HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - BoH - 01/07/2020 APPROVED
COHASSET BOARD OF HEALTH MINUTES
DATE: TUESDAY,January 7, 2020
TIME: 6:00 P.M.
PLACE: COHASSET TOWN HALL—Board of Health Conference Room
41 HIGHLAND AVENUE, COHASSET, MA 02025
Board Members Present: Public Health Agent:
Robin Lawrence, DDS, MPH, Chairman Pam Fahey, MPH, SE
Lynn Doxey, MPH, Vice Chair Field Engineer
Michael Pollastri, PhD, Clerk Jason Federico
Recording Secretary: Public Health Nurse:
Amy Davis Mary Goodwin, RN
6:03 P.M. Meeting called to order
6:04 P.M. Discussion- Proposed Amendment to Article III Chapter 89 of the General Bylaws, Plastic
Bag Reduction,to expand it to Banning Single use Plastic Utensils and Styrofoam,Tom Callahan
Mr. Callahan reviewed the proposed changes to the warrant Article III Chapter 89 of the General Bylaw. The
proposed changes would target restaurants to ban single use of plastic containers, straws, cups, utensils, and
styrofoam. Mr. Callahan would like to implement this by the spring of 2020 or the latest fall 2020. Dr. Pollastri
mentioned the Board should engage the food establishments to see what they think in regard to the changes.
Ms. Fahey will email food vendors to get their feedback. Mr. Callahan is asking the Board to sponsor or co-
sponsor the warrant article changes.
MOTIONED BY: Dr. Pollastri moved that the Board do its due diligence in deciding if the BOH will propose
the warrant article for the Town meeting and to further discuss the proposed changes at
the next BOH meeting.
SECONDED BY: Lynn Doxey
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIED
6:35 P.M. Approve Minutes from November 19, 2019 Meeting
MOTIONED BY: Ms. Doxey
SECONDED BY: Dr. Pollastri
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIED
6:37 P.M. Approve the Warrant 11/19/19 - 1/07/20
6:38 P.M. Set Next Meeting Date Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at 6:30 P.M.
6:40 P.M. Tobacco Products Law Update
Ms. Fahey reviewed the updated tobacco product laws. The only two establishments affected by the new law
in Cohasset are the Mobil and Gulf gas stations. All flavored tobacco products with any strength of nicotine
content are banned. Unflavored e-cigarettes are not banned, but the nicotine content must be below 35mg/ml
or less. Both establishments need to put up required signage prepared by the Department of Public Health that
notifies the public of the dangers of vaping.
APPROVED
6:45 P.M. Public Health Agent Report for January 2020
Food:
The month of December was focused on permitting food establishments for 2020 for food, dumpster and
tobacco permits. A total of 50 establishments require one or more permits. As of today, a total of six
restaurants/food establishments have not reapplied or paid for a food permit. Of those, three have at least
contacted me while three have not made contact. I will visit those three establishments that have made no
contact in person this week.
Vaping:
Ms. Fahey conducted inspections at Mobil and Gulf gas stations to make sure that they are in compliance with
the latest tobacco law. Local gas stations and convenience stores are allowed to sell non-flavored vaping
products with a content of 3.5% nicotine or less. Juul products exceeding this amount were removed from
Mobil. I emailed the owners of both facilities to let them know I visited their stores, attached a copy of a one-
page guidance document for retailers and informed them they needed to add mandatory signs available from
the DPH website.The latest tobacco law information was added to the town website.
Online Permitting:
Ms. Fahey reviewed draft applications for private wells and swimming pools and submitted comments to
Permit Eyes. Currently working on a review of the septic applications.
EEE:
Ms. Fahey will be attending a meeting on Thursday in Plymouth to discuss the past 2019 and future 2020 EEE
seasons.The meeting will be led by the state epidemiologist from DPH.
Ticks•
Ms. Goodwin and Ms. Fahey attended a conference on ticks and disease prevention at the University of
Massachusetts on November 251h. The BOH will make a push to increase awareness of tick-borne disease and
prevention.
6:53 P.M. Public Health Nurse Report
• 12/9/2019 Ms. Goodwin attended the quarterly meeting of the Executive Board of the Mass.
Association of Public Health Nurse Association in Wellesley.
• 12/18/2019 There was a confirmed case of mumps at the Osgood School. Ms. Goodwin worked closely
with DPH 2 different advisories were sent out to parents.The first advisory was sent to the class where
there was a confirmed case, and a second advisory was sent school wide.All students in the classroom
had been immunized with 2 doses of MMR. Incubation period can go up to 25 days which would be
January 20tn
MOTION BY: Dr. Pollastri to adjourn meeting at 7:00 PM
SECONDED BY: Ms. Doxey
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIED