HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-08-17 Board of Health Minutes Town of Reading kiECEIVj:D
Meeting Minutes R70WN CLEs fRAK
rtN�
.?a OC 2 pM 8 43
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Board of Health
Date: 2020-08-17 Time: 10:00 AM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: COVID-19 Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Chair Eleanor Shonkoff, Paula Curren, Kerry Dunnell; Associate Members:
Richard Lopez, Kevin Sexton
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Assistant Town Manager lean Delios, Health Agent Laura Vlasuk, Fire Chief
Greg Burns, Assistant Fire Chief Paul Jackson, School Superintendent John
Doherty, School CFO Gail Dowd, Administrative Services Director Matt
Kraunelis, Business Administrator Jayne Wellman, Select Board Chair Mark
Dockser, Town Clerk Laura Gemme, Police Chief David Clark
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde and Jayne Wellman
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held remotely via Zoom.
Eleanor Shonkoff called the meeting to order at 10:00 am.
The Board began by discussing reorganization, as Ms. Shonkof's resignation is effective at the
end of the day today. Members agreed to defer the reorganization until a new member could be
appointed, which would leave the Board temporarily without a Chair. Kerry Dunnell volunteered
to act as Chair in the interim. Kevin Sexton explained the easiest thing to do would be to select
a Vice Chair, who can default to the role of Chair when the Chair is absent.
Motion by Ms. Curren to nominate Kerry Dunnell as Vice Chair, seconded by Ms.
Shonkoff.
Roll call vote: Ms. Curren —Yes, Ms. Shonkoff—Yes, Ms. Dunnell—Yes
The Board then discussed adjusting their meeting schedule, as members agreed that there is
no longer a need to meet twice per week, or during the daytime. Many prospective applicants
had conflicts with daytime meetings. The only daytime meetings going forward would be
participation with Incident Command meetings. The Board decided to schedule meetings for
every other Thursday evening and rotate the three voting members with Incident Command
meetings. Ms. Dunnell offered to represent the BOH at Incident Command meetings when
others cannot attend.
Agenda items:
Page 1 1
Ms. Shonkoff reviewed the things employers can do regarding the travel ban. They can allow
employees to self-quarantine, work from home, or submit to a COVID test prior to returning to
the shared work space.
The Board will discuss re-opening protocols for the Town with Command.
Enforcement for COVID violations would match the fine structure proposed for pesticide
regulations and includes:
Vt offense: Education
• 2nd offense: $50 Fine
3'd offense: $100 Fine
The Board will discuss with Command and Public Safety, as the Governor has ordered the
Police Department in addition to the Health Department, is empowered to enforce COVID
violations.
The Board discussed the protocols to contact the Department of Public Health. If there is an
additional increase in COVID cases, the Health Department must contact the DPH for guidance
on whether to revert to a prior phase of re-opening. The Board asked that the Town's Public
Health Nurses compile any commonality in new cases and attend a future meeting to advise
what criteria may be needed to notify the DPH.
The Board continued discussion on staffing in the Health Department. Ms. Shonkoff requested
the roles and list of tasks performed by current Health staff. This will help determine whether a
Health Director, or an Administrative Assistant may be needed to support the department.
There is currently a Part Time, on-call Public Health Nurse position posted, which the board
thinks might not be needed. If a Director is needed, a regional Health Director can be used in
the interim. Ms. Delios advised the Board of the budget allocated for the Part Time Nurse, and
the process needed to add a position. If the Board can figure out what tasks they are looking
for, that can help determine what capacity is already existing on staff, or whether someone
needs to be hired.
At 10:54 am, Ms. Shonkoff turned the meeting over to Incident Command.
Incident Command:
Update on Mail-In Voting and Ballots Being sent out:
Laura Gemme
We have sent out 5000 ballots, have about another 5,000 ballots to go.
We need help getting them out. Having them come into town hall, keeping them distanced, and
she needs volunteers so that we can get them out. Goal is to have the remainder of them to get
out by WED. Process in the state system, get everything together, labels, correct ballots, etc.
It's a lengthy process. We are plugging along.
Burns: question—do we want to go to the Volunteer list for help? It's only a few minutes to go
through the training and get sworn in. 4 in the conference room, 4 in the Selectboard room, and
others in different spaces.
We have been here 8:30AM— 10:30PM —whatever time we have to give.
If there are volunteers, reach out to Laura and get a time to come in.
Laura processed 200 emails from people who want to help—so she isn't responding to emails
and calls from voters. If she doesn't respond, they need to be persistent.
Gage 1 2
Laura is trying to get back to them and Matt provided the list. Paul Jackson stated that we
should continue to use the Covid List. Trying to use Command to use volunteers, and I
appreciate the help and I appreciate why Command has to be involved.
OK—so we can start to reach out to the volunteers and have them come in and help
People are concerned that they haven't been receiving ballots—not all of them have been sent
out. We are already starting to get ballots back in.
Any ballot mailed outside of Reading, is being put aside to be processed immediately, and
judging from the amount that have come back already.
We HAVE To have ballots out BY WEDNESDAY.
Ensure that there are hand sanitizers in the working rooms.
Get the word out via the town website— identify a phone number or email to respond to.
Other communities are sending out 5,000110,000... we are sending out 20,000 ballots—
because we have two elections per day.
Paul is going to get a schedule going with Boy Scouts. Jayne will work on calling folks.
Staffing for Election Day. More concerned about Early Voting.
