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Home My WebLink About2025-09-25 Board of Health Minutes ,4ppr m1ed1 aece4n,6e4-za,202- Town of Noah Andover Board of Health Dr. Patrick Scanlon Chair & t��I%%�%�'�i'• Michelle Davis RN Town Physician Jennifer Abou-Ezzi, RN Jennifer Moore, RN, Clerk Bral Spight MEETING MINUTES Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 7.00 p.m. Town Hall, 120 Main Street,North Andover,MA 01845 Members Present: Dr. Patrick Scanlon, Jennifer Moore, Michelle Davis, Jennifer Abou-Ezzi, and Bral Spight Members Absent: None Staff Members Present: Brian LaGrasse, Craig DeCosta, and Carolyn Lam 1. CALL TO ORDER- The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES Motion made by J. Abou-Ezzi to approve the May 22, 2025 minutes. Seconded by B. Spight. The vote to approve is unanimous, MOTION APPROVED. 4. NEW BUSINESS Request of Weights and Measures Inspector to increase fees charged by Town of North Andover and wages received. The Weights and Measures Inspector, Leonard Rose, recommended increasing the W&M fees. Mr. LaGrasse noted that fees had not been increased in about 20 years. North Andover(NA) has the second-highest number of devices but pays at the lowest end of the pay scale.NA currently collects approximately $7,000 in fees. Raising the fees would align NA with North Reading, generating an estimated $12,875 in fees, assuming no additional scales are acquired. If approved,the fee increase would take effect on July 1, 2026, for Fiscal Year 2027. The Board deemed the increase reasonable. Motion made by B. Spight to accept the fee increase table as presented. Seconded by M. Davis. The vote to approve is unanimous, MOTION APPROVED. 826 Osgood Street Housing Condemnation The house is currently vacant, so a public hearing was not required. The Board of Health (BOH) does not want the occupant to return to the house, as she is currently hospitalized. The Power of Attorney (POA) contacted Mr. LaGrasse to inquire if the house could be salvaged, and they planned to contact ServePro for a cost estimate. The occupant, however, checked herself out of rehab and took a cab back to the house. Unable to enter, she called the fire department. Police were enroute for a wellness check initiated by Whittier. Following inspections by the BOH and Building Commissioner, the house was condemned. There was an infestation of mice, the wires inside the walls had been eaten, leading to the power being cut off. The POA is now attempting to find alternative placement for the occupant. The pets have been surrendered to Animal Control. Consideration is being given to selling the house "as-is" on the market. A public hearing would only be necessary if the house were occupied and the occupants needed to be removed. 5. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS,AND DISCUSSION North Andover Food Regulations Draft Discussion Mr. LaGrasse has been working on the draft regulations and is focused on incorporating a risk-based inspection program which will help meet FDA Standards 1 and 3. Inspection frequency will be determined by the establishment's risk level, as per FDA recommendations: o Level 1 (Low Risk): Prepackaged convenience stores, inspected once a year. o Level 2 (Moderate Risk): Retail food operations and some schools with limited food preparation. o Level 3 (High Risk): Full-service restaurants. o Level 4 (Highly Susceptible Populations/Specialized Processes): Nursing homes, daycares, or operations with specialized food processes. Food Storage: During specific seasons, refrigerated trucks will be required for additional food storage. ServeSafe Food Manager: A certified ServeSafe food manager must be present on-site at all times during operating hours. The possibility of offering scholarships for this course due to hardship was raised by Ms. Davis and confirmed as feasible by Mr. LaGrasse. CBD and THC Additives in Food: o Currently, only FDA-approved food additives are permitted. o Mr. LaGrasse suggests adding local regulations to either completely ban CBD/THC in food or restrict it to certain operations and requests the Board's feedback. o Dr. Scanlon inquired about state-level oversight by the Marijuana Commission. Mr. LaGrasse clarified that if state regulations change, oversight would fall to the BOH. o Proposed Restriction: CBD/THC additives, if allowed in Massachusetts, should only be sold in liquor establishments (21+ age restriction) with clear labeling. They should be restricted from general food establishments. Drinks containing THC would be regulated by the Cannabis Control Commission and only permitted for sale at dispensaries or 21+ liquor stores. May change the grease trap requirement for new construction to require grease traps to be installed outside. Fines for Violations: o Fines will be implemented for unpermitted waste hauler dumpster companies and those that fail to appear at BOH meetings when requested. Mr. Spight suggests that notices of violation be posted on the premise as a further deterrent. BOH Meeting