HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-08-13 Board of Health Minutes RECEIVEU
Town of Reading TOWN CLERK
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Meeting Minutes " `,D ! ',' 0, N1A.
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Board - committee - commission - council:
Board of Health
Date: 2020-08-13 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: Purpose: COVID-19 Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Eleanor Shonkoff, Kerry Dunnell, Richard Lopez, Kevin Sexton
Members - Not Present:
Paula Curren
Others Present:
Jean Delios, Laura Vlasuk
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Eleanor Shonkoff
Topics of Discussion:
7:05pm - call to order.
• Open for public comment - none
• Health Agent report (see attached)
o Lopez - what were the 47 complaints about?
o Vlasuk - some were COVID, such as businesses not taking down plexiglass
o Shonkoff - would be useful to know main types of complaints and how
frequent
o Dunnell & Sexton - prefer to receive written report
o Discussion of new Health Agent report format - to be decided by new Board
• Discussion about who will post meetings and decide the agenda. Chair and Vlasuk
will decide agenda. Vlasuk will update currently-posted meetings with agenda items
and use the same Zoom account (Delios's). A new Zoom account may be used for
subsequent meeting postings. Shonkoff will re-send the agendas to Vlasuk for 8/17
and 8/20.
• Meeting minutes
o Shonkoff - Motion to approve meeting minutes for 7/30/2020
• Dunnell - second
• Roll call - Shonkoff - yes, Dunnell - yes.
o Shonkoff - Motion to approve meeting minutes for 6/8/2020
• Dunnell - second
• Roll call - Shonkoff - yes, Dunnell - yes.
o Shonkoff and Vlasuk will amend meeting minutes for 6/15 and 6/22 per
Shonkoff's notes
o Delios and Vlasuk will re-send updated meeting minutes draft for 7/16
• Enforcement
o Dunnell - followed up on Town Manager's (Bob LeLacheur) question about
what employers could do to help enforce the new travel ban that went into
effect on August 1 regarding people quarantining for 14 days if they have
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Town of Reading
61 Meeting Minutes
come from ahigh-risk location. Dunnell emphasizes education and "the goal
of enforcement is compliance not punishment".
o Shonkoff - heard back from Town Counsel regarding relevant regulations for
any COVID-related fines (see Amendment). Discussion led to conclusion that
BOH will likely use the same fee structure as from proposed pesticide
regulation: 15t offense - receive copy of relevant order; 21d - $50 fine; 31d -
$100 fine; No motion, discussion left open.
o Lopez - given that Reading is not a "hot spot" (i.e., a town with relatively
higher rates of COVID-19) it seems stricter enforcement is not necessary at
this point
o Complaints
• Shonkoff reports receiving a complaint from residents regarding ice
hockey. States that this would not have been a protocol BOH reviewed
because the Town does not permit the rink; emphasizes the need for
resident to be able to report anonymously. Vlasuk indicates that
residents can report anonymously by calling in the complaint.
Discussion about how to (a) respond to this complaint and (b)
communicate to others whose protocols would not be reviewed.
Decision was:
• Vlasuk will take a copy of the guidance to the owner/operator
of the ice rink and discuss what needs to be done by any
organizations renting it
• Vlasuk will also take a copy and explain relevant
guidance/orders to:
o Austin Prep
o YMCA
o Re-opening protocols
• Shonkoff states that July 20th was date Board passed reopening
motion (see Addendum) but they have not received any COVID-19
control plans or checklists. Given Town Manager's comments during
prior meeting, suggests that Vlasuk can complete the checklist and
Delios or LeLacheur can sign off on it, if needed to save time; want to
make sure that message will be communicated.
• Delios states that Town Manager had a discussion about this at the
Dept. head meeting and suggests that the documents are forthcoming.
• Dunnell states that she found out more information about what
employers can do given the COVID travel ban and 72 hours after the
required test (when additional exposure could occur)
An employer can put in place:
o Asking people to continue quarantine during that 72
hours
o Asking people to work from home during that time
o Asking people to submit to another test (if so, the cost
should be covered by the employer)
o Shonkoff - seems some people are wearing masks with vents because they're
easier to breathe with; however, masks with vents or holes do not meet the
guidelines of face-covering and are not COVID-compliant
o Upcoming meeting agenda for 8/17 meeting
• Shonkoff states that the agenda will not be able to be posted because
it has not yet been, and it can't be posted 48 hours in advance due to
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i Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
the Friday and weekend. Discussion about items led to the following
being chosen:
• Resources for employers re: travel ban
• Re-opening protocols
• Enforcement - updates from police
o Discussion of upcoming Board reorganization on 8/17/2020
• Sexton - states that Associate members can request to become Full
members when a vacancy occurs
• Dunnell - states that she does not plan to nominate herself for Chair
• Delios - Board could postpone re-organization if no one makes the
Motion
• Lopez - reminds that Command asked whether the Board would
continue meeting weekly or move to every other week, and the
decision had not been made (because of waiting for new Chair)
o Delios - Tree lawn pesticide regulation update; status is that BOH completed
their document and sent to the Select Board; it is currently with the Select
Board.
• Discussion that new Chair should connect with Chair of Select Board
(Mark Dockser)
0 8:36pm Dunnell - Motion to adjourn
• Shonkoff - seconds
• Roll call - Shonkoff- yes, Dunnell - yes.
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