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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-03-29 Board of Health Minutes North Andover Board of Health Meeting Minutes Thursday, March 2 , 201.2 :00 p.m. 120 Main Street, 2"d Floor Selectmen's Meeting Room North Andover, MA 01845 I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. IL PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE III. PUBLIC HEARINGS IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES November 17,2011 Meeting Minutes and December 15,2011 and February 28,2012 Meeting Minutes to be presented for signature(notation—January 26, 2012 ineeting was cancelled) Dr. Trowbridge made a motion to approve the meeting minutes from November 17,2011,seconded by Mr. Fixler. Mr. Fixler made a motion to approve the minutes from December 15,2011, seconded by Mr. McCarthy. Mr. Fixler made a motion to approve the meeting minutes from February 28,2012,seconded by Mr. McCarthy. The meeting minutes were approved by all and signed by Larry Fixler, Clerk of the Board. V. OLD BUSINESS A. Proposal to Ban the sale of Tobacco Products at Pharmacies— Louis Fazen,MD,MPH,Chairman,BOH, Southborough Chairman,Public Health Committee of the Massachusetts Medical Society is present to represent the Massachusetts Municipal Committee on Public Health Dr.MacMillan stated that he started thinking about the issue of selling tobacco products in pharmacies about 6 months ago when the topic was addressed through the Massachusetts Medical Society. It became evident that most users of tobacco products begin using at a young age. A significant population starts using tobacco in middle school and access is easy. There are establishments that sell tobacco which is not in line with the type of business that they operate. Pharmacies dispense medication and medical advice, and many feel that it is a contradiction to sell tobacco, a known carcinogen,within the same establishment. By definition,a pharmacy exists to provide medicinal drugs for treating or preventing disease and other damage to the body and mind. Dr. Fazen spoke and stated that he is a pediatrician. He quoted from the New England Journal of Medicine. He noted that tobacco is the main cause of preventable diseases. Why pharmacies? Families go to pharmacies to get relief from illness. There is a program in Massachusetts that pharmacists want to ban tobacco. Why now? It has been a long time coming,but since the 1998 tobacco settlement,Massachusetts receives tobacco money,but a portion of that goes into anti- tobacco programs. The rates of smoking in young adults is going back up again. There are many types of March 29,2012 North Andover Board of Health Meeting-Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4 Note: The Board of Health reserves the right to take items out of order and to discuss and/or vote on items that are not listed on the agenda. Board of Health Members: Thomas Trowbridge,DDS,MD,Chairman;Larry Fixler,Member/Clerk;Francis P.MacMillan,Jr., M.D.;Joseph McCarthy,Member; Edwin Pease,Member Health Department Staff:Susan Sawyer,Health Director; Debra Rillahan,Public Health Nurse;Michele Grant,Public Health Inspector;Pamela DelleChiaie,Health Department Assistant tobacco products, including the availability of spitless tobacco. Throughout Massachusetts,all Boards of Health need to think about their role in preventing access to tobacco. Mr.Fixler asked how kids below the age of 18 are getting cigarettes. The big store chains segregate the tobacco products to minors. Dr.MacMillan noted that many of the independent pharmacies have voluntarily stopped selling tobacco products. Discussion ensued. All of the BOH members discussed their opinions and thoughts on the issue of restricting the sale of tobacco in Pharmacies. Dr. Trowbridge noted that there is no"safe level"of smoking as opposed to ingesting sugar products, alcohol, etc. Children are exposed the normalization of pharmacies selling tobacco products. One cigarette is a risk,and there is a 1/3 chance of becoming addicted. Springfield Massachusetts enacted a tobacco restriction regulation just this week. The focus of this is to stop underage smoking. Children are less likely to go to a gas station to acquire cigarettes vs. a pharmacy. Dr.Fazen states that the Tobacco Free Pharmacy campaign is a grassroots program by town,as the state does not have a strong anti tobacco program at this time due to deficit problems, and is not doing their part. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. In Massachusetts alone,tobacco kills 11,000 persons each year, costs the state 1.5 billion dollars annually in health care and lost wages from premature death and disability from smoking related diseas, and is more than the number of deaths due to AIDS, drug abuse,motor vehicle accidents,homicide, suicide and alcohol deaths combined. Pharmacists, being the most accessible health care professionals,have a tremendous opportunity to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with tobacco use. The Massachusetts Pharmacists Association, supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health-Tobacco Control Program is urging Massachusetts Pharmacists to participate in the Tobacco- Free Pharmacy Campaign by achieving five different levels of awareness. Pharmacists and pharmacies reaching each level will be recognized in the Massachusetts Pharmacy Journal. Level 1: Provide tobacco cessation support, counseling, information and referrals to patients. Level 2: Decrease the open availability of tobacco and tobacco-related products. Level 3: Remove tobacco product advertising from the pharmacy. Level 4: Designate the pharmacy as a tobacco-free zone. Level 5: Become a Tobacco-Free Pharmacy Pharmacies who succeed in becoming"tobacco-free"will be provided with a Tobacco-Free public relations kit to aid in promoting this accomplishment to their patents and local communities. The purpose of this campaign is to provide tobacco cessation counseling and support to patents. Through this program,pharmacists can help to decrease the risk of cancer,heart disease,stroke,and chronic lung disease in the citizens of Massachusetts. No action was taken in this matter. Deliberation will continue at the next meeting. March 29,2012 North Andover Board of Health