HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-11-03 Board of Health MinutesRECEIVED
Town of Reading -OWN CLERK
Meeting Minutes READING. MA.
" a ^coca 2023 JAN 18 AH 11:22
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Board of Health
Date: 2022-11-03 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: Open Session - Remote Meeting Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Chair Richard Lopez, Vice Chair Kerry Dunnell, Paula Curren; Associate
Members: Geri Cramer (7:10 pm), Kevin Sexton
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Public Health Director Ade Solarin, Public Health Nurse Malone MacDonald,
Procurement Officer Allison Jenkins, Jackie McCarthy, Narcissa Lyons (7:10
pm)
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held remotely via Zoom.
Chair Richard Lopez called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm.
Review/Approval of Minutes for October 6. 2022
On a motion by Dr. Lopez and seconded by Ms. Curren, the Board of Health voted
3-0-0 to approve the meeting minutes of October 6, 2022.
Roll call vote: Kerry Dunnell - Yes, Paula Curren - Yes, Richard Lopez - Yes.
Update Community Health Needs Assessment RFP effort
Public Health Director Ade Solarin stated that proposals for the Community Needs
Assessment were due today at 1:00 pm. Only one proposal was received from Kulick
Strategic Advisors (KSA) of Georgia. The Board can either opt to accept the proposal, or re -
post the RFP to get more applicants. Feedback from other Interested organizations
Indicated that there was not enough time to prepare a proposal, and some restrictions were
too strict.
Ms. Dunnell suggested opening up the criteria to enable other organizations to meet them.
She also expressed concern with the current applicant being from out of state, as
Massachusetts handles public health very differently than most other states in the country,
and it may not be an easy translation.
The Board discussed and agreed to adjust the criteria, and repost the RFP. Procurement
Officer Allison Jenkins advised the Board how to prepare the RFP and rank the criteria. Dr.
Lopez also suggested contacting local hospitals to ask who they use for their assessments.
Mr. Solarin asked Board members to send him any changes they would like to see in the
RFP, and to let him know of any organizations that they would like to receive the RFP. Ms.
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Jenkins stated that she would also share with the Board the list of organizations who took
out the RFP.
Dr. Lopez shared the 10 essential Public Health Services which are critical, including
communicating effectively to inform & educate. This Community Needs Assessment will
come up with priorities and then the Board must decide how it will effectively address those
priorities. In their internal department assessment, MAPC also named developing a
communication strategy and provided ideas using awareness months. Dr. Lopez suggested
starting the discussion to energize communication efforts to the community about health-
related issues.
Mr. Solarin asked Board members what communications they have seen as residents of
Reading and reviewed his communication efforts since beginning as Health Director in
November 2021, including: sending out a reverse 911 about the extreme heat last summer,
meetings with residents, attending the new resident open house, and Flyers about mosquito
control. There has been information about the drought, water quality, Flu clinics, COVID
clinics, and blood pressure clinics on the website. The department also utilizes Town social
media and website news to help share information.
Ms. Dunnell stated that she was more concerned about the modalities than the content, and
putting the information where people will receive It. For reactive emergency
communications, as a member community of Emergency Preparedness Region 3B, the Town
can utilize the consultants available to access lists and protocols on risk communication
messages.
Ms. Cramer suggested leveraging the school communications to help disseminate
Information. Public Health Nurse Malone MacDonald noted that School Nursing Director
Mary Giuliana does work with the Health Department to send Information out. Mr. Sexton
suggested getting more residents to opt -in to the systems that are already in place, and
including notices with water bills. Ms. Dunnell agreed that the target audience should
dictate how the message is delivered. She also suggested finding out who has the
information and how to leverage them to share It, such as linking to flyers available on the
state website, and working with Jayne Wellman, Business Administrator, to assist with
making a schedule for communications.
Reading Coalition Update
Mr. Sexton stated that he was unable to attend the last Coalition meeting, but emailed the
latest update.
Ms. Dunnell stated that she attended the Reading Reflect event last night, which was
facilitated by Coalition Director Erica McNamara, and featured Civil Rights Officer Lt. Silva,
and Director of Equity and Social Justice Dr. Sudeshna Chatter]ee. She noted that there has
been growing discussion in public health about the social effects of health, and it was
encouraging to see the work that Public Safety and Library staff are doing.
Health Department Monthly Report
Mr. Solarin shared details of the Public Health Excellence Grant for Shared Services. The
contract will begin in 2023 with the option to continue through June 30th, 2033. The annual
amount of $297,000 will be paid in four installments per year. The next steps are to submit
a revised grant plan, and reconfigure the budget to match the funds being granted. When
the first payment Is received, necessary staff can be hired, and the partner communities can
get to work.
Mr. Solarin provided an update on 365 Ash Street. There does not appear to be anyone
living there. The homeowner's whereabouts are currently unknown. Town staff has tried to
contact the homeowner's children, but no one has responded. The Board granted a 90 -day
extension to repair the condemned property, but no work has been done. The section of
code 105 CMR 410, which allowed the Board to condemn the house, after one year of
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issuance, will also allow the Board to cause the dwelling, or portion thereof, to be
demolished or removed. Attempts to communicate are being documented. Mr. Solarin
advised the Board to start thinking about which steps, which include sending a letter letting
the homeowner know that the Board gave 90 days, but received no response. Without a
response within 30 days following the letter, the Board will move forward with the code.
Inspections for the month of October include:
• Food establishment inspections = 21
• Food establishment reinspections = 3
• Food complaint inspections =1
• Housing complaint = 1
• Rat complaint = 1
• Trash complaints = 2
• Temporary food permits issued = 11 - mostly from the Beer Garden and Indian
Festival at RMHS
Public Health Nurse Malone MacDonald shared that there are 17 active COVID cases, only
one of which is under age 18, and the rest are over age 18. The latest bivalent booster
vaccine was just approved for ages 5 to 11. The Health Department has scheduled a
vaccine clinic for November 16th, which will offer the bivalent booster.
In other epidemiology, there was one case of Yersinla which was a result of what the
Individual cooked themselves and warranted no further investigation, and three cases of
Influenza. At a recent Flu vaccine clinic, there were 236 regular doses and 108 high -dose
vaccines administered.
Ms. MacDonald also noted that Mary Giuliana, Reading Public Schools Nursing Director, sent
an educational letter out to parents on getting their children vaccinated against RSV, and
when to keep children home if they are sick. Ms. MacDonald also noted that older children,
age 6 and above, are also getting sick with RSV.
The Board asked Mr. Solarin to follow up with the Fire Chief on whether an Incident
Command After -Action Report following COVID was ever completed.
Public Comment
Narcissa Lyons asked what code allows for the demolition of a property and if it applies if
there are people inside. Mr. Solarin cited code 105 CMR 410.831, and clarified that the
property would have to go through condemnation, be deemed unfit for habitation, and be
vacant for a year, before it can be demolished.
Next Meatina Agenda Items: Final Comments
The next meeting will be in December.
The Board Is still awaiting updated tobacco regulations from Maureen Buzby.
The Community Needs Assessment will still be in process, so there will likely not be an
update at that time. Dr. Lopez advised Board members to submit their ideas and
suggestions for organizations for the Community Needs Assessment RFP to Mr. Solarin so
he and Ms. Jenkins can revise and reissue.
Updates on the shared services grant will be shared if available.
On a motion by Dr. Lopez, and seconded by Kerry Dunnell, the Board of Health
voted 3-0-0 to adjourn at 8:16 pm.
Roll call vote: Paula Curren - Yes, Kerry Dunnell - Yes, Richard Lopez - Yes.
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