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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOH 03/13/2025Town of Mansfield Board of Health OFFICE March 13, 2025 Minutes ' A of 49 h-LD Mission Statement: The mission of the Mansfield Board of Health is to protect, preserve and improve the public health, environment, and wellbeing of our citizens through the enforcement of federal, state, and local statutes and regulations, education and promotion of sanitary living and working conditions, and protection of the environment from disease and pollution. Present: Kasia Frenette, Chair, Graham Wilson, Chris West, Emily Beura, Amy Donovan - Palmer. Absent: Ryan Maxwell Guests: Michelle Lemois, Envision Hotel, Sarah McColgan, Girish Patel, Mansfield Vape and Smoke Shop. The meeting was called to order at 7:OOpm on March 13, 2025 by Kasia Frenette. There was no correspondence at this time. Motion to approve the consent agenda made by Emily Beura, seconded by Chris West. Passed unanimously 3.0. Motion to approve the February 13, 2025 meeting minutes made by Chris West, seconded by Emily Beura. Passed unanimously 3-0. Ms. Michelle Lemois approached the podium and explained to the Board that the hotel really has gotten a handle on the pool in general. The readings are accurate, and they are making sure it is being shut down and closed, if and when it needs�to be. The Envision Hotel now has 4 people who are CPO Certified, and Ms. Lemois will also be taking the CPO test next week as well. The hotel hired a new Engineer two weeks ago, and he will also be getting his CPO in 60 days. So that will give the hotel, 6 current employees that are Certified Pool Operators. Ms. Lemois explained the challenges occur when they need to close the pool at certain and there is no certified pool operator on the property. Ms. Lemois has asked the Board that they consider lifting that stipulation on having to have a CPO on site at all times. She explained that the Engineer lives 8 minutes away, and is available to talk the crew through any issues that might come up. She also explained that there rarely isn't a time that a CPO isn't on site. If the levels are off in any capacity they are willing to shut the pool down immediately. Ms. West made a motion to allow the Envision Hotel to eliminate a CPO on -site at all times, but one that is available when needed. Seconded by Ms. Beura. Passed unanimously 3-0. Ms. Beura made a motion to accept the regulations effecting smoking and the sale of vending and distribution on tobacco and nicotine delivery products as written, to go into effect Friday March 14, 2025. Seconded by Ms. West. Passed unanimously 3-0. '✓i' p ^:, r > 'err✓...' ;Jt``Vf7NX'i"Qsht>e...�-3$rt© r, y ��}�`fs„ /r�:...�_ "_G2 .^,-..fin ..r �h�,u'rr,.,.r,. ,.�a;.-., Ms. Sarah McColgan has joined the meeting via phone, and will be discussing the Nicotine Pouches. She began by stating that Nicotine Pouches are not approved as a cessation device by the FDA, but they have been approved to be marketed in the US. In order to get the marketing approval, the manufacturer has to provide scientific data that demonstrates that their product is appropriate for the protection of public health. Cessation device approval has been very limited to nicotine replacement therapy patches, gum, and lozenges. The marketing of vape products, and now the oral nicotine pouches as a great way to help current tobacco users to quit. Ms. McColgan also shared that oral pouches are the new thing, and are replacing chewing tobacco. The pouches are discrete, they do not contain any tobacco, and are based on nicotine salt, sweetener, flavoring, PH stabilizers, and other fillers. The pouch itself looks like a little tea bag, very small, and the pouch is made out of cellulose, which is a plant fiber. The tins the nicotine pouches can vary on the level of nicotine. The levels range anywhere from 1.5mg to 14mg. One 6mg tin (20 pouches) is the equivalent to smoking 3 packs of cigarettes a day. Ms. McColgan shared that there are health implications, which many we don't know yet because the pouches, although the original ones were marketed about 10 years ago, the new ones haven't been out long enough to fully understand what they are doing to the people's health, who use them. It has been reported to have hazardous substances, and possible carcinogens in some of the pouches. This may affect your heart if you have heart disease, and oral hygienist/dentist are extremely worried about it. It can also intensify symptoms of depression and anxiety. There are some strategies that Ms. McColgan shared that they recommend. 1. Restrict nicotine pouches to adult -only retail tobacco stores 2. Restrict the oral nicotine pouches that can be sold in a municipality by the nicotine level. (6mg) There is only one compliance check done a year. By restricting these nicotine pouches to adult only retail tobacco stores, it eliminates the other stores from being able to sell the products. Ms. Donovan -Palmer mentioned to the Board that at the next Board of Health meeting we will have a team coming to promote Nicotine Free Generation Movement. 1y1tt HAH Cipala and �bj�Gt+y+e pisG�i�sron `r � Ms. Donovan -Palmer asked the Board if they know what the foundational public health services are? There are 8 parts that Public Health should cover. Some of them we are doing well at, and some we need to work on. The DPH, through their Public Health Excellence Grants are trying to get every foundational capability met at each Public Health Department. There is a lot of reviewing as to what we do, and what we need to work on. The State is accessing what is in place, that should be. The DPH has a paid intern program and they position them in different Local Health Departments or Local Health Groups. A majority are placed within Local Health Departments. Ms. Frenette commented that each month we pick a section go through. Ms. Donovan -Palmer suggested that the Board looks at the first two goals for next month, Communicable Disease Control, and Chronic Disease & Injury Prevention. Ms. Beura suggested under Communicable Diseases we work with the community for local vaccination for influenza and covid-19. As a goal, extending that to vaccine education, especially in light of what's going on around the Country with measles vaccination. Ms. Frenette commented that our Regional Health Nurse, Dayana is currently focused on vaccination education, and would be a good idea to add that to our Goals and objectives. rr ��CY���IY��eaTfh`�+T�[siib���r��rff��tioatsRlsaa�e;Up'c���s���� � frk 1 �f Ms. Frenette updated the Board that the flu is still among us, but has gone down a little bit. covid- 19 numbers have also gone down, and is below flu. Norovirus is still steady, coming in at a couple cases a week. _��r. -..0 .cr�rr,.. "f5'_"aua-.=-ter,-�,s--....r�� r✓ ,. ,�"-,,,�.. �,,. "';; ?:r :", .. ,- �..:�.,xva-.�r�^,.,r,-.a„/r,",-7,,,r 2,= None. y r tf:eS.✓ ^" -an -v,� Free Health Screenings including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, Hands only CPR and associated prevention information • 2nd Tuesday at the COA, 255 Hope Street • 3rd Wednesday at Town Hall, 6 Park Row • Permitting: Working on Renewals and New Fee Structure. o Bristol -Norfolk Public Health Partners Coalition Grants Update o Public Health Excellence Grant Program for Shared Services o Local health support for COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing • PFAS • Website/ Social Media Update • Housing Inspections • FOG • Grants o FDA Retail Standards Grant o Health Inclusion Index mini -grant -, �Ctll iiisttdr L"ohalilB#zt5 � � 9 ; �' ` None None Motion to adjourn at 7:57pm made by Emily Beura, seconded by Chris West. Approved 4-0. 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