr Henley discussed with the Board that he would not suggest any aerial spraying
at this time If the virus esculates and there is an emergency, it should be
done by airplane Mr Henley is discussing this possibility of aerial spraying
now, in case it becomes necessary
If it becomes a real public health emergency, the State would pay for the spraying
If it is an emergency in Lexington, it would cost the Town $8,500 00
390
Mr Henley said that he would not aerial spray at this time unless there is
more evidence of the virus being here
Dr Roemer said she had discussed at length with Mr Lambie the topic of
spraying the Town if they felt there was a necessity for it She feels the
time has come to spray
Mr Smith, the Director, is in full agreement to spray this week
Mr Henley recommends to use the truck mounted "mist blower" at the recreation
areas, such as, Minute Man Vocational School and the athletic fields
After further discussion, this meeting adjourned
I