Board of Health Meeting - 5/9/23 - OBSERVER REPORT

BOARD OF HEALTH - 5-9-23 - Hybrid

Meeting Recorded

LWVM Observer: Tom Krueger

Members in Attendance: Andrew Petty, Todd Belf-Becker, Joanne Miller, Helaine Hazlett

1.Transfer Station Update

On 5/4 Mr. Petty, Dana Weaver (architect), and Ray Quinn, site tech, presented to MA DEP asking for a modification of the residential site permit. The transfer station is considered a small handling facility, which can process up to 15,000 tons per year, 2 trailers a day. The transfer station takes all the residential curb size trash, residents with stickers who bring additional trash, and those who “weigh and pay” with municipal solid waste, some construction waste, etc.  They were looking for permission to do dedicated loads of construction demolition material once or twice a week. So, this would be pulling a trailer off, put an empty trailer on, and do dedicated construction/demolition material. This would all go “across the scale” and working with waste management to move this material (using CWT for hauling), not part of the existing contract.  This would begin only after all the construction of the transfer station was completed. DEP was open to this idea.   Last year the TS did about 12,500 tons (7500 was residential and 5000 was commercial), leaving 2,500 tons that could be used for construction and demolition waste. This would permit the use of two additional trailers of up to 50 tons per week for these materials. This material would be subject to the “weigh and pay” process and would be limited to MHD residents, account holders, and active building permits.  The use of these trailers would not be subject to a truck size limit. (This solution was suggested and worked on by one MHD local contractor.)

DEP will require an operations and maintenance plan and a waste compliance plan. DEP will issue an updated operations approval which can be renewed through transfer Station certification.  The town will submit this by the end of June. After receiving such an application DEP takes up to 90 days to approve.  They want to expedite this so that bidding might begin in mid-September.  Now that this is done it gives the architect the ability to move forward and put a schedule together for design, etc., which should be available in the near future. The Planning and Zoning Board approvals come only after the work schedule is available. 

Other updates include - A) the compactor that will have to be custom built and takes about 30 weeks to deliver is coming in under budget.  The timing of the compactor will be able to jive with the construction project, e.g., repair the shoot. B) the access road gate will be done by the end of June and will be automated so that it can be opened with a remote control.  Each truck will have one.  The bid came in at $20,600. This should be less of a problem for the residents of Arnolds Terrace.  Later this access will be open to residents after a presentation to the Planning Board C) when the access road is open, an employee will be stationed there so that he/she can check stickers, help with unloading items, e.g., an air conditioner, etc. At the same time more of the transactions will be moved online - e.g., pay and print out a sticker and attach it to the item before drop off. 

On a separate topic, there is a need to look at cost of handling “white goods”, etc., to keep in line with what other towns are charging. 

2.Mental Health Task Force Update: Ms. Miller discussed the work of the MHTF. 

-   A meeting scheduled for 5/8 had to be postponed for lack of a quorum and was rescheduled for the next week.  The MHTF had a booth at the Health Kids Day at the YMCA and there was a great turnout. MHTF is hoping to have an activity at the Farmers Market  

• Gina Hart was to share updates on the YBS survey (a youth risk survey) with data collected at the high school that would be helpful to the group. 
• A discussion initially about adding members to the group ensued to bring more perspectives, expertise, etc.  The task force now has subcommittees, a monthly column in the newspaper. Questions about the size, who approves the member, length of term involvement, etc. were all discussed. 

3. Director’s Report

a) There was a tobacco violation which occurred on 3/16 and 4/18 at Marblehead Village Market, which is their third violation and results in a $5000 fine and a 30-day suspension. The market can choose when it starts. 

b) Narcan rescue kits are available at HD which are available to the public and the nurse can go over their use. 

c) Diaper drive was very successful - 1753 diapers and 16 boxes of wipes which will go to local resources, food pantries, etc. 

d) Beach water sampling to begin soon, which is usually the first or second week in June and will run through Labor Day. 

e) Camp inspections will start soon, and applications are being reviewed. Once camps start the public health nurse and inspector will go to the camps. 

f) Still have COVID test kits, just received more from the state. These expire in Sept. 

g) At Town Meeting, a vote was made for operation manuals for town departments and boards.  The state of Massachusetts puts out a legal handbook for health departments, which is very detailed and complete. This would be the BOH operations manual.  Each member is provided with a manual. 

h) Leave collection - will occur on trash collection day; during the week of 5/15 and 6/5; grass and leaves only; must be in leaf bags.

4.Public Comment – none