Minutes 912512025 Page 2 of 4 Wheelabrator (WIN-Waste) Testing Frequency: Wheelabrator, the waste-to-energy plant, intends to reduce its testing frequency from quarterly to every 9 months. This right is granted by the North Andover Planning Board's Special Permit-Site Plan Review Decision of August 19, 1998, which permits less frequent testing if the first year's results show dioxin/furan levels "substantially below the permit limit." Wheelabrator's new management company wishes to exercise this right. Mr. LaGrasse, after consulting with the environmental monitoring consultant, drafted a letter regarding this. Should a violation occur, Wheelabrator would be required to revert to more frequent testing. The plant has maintained compliance for over twenty years. Mr. LaGrasse's intention is to make this change public knowledge. Hiring Shared Services Coordinator After Annette's departure,we conducted interviews and have extended an offer to a candidate. Once the new coordinator starts, we will proceed with hiring an additional regional health inspector. Some towns have limited capacity and require more help. Tobacco Regulations Discussion We are updating tobacco regulations which haven't been revised in 8-10 years,to align with state guidelines. We will discuss mirroring some state regulations next month. The current tobacco cap of sixteen, which includes one adult-only store, has been reached, leading to denied requests. Dr. Scanlon expressed concern that increasing the cap could lead to further demands in the future, especially as other communities are seeing a downward trend. Health Inspector Update—Craig DeCosta: We've been actively involving our MOHA intern in inspections, and having her accompany Carolyn to gain experience. The recent NEHA conference proved highly informative, offering insights into practices in other communities. Craig will be taking the CPFS (Certified Professional Food Safety) exam to become certified. To address recurring issues with food establishments, an email will be sent to all permit holders outlining common inspection findings. Furthermore, DPH regional inspectors are currently engaged in Tier 3 food training, which Mr. DeCosta needs to attend as the community host. We've also been managing an increase in housing-related issues recently. Nurse Update—Carolyn Lam: Currently,flu clinics are held at the Senior Center every Wednesday between 9:30-11:30am, at senior housing facilities, and for school staff, with a larger family flu clinic scheduled for October 28th at NAHS cafeteria between 4:00-7:00pm. A COVID-19 vaccine clinic, in partnership with Letourneau's Pharmacy, is planned for November 14th, offering both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. COVID-19 vaccines are also available at pharmacies, with a standing order in Massachusetts allowing administration to individuals over 65 or those with self-certified health conditions. The Board of Health does not offer RSV vaccines at this time, but Letourneau's Pharmacy in Andover provides them. Community outreach includes sharing information via social media, email,the town website, and bulletins. Tick kits and sunscreen stations were provided at National Night Out. Opioid fielding will support a sharps kiosk at Town Hall. The Town has observed a slight increase in BOO Meeting Alinutes 912512025 Page 3 of 4 sharps due to GLP-1 s. BOH is hoping to provide sharps containers free to the community and standardize their use. Director Update—Brian LaGrasse: Working on PHE grant.National Night Out was a success and we were able to hand out tick kits courtesy of our department and MEPHC. Inspections are going well. Working on updating the food regulations. Ms. Moore asks Carolyn if we will be doing the mammogram mobile again. The mammogram mobile program experienced low participation, with only 20 spots available and only four spots were filled due to the requirement for pre-authorization and insurance processing beforehand. COVID-19 test kits will be ordered for residents. Dr. Scanlon reported no ICU admissions, noting that current illnesses are primarily flu-like, with even severe COPD patients experiencing minimal impact. Ms. Davis inquired about the prevalence of vaping and smoking at the start of the school year. This topic will be discussed further in October.North Andover High School has implemented a parking monitor. 6. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by M. Davis to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by B. Spight. The vote to adjourn was unanimous (5-0). MOTION APPROVED. The meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m. Prepared by: Jennifer M. Battersby, Health Department Assistant Reviewed bv: All Board of Health Members & Brian J LaGrasse Signed red bx. ,,w _' , Jenn,,elkoore, Clerk of Board Date Signed Meeting Materials: Agenda;May 22,2025 Minutes; W&M Fee Comparison Table; Proposed Addendum to State Food Code(CMR 590.000);Wheelabrator/Furan Stack Test Frequency Notification BOH R�ieeting Minutes 912512025 Page 4 of 4