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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-12-12402 73oard of 'dea.ith Meeting December 12, 1933 The regular monyhly meeting of the Board of Health was held Monday, December 13, 1983 at 7:15 p.m. in room G-1 ( Recreation Office ) of the Town Office Building. Members present were: Mr. James W. Lambie, Chairman; Michael S. Erdos, M.D., Linda Roemer, Ph.D., George A. Smith, Jr., Health Director and Deborah J. Halko,Intern/Sanitarian. Minutes of the November 14, 1983 meeting were accepted as read. At 7:30 p.m. Ms. Susan Adler, Assistant to the Town Manager, met with the Board to discuss the possibility of hiring a permanent sanitarian for the Health Department. Mr. Lambie welcomed Ms. Adler to our meeting and said they are glad to have this discussed because of the workload that the Health Director has. Ms. Adler said that the Manager would like her to make a report and a survey of the needs of this position. Mr. Smith told the Board that he had discussed this with Susan because of the extra work that has come to the department. de said it would be better for him if we could have a permanent sanitarian instead of his having to keep training new new sanitarians and then they leave after a year (or less) and other communities reap the benefits of his teaching. Ms. Adler said that they (the town mgr's office) had done some surveys before and she will pull them out of the file and get them updated. Mr. Lambie, Chairman of the Board, said he also had looked up salaries and positions in other towns and most of them have more help then we do. Mr. Lambie gave Ms. Adler a copy of his survey but said that the salaries were outdated. Mr. Smith stated that much more work has come to the health Department in recent years and the time has come to have a sanitarian permanently. Mr. Smith said he also is the Leash Law Administrator and the Animal Control Department has turned from one truck and a dog officer to a full department of its own and that is also in the Health Office. The Board members felt that the intern program has been great but it takes time for Mr. Smith to train them, taking away from other duties every year. Ms. Adler said she cannot guarantee a.yything le this time but she said it would be only a permanent part time job at its best. It would have to go through the Town Manager, Selectmen, Appropriations Committee and the town meeting before it becomes a reality so it will not happen soon, Ms. Adler said, in the meantime, she will put a job description together and set a salarT. staff. The Manager wants a review of the whole department including the secretarial Ms. Adler will also survey other towns for their positions and salaries. Dr. Roemer said that it does not tell the whole story because the health Department gets emergencies such as recalls of food, communicable deseases, food poisonings, housing problems, etc. 1 1 1 1 1 1 403 Mr. Smith said when he first came it was basically general housing inspections, now it is lead paint inspections, asbestos. Lead paint inspections will be mandatory by the first of :the-year'and-that .will putumuch more work on the dealth area. We also have now the DNA and Mr. Smith will also be involved with the " Right To Know " Law. Ms. Adler said she would get something together on the sanitarian position and get back to Mr. Smith sometime next week. The Board thankes Ms. Adler for coming and she retired. Deborah aalko, Sanitarian/Intern told the Board she had been to some meetings and also to the ser.z<nar on PCB's. She said some of the things she learned were very interesting. She also had gone to a Sanitary Code Seminar on asbestos and smoke detectors in multi -dwellings. Mrs. aalko told the .3oard she has been working on a pamphlet on cockroaches and is gathering information on the lifi cycle of cockroaches. Mrs. llalko also attended a seminar on bulk foods and the subject of rodent harborage, cockroaches, etc. in bulk foods. SANITARIANS REPORT Mrs. Halko has inspected the " indoor " pools and their facilities along with the whilrpool at the Lexington Tennis Club. She did make some suggestions and reccomendations for the whirlpool. The whirlpools are very dificult to clean. Mrs. Halko also reported that she has been checking the " no smoking " areas in restaurants. Mrs. Halko will also he checking all cafeterias in the industrial buildings the first part of the new year. We have received calls from a couple of people wanting areas reserved in parts of the cafeterias where they work. The Board members had a couple of questions and statements to make: 1. Why does Cory's Restaurant doors open in instead of out? Restaurant doors are required to open out. Mr. Smith slid that is the building department's area. He will mention it to the building commissioner. 