Meeting—Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 Note: The Board of Health reserves the right to take items out of order and to discuss and/or vote on items that are not listed on the agenda. Board of Health Members: Thomas Trowbridge,DDS,MD,Chairman;Larry Fixler,Member/Clerk;Francis P.MacMillan,Jr., M.D.;Joseph McCarthy,Member; Edwin Pease,Member Health Department Staff:Susan Sawyer,Health Director; Debra Rillahan,Public Health Nurse;Michele Grant,Public Health Inspector;Pamela DelleChiaie,Health Department Assistant VI. NEW BUSINESS A. 730 Winter Street—Request from George Zambouras,P.E. of Atlantic Engineering& Survey Consultants, Inc. of Georgetown,MA to: I. Reduce the setback of the SAS from the Wetland resource area from 100' to 53' (NA 3.9) 2. Reduce the setback of the septic tank from the Wetland resource area from 75'to 50'NA 3.9) Bob Lynch was the representative from Atlantic Engineering. Mr.Lynch stated that 730 Winter Street is an existing 4-bedroom house. The septic system has failed due to the water level. Soil testing was done,and good soil was found where the existing system is. There was ledge and large glacial rocks that don't allow testing in the other areas. The property is also parallel to wetlands on the left hand side and they opted not to go there because there are a lot of woods. Mr. Lynch stated that they could go up the hill with a pump system,or put in a gravity system. A typical system is pipes and stone. The effluent runs into the bottom of the system and creates a biomat which breaks down the bacteria in it. The Presby system is a 12 inch pipe, 10 inches on the inside. On the outside,there is a fiber mesh that harbors bacteria on it. There is a"lagoon"in the middle,which receives oxygen and breaks bacteria treated waste which then flows out to the fibrous area on the outside of the filter fabric that also keeps soil and sand from infiltrating back into the system. This system is vented with the candy cane pipe that one frequently sees embedded in the ground for properties with this type of septic system. This vent allows air in so that the system can receive appropriateoxygen,which allows the bacteria to break down the waste. The Presby system has an advantage of 40%less space. This allows a smaller footprint for the septic system and a more efficient bacterialized system. The sand around it is concrete sand which is cracked rock, a very sharp sand. The concrete sand has more surface on it, locks together differently,and allows more surface area. The type of system installed is primarily the engineer's choice. In New Hampshire,it was noted that most septic systems are the Presby system. The cost is similar to standard system,perhaps slightly more. Motion: Dr. MacMillan made a motion to approve the requested waivers as follows: 3.Allow a reduction in septic tank wetlands separation from 75' to 50' (BOH Regulation 3.9- Tablel)as allowed by local upgrade approval; 4. Allow reduction in soil absorption area—wetlands separation from 100' to 53'(BOH Regulation 3.9-Table 1)as allowed by local upgrade approval. The motion was seconded by Mr. Fixler and approved by vote. B. 491 Salem Street—Local Variance Requests from Bill Dufresne of Merrimack Engineering 1. Distance from S.A.S.to wetland from 10'to 60' 2. Distance from septic tank to wetland from 75' to 58' 3. Distance from pump tank to wetland from 75'to 67' Local Upgrade Approval Vertical offset from S.A.S.to E.W.W.T. from 4'to 3' Ms. Sawyer explained that the system,as designed,proposes a setback of 60 ft from the S.A.S.to a wetland where 100 ft. is required and 58 ft. from the septic tank to a wetland where 75 ft. is required. They are not able to put the system in the front,as there is a ditch that holds water in March 29,2012 North Andover Board of Health Meeting-Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 Note: The Board of Health reserves the right to take items out of order and to discuss and/or vote on items that are not listed on the agenda. Board of Health Members: Thomas Trowbridge,DDS,MD,Chairman;Larry Fixler,Member/Clerk;Francis P.MacMillan,Jr., M.D.;Joseph McCarthy,Member; Edwin Pease,Member Health Department Staff:Susan Sawyer,Health Director; Debra Rillahan,Public Health Nurse;Michele Grant,Public Health Inspector;Pamela DelleChiaie,Health Department Assistant front of the property. This area does not have access to sewer. This has a pump that puts out 40- 60 gallons of water per day to saturate the system. Motion: Dr. MacMillan made a motion to Local Variance Requests I. Allow the Distance from S.A.S.to wetland from 10' to 60' 2. Allow the Distance fi•om septic tank to wetland from 75' to 58' 3. Allow the Distance fi•om pump tank to wetland from 75' to 67' Local Upgrade Approval 1. Allow the Vertical offset from S.A.S,to E.W.W.T. from 4'to 3' The motion was seconded by Mr.McCarthy and approved by vote. VII. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS,AND DISCUSSION Dr.MacMillan made an announcement that March is colon cancer awareness month. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in the US,just behind lung cancer. Dr. MacMillan urged the public to get a colonoscopy starting at age 50. Getting the procedure done can reduce cancer rates by over 50 percent. A colonoscopy is a 15 minute procedure.It is painless and the patient is fully sedated and very safe. Dr. Macmillan encouraged everyone to see their primary care physician to arrange an exam. VIII. CORRESPONDENCE/NEWSLETTERS IX. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Prepared by: Pamela DelleChiaie, Health Dept. Assistant Reviewed by: All Board of Health Members&Susan Sawyer, Health Director Signed by: a. �� w�, 1�� �,,. Ar it 26, 2012 Larry Pkt er, Clerk of the Boar Date Signed March 29,2012 North Andover Board of Health Meeting—Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4 Note: The Board of Health reserves the right to take items out of order and to discuss and/or vote on items that are not listed on the agenda. Board of Health Members: Thomas Trowbridge,DDS,MD,Chairman;Larry Fixler,Member/Clerk;Francis P.MacMillan,Jr., M.D.;Joseph McCarthy,Member; Edwin Pease,Member Health Department Staff:Susan Sawyer,Health Director; Debra Rillahan,Public Health Nurse;Michele Grant,Public Health Inspector;Pamela DelleChiaie,Health Department Assistant