Board of Health

BOH MEETING MINUTES 09-12-2022 Council Committee Room, 140 Main Street Jim Griffin, Chair Joseph Tennyson, MD, Vice-Chair Also in attendance: Director John Garside and Clerk Tina Nolin The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm. Reading and Approval of Minutes • Minutes from the August 15, 2022, meeting: Vice-Chair Tennyson motioned to approve and place the minutes on file; Chairman Griffin seconded the motion; the motion passed with a 2-0 vote. Director’s Update Bivalent booster clinics are starting this week on Wednesdays at City Hall Flu clinics will be starting in October at the Council on Aging/Senior Center. The Department will also conduct clinics at the city’s senior housing facilities located at 240 Main Street, 397 Bolton St., and Academy Knoll at 22 Broad Street. Test Kits Approximately 10,000 more rapid test kits coming to the city from DPH in October that we will be distributing to the community through various city offices. Bathing Beach Water Quality- All public and semi-public bathing beaches located on Fort Meadow Pond had weekly water quality sampling conducted during the period from Memorial Day through Labor Day. E-coli is used as the indicator organism and no beaches required closure due to bacterial exceedances or due to Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria). In addition, our college summer intern, Douglas Wydom, worked on generating signage explaining what Cyanobacteria is and what it looks like. The signs will be posted at all of our beaches. Sewer Connection Update Director Garside stated (1) that in June, 194 letters were sent to local attorneys, realtors, and septic installers advising them of the sewer ordinance amendment; (2) three variances have been granted administratively allowing them each an additional 6 months after property transferring ownership to connect to the public sewer; and (3) Red Spring Road Homeowners Association (RSRHA) should have requested a variance to the sewer ordinance when they purchased the property in December 2021 as the sewer runs through this 51-acre property. Director Garside went on to state that the RSRHA have designed sewer connection plans and has been soliciting quotes for the installation of a low- pressure sewer line to be installed, they have also filed with the conservation commission to perform this work. After discussion, the Board agreed that there should have been a request for variance relief if the property was not connected to sewer prior to the purchase. Additionally, to be consistent with  September 12, 2022, meeting minutes –page 2 the interpretation and application of the ordinance, the Board was in agreement that the RSRHA should appear before it to request variance relief. Director Garside will reach out to the RSRHA to remind them of their obligation to appear before the Board seeking variance relief. Scheduling of Next Meeting The Board’s next monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, October 11th, at 6:30 pm. ADJOURN Vice-Chairman Tennyson motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:17 pm; Chairman Griffin seconded the motion. The motion passed with a 2-0 vote. Respectfully submitted, 10/11/2022 James Griffin Dated