Board of Health

CITY OF GARDNER OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH ROOM 29, CITY HALL GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS 01440 (978) 630-4013 FAX (978) 632-4682 To: Jennifer A. Susen-Roy, BA. - Health Director Dr. John Mulqueen, Chairperson Susan Avallone, Member Attorney Geoffrey Tobia, Member Minutes for the Board of Health special meeting held on Monday, January 31, 2017 __________________________________________________________________________________ 6:04 Meeting called to order 6:05 Bonnie Jarvela home owner of 32 Travers Street, Daniel Slovinskas, Bonnie’s brother, along with Roland Jean, from the building Dept. are present at this special meeting of the Board of Health. There have been a number of complaints regarding an excess amount of cats on the property as well as animal feces being burned inside the house. After a number of attempts to make contact with someone in the house, Lauren Saunders, Assistant Health Director met Animal Control at the property on Friday, January 27th 2017. At this time animal control and Lauren tried to make contact with the homeowner by knocking on the doors. The Gardner Police Department was contacted to do a wellness check after they saw that someone was in the house but not answering the door. The police were able to get Bonnie Jarvela to come to the garage. Lauren met Bonnie in the garage to talk with her, she asked if she could do an inspection of her home. The inspection revealed multiple violations of the State Sanitary code, main ones were no smoke, or carbon monoxide detectors. The egresses were obstructed by items and passageways were not in safe condition. There were bags of rotting food, trash and debris as well at household items filling the property’s basement, garages and habitable areas. There was animal feces and an extremely strong odor of cat urine in the home. Lauren also put in her report that there was a violation of the city nuisance code. Jennifer Susen-Roy, Director of Public Health for the city of Gardner reported that Roland Jean, from the building department, and the fire department, were assessing any code violations of their regulations that might be present in the home when Jennifer arrived. An ambulance transported Bonnie to the hospital to have her evaluated mentally and physically, she was released from the hospital later in the day. Animal Control was also there to remove the cats and dog. Jennifer said that even though Bonnie was in the home and needed some assistance, Bonnie tried very hard to take care of the animals by providing food and water for them. Jennifer spoke with the city solicitor, Attorney Flick and it was decided that Bonnie needed to leave the home because she had no fire protection or safe means of egress. Jennifer set up a room at the Super 8 Hotel for Bonnie to stay at until after a hearing with the Board of Health. Roland submitted a report to the board stating there was never a permit taken out for the wood stove that is in the middle of the kitchen. A permit needs to be pulled for the woodstove. Roland reported that there are no smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and this needs to be addressed. Dr. Mulqueen asked Bonnie and her brother if they had any questions. Bonnie wanted to know when she could move back home. This meeting is to determine whether the board has sufficient evidence to condemn the home or if the home can be brought to a standard where Bonnie can move back into it safely. Animal Control would determine about the dog returning. Recommendation of Attorney Flick, Jennifer and the building department would be that, Bonnie could move back into the home after she gets smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed. She needs to use the oil furnace and not the wood stove for heat. She would also need a working toilet. She needs to clean the means of egresses and clean up the bags of trash, the rotting food, as well as  the feces and dispose of all the litter boxes. There will be monthly inspections, if there is no progress in the 30 days, the city will move forward with hiring a company to clean the property and then the city would put a lien on the property for the cost of the cleanup. The board members asked Bonnie how she would be able to clear out some of the items that needed to be cleaned out. She said she could clean up and do whatever was needed. Jennifer said that the BOH could help her get rid of the trash once it is bagged. The board wanted to know how she would cook, Bonnie said that she uses the microwave to prepare her meals. Dr. Mulqueen asked Bonnie if it would be a problem if she did not use the woodstove for heat but used the furnace. Bonnie said she would be willing to heat without the woodstove. The board made a plan for Bonnie to stay at the Hotel until Monday so that Bonnie and her brother could get into the house over the weekend and install the detectors, install the toilet, and clean the home to the board’s specifications. A motion was made to allow Bonnie to occupy the home again as of Monday February 6th, 2017 provided that there is a working toilet installed, the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have been installed and inspected, all means of egresses have been cleared, the wood stove would not be used until it is properly permitted and inspected and lastly the condition being that there would be inspections at least every thirty days or more often if the board of health feels it necessary to make sure that conditions are being complied with. Susan would like to add that Bonnie be able to stay at the Super 8 Hotel until Monday February 6th, 2017. Motion passes 3-0. 7:00 Next meeting February 27, 2017 @ 5:00 pm. Meeting Adjourn. Recording proceedings were preserved and are available upon request. ________________________ _______________________ _________________________ Dr. John Mulqueen, Chairperson Susan Avallone, Member Atty. Geoffrey Tobia, Member All conversations are documented on recording identified as B.O.H January 31, 2017