HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-27 Board of Health Minutes Orq
Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
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Board of Health
Date: 2020-03-27 Time: 10:04 AM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: CoronaVirus/Covid-19 version: 4)Fa€F
Attendees: Members - Present:
Emmy Dove, Eleanor Shonkoff, Kevin Sexton
Members - Not Present:
Lara Romonowski, AnnMarie Messina
Others Present:
Jean Delios, Laura Vlasuk
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Kevin Sexton
Topics of Discussion:
• Call to order at 10:04am
- Laura- had calls from residents about stores protocols on adhering to CDC safety
guidelines. Should store employees wear gloves at all times?
o Dove-That seems like a reasonable idea to have employees wear gloves at all
times.
o Delios-Asked if places can even get gloves? Saying it would be hard for some
to comply to if forced and they may not even be able to because of supplies.
o Sexton- Had made several calls to stores looking for gloves and no one had
any bulk packages left. He wondered how stores would be able to get some.
o Delios- read language from the Governor's office about how stores need to
provide wipes and sanitizer at the entrances for people to use,whenever it's
available.
c Shonkoff-Asked what pizza places/take-out restaurants are doing to keep
the public safe with handling food and passing containers?
o Sexton- said since Daniel (inspector) is going out next week, could he find out
what establishments are doing?
o Vlasuk- Talked about how some places are doing nothing to protect
themselves or customers. Noting there is no tape marking off 6 foot distances
and no sanitizer for employees.
o Delios-Town Staff in the field are using masks, gloves and sanitizer when
going out.The masks were donated to the Town by Home Depot.
o Sexton- offered what a motion might look like, motion to instruct our
inspectors to make stores adhere to the CDC 6-foot minimum distance with
employees and customers and to have employees have a personal sanitizer
on them and use it throughout the day.
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Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
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o Emmy- said other towns are having certain wards/precincts go shopping for
groceries on specific days only.
o Sexton-Thought that would be very tough to implement and enforce.
o Shonkoff- said we have a motion to enforce the 6-foot rule and hand
sanitizer.And we are asking people to shop not more than once per week.
o Sexton- said he would want our inspectors to work with the stores to achieve
this. It's a stressful time for them and it changes daily, so he wouldn't want us
to simply tell them they have to do this,but help them to make it happen.
o Dove- Suggested we email the stores to let them know we will be asking
them to adhere to the 6-foot rule,before we go out to inspect so they are
prepared for it.
o Shonkoff-volunteered to write up language to be sent to the stores and to
write the press release about asking people to only go grocery shopping once
per week.The board agreed to have her do that.
Dove- Asked if medical students could be allowed to help in Reading?
o Delios- said she thinks that Reading can't have un-paid volunteers, but would
find out.
Delios- Said the Town Manager has asked the board to take a vote to extend the
closure of Town Hall and other Town departments from it's current expiration date
of April 6, 2020 to May 4,2020 to be in line with the schools.
o Sexton- said he would reach out to our State Rep Brad Jones and inquire
what the Governor's office is planning to do about the States expiration date
of April 7, 2020 for all non-essential businesses. He thinks we should keep in
line with what the State is doing about business closures.
Sexton- Motion to adjourn
o Shonkoff- 2°'
o Role call vote: Sexton-yes, Dove-yes, Eleanor-yes.
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