2. Chadwick's ladies room is dirty. Mr. Smith said he would have it checked out. 3. Bel Canto, the stairs going down to the ladies room are broken. Mr. Smith said they would check it out. WINNING FARM Nothing great to report on :Binning Farm. The sampling is inconclusive. He said they are waiting for something official from the state. Mr. Smith read a letter to the 3oard in regard to dumping at Winning Farm. The state has suggeatad that 'dinning Farm can request a hearing with the D.E.Q.E. 404 The " Right to Know " legislation has passed. It places the burden on the employer and employees. It is a very confusing law. It places on the employers to also notify residents of certain hazards within their company. The Town Manager thinks the Fire Department should coordinate this program. It will be taking place by August 1984. E.A.P. The Revenue Enforcement Program from the Department of Revenue has been passed. This will involve the local Health Departments now, In order for a business, trade or food establishment to get their licenses or permits they have to sign a statement that they do not owe any state taxes. :4e send the businesses dealing with food,a document that they have to sign (under perjury) that they do not owe taxes, if they do not return (or sign) the health department cannot issue them their permits. Every February we have to make a list of all permits that have been issued. If they owe the state money, we ars supposed to shut them down, Mr. Smith told the Board. BUDGET- Mr. Smith told the Board that the Town Manager wants him to charge - fee for the RABIES rabies vaccine that the department now provides free to dogs of residents. Mr. Smith CLINIC said that he doesn't think that we should charge. The Town Manager wanted him to charge a $5.00 fee but after some discussion settled for $2.00 per dog fee. The Board agreed it would go along with a $2.00 charge per dog. E.M.M.C.P. Mr. Smith said that Mr. David Henley, Superintendent of the E.M.M.C.P. has a water management started in town. Mr. Smith told the Board that Mr. Henley has really done a good job at the Green & White pronerty('1iple St. -Woburn St. Area). We have a balance on our account with E.M.M.C.P. :1r. Lambie wants to sit down with David Henley and go over the breakdown of figures of what has been done and what it would cost. Mr. Lambie would like to know what each part of the program costs. TIE There are tires filled with water in the yard of the Kinder Care School and PROBLr1S also in some of the public schools. They are all going to have to be removed because they are mosquito breeding areas. Did:^ Mr. Smith has nothing new to report on Genetic Research. SEPTIC Old Spring Street -that system is all squared away. They are going to build a SYSTEMS new system. They had started on in the past but are collapsing it and starting anew. Piper Road/Waltham Street -Their septic system will have to fit on the lot. Mr. Smith is not sure that the system that would be required could fit on the lot. They are building a four bedroom house. Whatever system is put in Mr. Smith will have to o.k. first. The builder is going before the Board of Appeals. Mr. Smith will write to the Board of Appeals with his specifications. Dr. Roemer told the other Board members she had a student who wants to do her stud, period at a Board of Health department. Linda thaught the student could perhaps come to Lexington to work in our health department. The student is going to Nashoha Health where some of her other students have gone. Mr. Smith said he would like to do it but he doesn't see how he would have the time to work with the students at this time. After further discussion of miscellaneous topics the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 o.m. M. E. Smith The following permits were signed by the Board of Health at their regular meeting held on Dec. 12, 1933: Rubbish Disposal Sorrentino Trucking Co., Inc. Two Trucks P.O. Box 405 Lexington, Mass Mass. Disposal Service Corp., Two Trucks 109 Shade Street Lexington, Mass. Installers Permit Lawrence M. Carroll 753 Waltham Street Lexington, Mass. Mobile Food Server Richard C. Vitale 32 3rewster Rd. Waltham, Mass. Food Service Establishments Pewter Pot Restaurant 1710 Mass. Ave., Lexington Brigham's Inc. 34 Bedford Street, Lexington St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 17 Meriam Street, Lexington East Village Nursing Home 140 Emerson Rd., Lexington Pineknoll Nursing Home 30 Watertown St., Lexington Battle Green Inn (Vending) 1720 Mass. Ave.,Lexington Catch Penny Chalet 440 Bedford Street Goodies To Go, Inc. 1734 Mass. Ave., Lexington Arty's Restaurant 177 Mass. Ave.,Lexington Dana Home of Lexington 2027 Mass. Ave., Fairlawn Nursing Home 265 Lowell Street 405