Lincoln Board of Health
Meeting Minutes
October 1, 2008
PRESENT: Frederick Mansfield, M.D., Chairman
Arnold Weinberg, M.D.
Diane Haessler, R.N.
Brent Reagor, Public Health Agent
Elaine Carroll, Secretary
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The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. The minutes from the Sept. 3, 2008 meeting were approved as written. The next scheduled meeting will be November 5, 2008.
Informal Discussion:
Town Nurse Study Task Force – Joanna Hopkins, Peggy Schmertzler and Maureen Richichi, School Nurse, came before the members to report on the findings of the Town Nurse Study Task Force. The task force was approved by the Selectmen pursuant to Article 34 and passed at Town Meeting in March, 2008. They started in April by creating a survey of Town health needs. Since they had no funds to work with, the surveys were distributed as an insert to the June COA bulletin and at boxes in the Town Offices, Library and Bemis Hall. Their proposal for expanded public health functions is based in part on the 154 survey responses (2.8% of Lincoln’s population). The task force would like guidance and support from the Board of Health. They will be meeting with the Selectmen next Monday.
They said that Tim Higgins was enthusiastic and felt that the Town would support this. The Town nurse would deal mostly with the elderly who are most at risk and tend to fall through the cracks. The COA has a full time social worker who is very good and would work with the nurse. Karen Santucci said that a nurse has to do home care assessments and check up on chronic issues, which are not all covered by Emerson Home Care and get people to programs, etc. Maureen Richichi said that she is not able to leave the school without getting a substitute nurse so she can’t make well visits to anyone. The Town nurse could also do the Town communicable disease reports, which are time consuming for Maureen to coordinate. The members reviewed a list of comparative towns with 10-12 hours a week as a pilot project. Since the focus would be needed more with elderly, the members felt that the best place for the nurse to be located would be at the
COA office. The yearly cost would be about $20,000 and they would coordinate the nurse duties with a home care agency like Parmenter on a year by year contract. Joanna Hopkins asked for the Board’s support in going forward with this project with the knowledge that it would be housed at the COA. They will be presenting the study to the Selectmen and then it would go to the Town Meeting in March for Town approval. Dr. Weinberg said that he would like to read over the material and if he had any questions he would call Peggy Schmertzler but that he supports going with an agency. The members voted unanimously to support the project as a liaison for home bound elders and communicable disease reports and would want to assess the needs after the initial start-up, which would begin in July of 2009 and may take 18 to 24 months to get fully started. Herbert Tannert spoke to the members about his experiences with medical problems and how a Town nurse
could have certainly benefited him.
Public Hearing:
Lincoln Mall Restaurant – Geoff McGean, Rural Land Foundation, Ed Nardi, Architect, Sam & Erica Cannarozzi, restaurant operators, and Carol Kendrick, Jackson Associates, came before the members to determine whether or not the proposed construction of a kitchen in the basement complies with 1999 FDA Food Codes and in response to a letter from Stan Sosnicki addressing 16 discrepancy items. Brent Reagor said this letter was sent based on the original plans submitted in the beginning of September, which included the finish floor elevation being set at 3’ below seasonal high groundwater and the need for a sump pump and a sewage ejector pump. In Stan’s judgment these discrepancies presented a potential threat of flooding with groundwater or raw sewage if the pumps should fail. Mr. Nardi
presented a notebook to the members addressing each of the 16 discrepancy items and tried to answer all concerns. They also presented a more detailed plan of the kitchen area. Mr. Nardi said that they had taken many precautions with waterproofing and sump pump backup systems costing over $100,000 to try to insure that the basement would not flood including a 48 hour battery backup system for the sump pumps. It was important to try to insure that the basement did not flood because the boiler system and mechanical equipment are in the basement for the entire building. The food will need to be transported by waiters from the basement kitchen to the upstairs dining area. Dr. Weinberg asked if they could have done something about getting the basement out of the high water table but Mr. Nardi said that this would mean seeing too much of the foundation and also a problem with ADA requirements for handicapped ramps. Brent Reagor said that there is
nothing in the food code that says you cannot have a kitchen in the basement and that the type of information supplied in the meeting was what the Board of Health needed. Brent also suggested that a berm be installed which will give them more protection in case of problems and the installation of a ramp for the berm. Diane Haessler asked what would happen if the electricity went off for more than 48 hours and Mr. Nardi said that they would call in a backup generator in case of an emergency. Dr. Mansfield made a motion that the Board approve the use of the kitchen in the basement with the installation of a berm and the approval of Stan Sosnicki of the new plan. The motion was seconded by Diane Haessler and approved unanimously. The packet will go back to Stan Sosnicki and he will review it and will get back to the owners with any comments.
Other Business:
Flu Clinic – The annual flu clinic for the Council on Aging will be held on Saturday, November 15 at Bemis Hall from 9-11.
36 Beaver Pond Road – The members reviewed the latest revisions to the 4 bedroom deed restriction for 36 Beaver Pond Road. Because of a fire to the main house, it was discovered that the gym/pool had been illegally hooked up to the septic system and Mr. Binder will need to sign and record the deed restriction so that the structure can be made legal. After a brief discussion, a motion was made to accept the deed restriction as amended. The motion approved unanimously.
West Nile Virus – Dr. Weinberg said that there have been no human cases in Massachusetts of West Nile virus. The State is no longer testing birds since they are aware that there are infected mosquitoes in the surrounding area.
Bills Paid – Two bills were paid – Town of Lexington for August 16 Hazardous Waste Collection in the amount of $644.90 and Moore Medical for medical supplies for the flu clinic in the amount of $211.71.
Communicable Disease Reports – The members reviewed the latest communicable disease reports for September.
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There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elaine M. Carroll
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