Laura is going to send an update to the Select Board and a little bit more of an idea for staffing
for election day and early voting. That will go out today.
As far as community events— Bob sent an email. Aug 22 is last day to register to vote 2-4 and
6-8—Voter Registration will be going on there. At 6-8PM will be at Town Hall, she will be sitting
outside waiting for people to show up. On the last day of registration she's only had 2 people
ever show up, she doesn't expect anyone or a large group to show up. She is not anticipating
any real demand on that day.
Ballots need to come in quickly. We have to process them before early voting starts on the 22otl
The demand will still continue on, they have to have them in before Early Voting and then can
they help process ballots when they are received. Updating them in the system can happen on
election day. They can fully process the ballots before election if we have the staff. She is
planning to process them on election day at the polling place.
One remaining question
HOW TO RETURN A BALLOT
As time gets closer to the election, returning ballots—drop at the box at town hall, the box in the
parking lot is going to emptied 2-3 times daily. They can also mail it back through the USPS.
The closer they get to election day, they may want to drop it at town hall. As you walk into the
Town Hall parking lot—there is a box there for donations and gift cards, and we are checking it
as well. WE aren't advertising that, but we are checking both boxes too. The correct box is the
SILVER BOX with the WHITE TOP and a sign will be placed on it that says Ballots Accepted
Here.
The Town Clerk summarized some key points about the Vote-by-Mail process including
deadlines, outbound communication, heavy influx of applications to date, hours for early voting,
Page 1 3
and other protocols related to how the public needs to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot (deadline is
by August 2V). The Town Clerk noted that ballots can be returned up until 8:00 p.m. on
Election Day (One thing that should be made known, the Town Clerk's staff checks the ballot
return mailbox at Town Hall around 7-7:30 but voters who plan to return the ballot between 7:30
—8:00 p.m., need to go to field house. There was additional discussion of the logistics related to
Vote-by-Mail applications and returning ballots including referencing the Secretary of State
website.
The Town Clerk (Laura Gemme) left the meeting at 11:42
Goal Reviewing: Chief Burns
o Goal 1: Protect the health of residents.
o Goal 2: Protect the health of employees.
• Install Lexan shields at public windows
• Install Lexan separators between work stations
o Goal 3: Provide aid and assistance to residents in need.
o Goal 4: Provide essential services to the public.
c Goal 5: Meet Public Health requirements.
o Goal 6: Communicate effectively with the public.
o Goal 7: Assist residents and businesses recover.
o Goal 8: Review community events for safety and provide planning assistance
when appropriate.
• Voting for Elections 2020—Sept 1 and Nov 3
o Goal 9: Use volunteers to assist when appropriate.
o Goal 10: Track cost and apply for all eligible financial assistance.
o Goal 11: Use the Incident Command System to manage the incident.
PPE:
Received a large shipment of PPE
200 safety goggles
1500 face shields
15,000 filtering masks
15,000 KN95
864 pairs of nitrile gloves
500 infectious waste bags
We are stockpiling PPE. How long do we think it will last?
Not sure how long it will last.
Facilities has a lot in stock for right now.
Page 1 4
We know we need a lot for the schools -we know kids will go through a lot.
Mark—do you have an anticipated need for how many supplies you have in place. Schools
purchased PPE at the end of last year and they applied for a grant. Schools purchased well
over 400,000 masks and KN95s as well, face shields as well, and gowns. WE did request
addiiohal grant funding. Will need gowns and the KN95 masks—may have a shortfall there as
well. Facilities has been great, and the FD has been great when they run short. The proof will be
in the pudding— all numbers based on DESE guidelines. Not sure how many will show up
without masks, how quickly they will go through them, how many staff will request KN95, etc.
Hoping that the gloves, surgical masks, and KN95 that they purchased enough for the entire
school year. Gowns and face shields—unsure how many needed.
Residents that need assistance:
Jean is not aware of any residents that need assistance. Elder/human services staff are
reaching out proactively and they are ok.
Any Topics Not Covered?
Mark Dockser—plan for the election —Status of the queueing that will take place. A staffing plan
is being worked on with Scouten.
Eleanor: Moving to a biweekly meeting, will rotate BOH members. Also, Bob wanted to know
more options about the travel ban and when employees wanted to return to work. Kerry was the
board member who worked out and she will communicate that to Bob and he will push it out to
Department Heads.
Reopening Protocol -he communicated it to Dept Heads,
Fine Structure for lack of compliance with Mask regulations: first would be education, $50
for second offense, and continuing would be $100. Police will be to enforce—Chief is waiting for
guidance from Mass Chiefs. So far, no need to ticket anyone. Kerry noted that enforcement is
about compliance not punishment. Educating the public is the key.
Chief Burns thanks Eleanor for her work.
System in place sounds great, if tomorrow or Wednesday—how should that communication
flow.
Burns—he would like to see planning put together lists of volunteers, and have a list of
alternates, and we want to build capacity. Identifying people who are willing to do it and plugging
them into slots. Who can we get and what slots are they willing to fill.
Paul —was talking most of the moving parts for the voting.
Matt—we will make this a top priority in Town Hall. Will communicate to Bob and Mark any
concerns.
Motion by Ms. Dunnell to adjourn, seconded by Ms. Shonkoff.
Roll call vote: Ms. Curren —Yes, Ms. Dunnell —Yes, Ms. Shonkoff—Yes
Meeting adjourned at 11:57 am.
Page 1 5