HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOH Minutes 10/2/1998BOARD OF HEALTH MINUTES
OCTOBER 29 1998 (' '.! i 3 i,; in: 10
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Members Present: Chairman Jim Leonard, Gary Forget,11h, 6Iopk$ AwY Nlgrtin
and Phil Giangarra
Also Present: Health Agent, Scott Leite
1. CALL TO ORDER at 7:30 PM by Chairman Leonard in the Town Hall, 2nd Floor
2. VISITORS
Present were Gerard Martin and Scott Sayers, Site Management Division of DEP, to bring to the
attention of the Board the discovery of dioxin at the Hatheway & Patterson site, County Street
and into the Rumford River, and possibly the three ponds downstream, Fulton, Kingman and
Cabot. Handouts were given to each member. Mr. Martin said that they will be meeting with
EPA Friday, October P, asking for their assistance in taking care of the immediate problems and
extracting the product and taking it off site. Also contacted was Mass. Div. of Fish and Wildlife.
They planned to stock the ponds and will now hold off from doing so because of this discovery.
DEP took samples and dioxin was detected. Dioxin is a by- product of other chemicals. It was
found in soil sediment and surface water. Each test cost $1,500, takes a couple of months to test
and there are only six companies in this country that conduct this test. By teaming up with EPA,
their goal is to stop further encroachment of dioxin in the sediment and water. Additional testing
of sediment and fish will be conducted. Most risk assessments rely on lots of assumptions. The
data presented to the Board used extreme caution and were worst case scenarios.
This is a high priority site. Ecological risks get lot of points and this is a I site. The Mass.
Contingency Plan regulates the type of capping that eventually will be done on the H &P site.
Copper, chromium and arsenic are present in the soils.
An advisory will be issued once the fish data is received, and press releases will be written by
DEP, with consideration to EPA, Dept. Public Health and Div. Fish & Wildlife information.
Health Agent will prepare a flyer with questions and answers which will be approved by DEP
before distributed to the Mansfield public. Discussion ended at 8: IOPM
3. CONSENT AGENDA
Approval of Minutes, September 3, 1998
MOTION: To approve Consent Agenda.
Martin/Jones. All in favor. 5 -0 PASSES
Page 2, Minutes, October 2, 1998, Board of Health
4. COMMNICATIONS
1. Memo from Town Manager, Sept. 14, 1998, Sewer Extension Workshop, Thurs. Nov. 19,h,
7:30 PM.
2. CVNA August, 1998 report of services.
3. Sound Reports, Great Woods, August 26 through September 19, 1998.
4. Fluor Daniel GTI, September 21, 1998 August 1998 NPDES Permit Exclusion Monthly
Discharge Monitoring Report, for Former Gorham Silver Co. Site
5. Monthly Activities Report for NMS Tobacco Control Program, August, 1998
6. Copy letter DEP to ACT Manufacturing, Inc., 360 Forbes Blvd. Sept. 24, 1998, re: Final
approval of LPA non -fuel emissions.
5. HEALTH AGENT'S REPORT
a. 360 Chauncy St.: Tenant supposed to vacate today. Someone threw rock and broke a
window. This incident not yet resolved, but is not part of the housing inspection
conducted by Agent, since his inspection was for safety issues.
b. 171 Ware St.: Pretrial conference was in September, but postponed to November. Went
to conciliation and hopefully judge will rule in our favor and tell Mr. Troy to fix the
system. This will occur on Monday, October 5a'. Members Jones and Martin both feel
that this is a serious public health threat and more severe action should be taken. Legal
fees are adding up, there have been judgments and contempt orders. Agent will estimate
the cost of condemnation. That will include moving expenses for each tenant. Also a lien
on the property if condemnation occurs.
c. 9 -11 Allen St.: Walter Day is the owner. Agent filed a complaint in housing court.
Violation order was sent, most repairs were not made to the Agent's satisfaction and
another order was sent. Agent described the violations and unsatisfactory repairs.
d. 135 Church. St.: Agent is taking the owner of this property to housing court. There has
not been clear communication from the owner and Agent had no other choice but to file a
complaint since violations have not been corrected.
e. Report on Soil Science Course at Umass: Agent attended but was not please with
course.
6. OLD BUSINESS None presented.
7. NEW BUSINESS None presented.
Page 3, Minutes, October 2, 1998, Board of Healtb
8. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: To adjourn at 8:47 PM.
Martin/Forget. All in favor. 5 -0 PASSES
Respectfully submitted,
Dianne Royle,
Recording Secretary
NEXT MEETING:
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1998
2ND FLOOR
SEWER EXTENSION WORKSHOP
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1998
Date