Lincoln Board of Health
Meeting Minutes
April 4, 2007
PRESENT: Frederick Mansfield, M.D., Chairman
Arnold Weinberg, M.D.
Diane Haessler, R.N.
Michael Moore, Agent
Elaine Carroll, Secretary
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The minutes from the March 7, 2007 meeting were approved as written. The next two meetings are scheduled for May 2 and June 6.
Septic System Review:
140 Concord Road According to the system inspection report for this property dated 1/22/07, the existing septic system on this property is in failure. The report states that the system has three 40-foot leaching trenches, and notes that two of the three trenches are overloaded or clogged. The house was sold with the condition that the sellers provide the buyers with an approved septic system design. Bill Murphy designed a replacement system that met the needs of the buyer, but required two variances from the Board s local regulation. The plans were not filed in time to place the request on the Feb. 7 agenda, so Bill designed a second septic system that could be approved without variances (design A). This meant that the house could be sold because the seller met the conditions of
having an approved septic system design. Design B depicts the system that the current owners would prefer. Instead of 5 leaching trenches, the system has a leaching bed with only 6 inches of stone beneath the distribution pipes. This design change lowers the leaching mound by 4 inches and eliminates the need for a pump chamber. The petitioner is asking the Board to grant two variances from its local regulations:
(1) To construct a leaching facility with 6 inches of base aggregate below the distribution pipes, instead of 12 inches as required by local amendment to 310 CMR 15.247(3).
(2) To construct a leaching bed or field, which is prohibited by local amendment to 310 CMR 15.252(1).
After a brief discussion with Bill Murphy, Septic Designer, a motion was made to grant the variances as requested. The motion passed 3-0.
Informal Discussion:
Dr. Craig Donaldson came before the board as a member of a sub-committee of the Long Range Planning Committee to talk to the Board about any health issues the members may be dealing with in the next 5, 10 or 25 year intervals. He asked what the members felt were: (1) the 3 to 5 most critical issues facing the Board of Health; (2) critical needs you must plan to meet and (3) key assumptions upon which your plans will rely. Dr. Weinberg said that one of the problems facing the Town was the increasing deer population, which destroys vegetation and also helps to spread Lyme disease through deer ticks and the problems of trying to control the deer population. Another concern was the mosquito population and the spread of West Nile Virus or EEE. The Town does participate in the East Middlesex Mosquito
Control. Dr. Donaldson was told that due to budget constraints, the Town does not pay to transport animals to the State lab for rabies testing. It is up to the individual requesting the testing to pay for this service. Dr. Donaldson asked if the Board gets involved in pandemic and bio-terrorist issues and was told that members and staff have attended the LEPC meetings held at the Public Safety Building. They discussed the extensive plans proposed for Lincoln Mall and any septic issues, which might arise. Mike Moore presented a map that showed the relative difficulty of replacing a septic system in different parts of Lincoln, which took into account wetlands and Zone 2 areas. Mike Moore said that this was the 10th year that he has been working for the Lincoln Board of Health and that his staff spends about 9% of their time working for Lincoln.
Other Business:
39 North Great Road Nancy Nelson has formally requested to be put on the agenda for the June 6 meeting, although in her letter she had the date as June 5.
Lincoln Ridge Mike said that the septic system is in the ground and has been approved. The Association is still trying to be reimbursed from the engineering firm.
State Reports The members reviewed the reportable disease reports for this month.
Bills Paid Three bills were paid this month: Community Newspaper Company for a legal notice in the amount of $43.30, Commonwealth of Mass. for East Middlesex Mosquito Control in the amount of $2,500.00, and Eliot Community Human Services in the amount of $1,250.00.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elaine M. Carroll
| 
