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 Members Present: Lauren Saunders – Assistant Health Director John Mulqueen, MD - Chairperson Susan Avallone, RN - Member Atty. Geoffrey Tobia - Member In Attendance: Johnny Valencia Eugene Guerra, Main Street Tattoo Minutes for Board of Health meeting held on Monday, June 17, 2019 ________________________________________________________________________________ 5:09 Meeting called to order. 5:12 Minutes from the April 24, 2019 and May 13, 2019 meetings were reviewed, discussed, approved. 5:08 Johnny Valencia came to request a variance for a Tattoo License. When asked to talk about his experience, he stated he started in 2005 at Main Street Tattoo under a previous owner. He left in 2007 and did tattooing on his own intermittently. About 3 years ago he went back to Main Street Tattoo. He stated that he had come into the Board of Health office about 5 months ago to inquire about getting licensed but was told by the previous Director he could not get a license because he had not completed an apprentice program. He has all required certifications including Blood Born Pathogen, Skin Anatomy, First Aid, and CPR. He is up-to-date on tetanus, has had the first 2 Hepatitis B vaccines, and will complete the series with the 3rd dose when due. He is current on his tuberculosis test and had a written statement from the Community Health Center that he is in good health and has no work restrictions. He stated that he knows how to sterilize equipment. He presented a portfolio of his work and discussed his the number of tattoos he had performed. To his knowledge there have never been any adverse health outcomes related to his work. There is a discussion about steps involved with apprentice programs. It is suggested that a variance could have similar steps as was done previously for Jimmy Buccharoni. The Board agrees that there needs to be consistency. Eugene was asked if he would be willing to oversee Johnny and he is willing to do so. The Board decided they will need to discuss potential guidelines in more detail separate from this conversation with Johnny. They would also like to review what Fitchburg or Leominster require for granting variances. They asked Johnny to come back for the July meeting and they will have a decision then. The Board also asked that both Eugene and Johnny submit written, notarized statements for the next meeting. Johnny & Eugene leave. The Board discussed that they are concerned that he has been tattooing without a license, and that he was doing it at one time in his home. They discuss getting guidance from Fitchburg or other towns and that throughout MPHN there should be more consistency. They discuss the tattoo regulations and the fines that can be imposed. They agree to review the tattoo regulations further. 6:10 Old Business: Lauren contacted John Flick, the City Solicitor, and confirmed that she can have someone from a Montachusett Public Health Network city or town accompany her on septic inspections as we are already contracted with MPHN. She will do this until she completes her certification. 6:16 New Business: Lauren witnessed her first perc with a licensed Soil Evaluator and she has reviewed those septic plans with him, construction has started on that system. Boston Hides & Furs went before Zoning Board of Appeals to request a variance for a proposed facility on South Main Street. John Flick informed Boston Hides & Furs that they would need to go before the Board of Health first. John Flick also had Lauren check with the BOH in Chelsea, MA where they previously operated to see if there had been any issues with the business. They had many odor complaints and were cited for odor and standing water. There was much public concern expressed by residents in Gardner on social media, however, Boston Hides & Furs had recently pulled their application. All of the pools in the City have been inspected and have opened. Kendall Pond water testing has started and has been clear for E. coli. All of the City’s school cafeteria inspections have been completed. The Food Truck Festival occurred on June 8th, Lauren inspected all 20 trucks. Square Two will be having Small Business Saturday downtown on June 29th, Lauren will inspect the food vendors. Lauren joined the Prevention Planning Committee for GCAT’s 3rd Annual Prevention Conference in October. The state released a report stating for the first quarter that Gardner had a significant increase in opioid overdose deaths, these numbers can be attributed to having a hospital in the city. Lauren reached out to Keith Barnaby from AIDS Project Worcester and they met. There will be an open house at Alyssa’s Place with GCAT on July 9, 2019. The first segment on Gardner Community Access TV will be with Irene Congdon, the Mass DEP Central MA Municipal Assistance Coordinator, and she will be discussing changes in recycling on 8/7/19. Lauren spoke at the North Worcester County Landlords Association meeting recently, recycling was a concern now that more items are not able to be recycled. International Overdose Awareness Night is 8/28/19 with a service at the First Congregational Church and then a walk to Monument Park. Housing and grass complaints have increased for the summer season. Monthly tick and mosquito reports are available on the DPH website. Lauren has reviewed the State Food Code, CBD oil is not permitted to be sold in edibles. Oils and topical creams are okay. Hemp seed, hemp seed protein, and hemp oil can be in food. Lauren will be conducting inspections for this when we have a full staff. There are 21 applications for the Director of Public Health position. 6 Candidates have been chosen for interviews which will be held during the second week of July. Dr. Mulqueen will provide the other Board Members with the resumes prior to that time. 6:22 Set next meeting for July 29, 2019, at 5pm, adjourn. ________________________ _______________________ _________________________ Dr. John Mulqueen MD, Chairperson Susan Avallone, Member Atty. Geoffrey Tobia, Member All conversations are documented on recording identified as B.O.H June 17, 2019.