Board of Health

CITY OF GARDNER OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH 95 PLEASANT ST, ROOM 29 GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS 01440 Members Present: Lauren Saunders – Health Director Susan Avallone, RN – Chairperson Michele Parker, MD – Member Not Present: Geoff Tobia, Esq. - Member Minutes for Board of Health meeting held Monday October 25, 2021 ________________________________________________________________________________ 4:40 Meeting called to order. 4:41 Minutes from the September 25, 2021 Board of Health meeting were reviewed, discussed and approved pending a few suggested revisions. 4:46 Old Business: AED Foundation - Alyssa’s Place in Gardner approached the Health Director with a request to receive Naloxone in bulk through a partnership with the city. Since the last meeting, Lauren has discussed this with the mayor, and she still needs to talk to the City Solicitor before moving forward. MHOA Conference - Lauren, Rick and Sue attended the Massachusetts Health Officers Alliance annual conference in Falmouth last week. They attended a session on Tattoo Regulations and specifically micropigmentation; many other communities do not have tattoo regulations including micropigmentation yet. The regulations that the Gardner Board of Health adopted last year are very thorough especially in outlining an apprentice program. Health Department Permitting & Alcohol Commission Licensing – renewal for all annual permits is currently under way. COVID – The Gardner 2-week positivity rate is 5.06%, which is on a downward trend. The Health Department office has increased social media posts and developed a mailer going out to all postal customers in Gardner. CHC Mobile Vaccine Unit will be doing COVID booster shot clinic for Gardner Housing Authority on various dates. They will be at the High Rise on 10/26/21, Hillside Gardens on Blanchard St on 11/9/21, and at City Hall on 11/16/21 for a community clinic. Heywood - Wakefield apartments already had another state entity complete their boosters. The Gardner Senior Center is having a flu & COVID booster clinic on 11/17/21. There is a call on 10/27/21 with MPHN to discuss if there is a need to stand up booster clinics in this area. Price Chopper, CVS, Walgreens and many area pharmacies are currently offering COVID booster shots. Prevention Coordinator’s Update – There was a Domestic Violence Proclamation Event at City Hall on 10/4/21 which was well attended and had some media attention. There was a prevention conference held in partnership with Recovery Centers of America, CHANA, GAAMAH, and Bannon Recovery Center on 10/29/21. Slaine was the keynote speaker, there were 73 attendees plus the panel which participated in this remote-zoom event.  The ‘Game Changers’ program is an 8-week workshop which will be held on campus at the High School and at the MWCC. In the Middle School, the Prevention Coordinator is doing an ‘Escape the Vape’ program about the hazards of vaping. She is also doing a Training Active Bystanders program at the Middle School, High School and the college. 4:55 New Business: There was a Department of Environmental Protection inspection at the Transfer Station last week. There are some issues that need to be addressed; there is some washout and areas that need better drainage. Rick & Lauren are meeting an engineer tomorrow morning to review issues. The Transfer Station Supervisor is retiring. We will be posting the position. 5:02 Next meeting set Monday November 22, 2021 at 4:30 pm, Adjourn. (ABSENT) _________________________ __ ___________________________ ___________________________ Susan Avallone RN, Chair Person Atty. Geoffrey Tobia, Member Michele C. Parker MD, Member All conversations are documented on recordings identified as B.O.H September 27, 2021 Meeting