HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - BoH - 05/29/2018 APPROVED
COHASSET BOARD OF HEALTH MINUTES
DATE: TUESDAY, May 29, 2018
TIME: 7:00 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
Lynn Doxey, MPH,Vice Chair Field Engineer:
Michael Pollastri, PhD, Clerk Jason Federico
Recording Secretary: Public Health Nurse:
Amy Davis Mary Goodwin, RN
7:00 P.M. Meeting called to order
7:02 P.M. Introduce Michael Pollastri, New Board of Health Member
Mr. Pollastri is a professor in the department of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern University.
His research is focused on infectious diseases. Mr. Pollastri is also interested in discovery of new medicine
for tropical diseases and in environmental health and safety.
7:05 P.M. 240 Cedar Street Conditional Well Water Supply Certificate Review
In attendance for this hearing: John Cavanaro, Cavanaro Consulting, Dick Stevens, Property Owner.
Materials used for this agenda:
• Well As-Built plans
• Well water quality test results (dated 2/7/18) & hydro-fracked test results (dated 4/3/18)
• Notification to abutters
John Cavanaro, Cavanaro Consulting, 240 Cedar Street is a property that was subdivided into two lots in
2018. Perc tests were performed and the property was sited for a septic system and a potable well. The
well was installed and tested in 2008. Flow and all water levels were acceptable;water quality results came
back all below reportable levels, including iron and manganese. Recently Mr. Stevens purchased the
property and wanted to test the well because it had sat dormant since 2008. The well water was tested
on 2/7/18 by Envirotech Laboratories, Inc.: the flow was adequate, iron and manganese levels came back
high compared to the MassDEP drinking water limits. The well was hydro-fracked on 3/29/08 by Clear
Water Services which improved the flow but the water was tested on 4/3/18 by ETR Laboratories did not
improve high levels of iron and manganese which were reported at similar concentrations as the original
test results. Mr.Cavanaro would like to proceed with an approval of a Conditional Water Supply Certificate.
Dr. Lawrence questioned how high the levels were. Ms. Fahey stated the Manganese was 2.01 mg/L on
2/7/18 and 2.0 mg/L after being fracked on 4/3/18,the MassDEP limit is 0.05 mg/L. Iron was 5.28 mg/L on
2/7/18 and 4.27 mg/L after being hydro-fracked on 4/3/1, the MassDEP limit is 0.30 mg/L. Ms. Fahey
mentioned there are some health risk-based issues with manganese as it's more toxic than Iron and
believes a treatment system would correct the high levels.The question for the board: should there be a
deed restriction on the property stating it is required to a have a treatment system for the well water as a
stipulation in the Conditional Water Supply Certificate. Ms. Fahey mentioned that everything else passed
except the water quality results. Mr. Stevens would like to move forward without a deed restriction. Mr.
Pollastri stated if the well water supply certificate was conditionally approved with a treatment system the
APPROVED
well would get inspected every three years and a deed restriction would not be required.The system would
be subject to compliance with the Town of Cohasset private well regulations.
MOTION: Mr. Pollastri motioned to approve the issuance of a private well Conditional Water
Supply Certificate with the following conditions:
• A water treatment system will be Installed
• The water treatment system will be maintained by a third party company in
accordance with the Cohasset Private Well Regulations
SECONDED: Lynn Doxey
VOTED: 3-0 MOTION CARRIED
7:20 P.M. 471-473 Beechwood Street Septic System
The home owner at 471-473 Beechwood Street was sent a letter on July 31,2017 from Jennifer Sullivan who
was the interim Health Director at the time.The letter stated that the property had a failed sewage disposal
system, discharging sewage onto the ground surface and the homeowner was ordered to have the system
pumped immediately, have a professional engineer design a new system within 30 days, and construction
should be completed within 30 days of the plan approval. An engineer was hired and plans were approved
in November 2017, but the system has not been installed. Ms. Fahey wanted the board to review a letter
she drafted to send to the homeowner to make sure the new system would be installed.The board members
approved the letter.
7:30 P.M. Septic Installer Certification
Currently Title 5 Installers come into the Board of Health office to fill out an application, give a copy of their
insurance, pay the fee,and the installers get their permit.The current procedure seems too easy. Previously
the Town of Cohasset gave a septic system installers exam which stopped in 2014. Ms. Fahey would like to
reinstitute the installer's exam and in addition to the exam get references from home owners that had
systems installed or show permits from nearby towns. Ms. Fahey would like to add a line onto the
application if a Title 5 Installer is qualified to install an Alternative System and have installer include the
appropriate certification with the application.The board agreed the installers should take an exam moving
forward and agreed to add to the changes on the application adding if the installer is qualified to put in an
alternative system.
7:40 P.M. Ticks
Mary Goodwin, Cohasset Public Health Nurse, mentioned that tick season has started and many Lyme and
other tick borne diseases have been reported. Chris Senior, Cohasset Town Manager, is interested in
spraying the recreation fields and the schools with peppermint oil which is a natural substance. Ms.
Goodwin would like to get the younger people in town better educated on tick borne diseases possibly with
a presentation given at the library or in their health class at school. The board agreed that residents should
be better educated about ticks and presentations would be helpful.
7:50 P.M. Discuss Jeff Summers as a Soil Evaluator
Jeff Summers, Cohasset Conservation Agent, addressed the board about taking a course in soil evaluation
so he can get certified.The guidelines for taking the test are very specific. Mr.Summers would need a letter
signed from the Board of Health allowing him to take the soil evaluation course as part of the Board of
Health.The Board recommended Mr. Summer compose a letter for the boards review.
APPROVED
8:00 P.M. Start School Later
Lynn Doxey asked to put Start School Later on the agenda tonight to continue the discussion from the March
20, 2018 meeting. Ms. Doxey would like the board to take a vote tonight since no vote was made at the last
meeting. Maura Shari, co-chairman for Start School Later Cohasset, reviewed research and information to
the board from the March 20th meeting.
MOTION BY: Lynn Doxey motioned to make a resolution that the Board of Health supports a later
school start time based on the recommendations from the medical community.
SECONDED BY: Dr. Lawrence
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIED
8:12 P.M. Approve Meeting Minutes from April 24, 2018 Meeting
MOTION BY. Lynn Doxey to approve the April 24, 2018 meeting minutes
SECONDED BY: Dr. Lawrence
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIED
8:13 P.M. Approved the Warrant— Members signed the Warrant for 5/2/18 to 5/25/18
8:15 P.M. Set Next Meeting Date Tuesday June 19, 2018 at 7:OOP.M.
8:17 P.M Public Health Nurse Report
Materials used for this agenda item: Public Health Nurse April 2018 Reports (See attached).
The Public Health Nurse reviewed the report for the Board.
8:27 P.M. Chairpersons Report- None
8:28 P.M. Public Health Agent Report
Materials used for this agenda item: Public Health Agent May 2018 report (see attached)
Pam Fahey reviewed all items in her report.
• Food: Ms. Fahey continues to approve Farmers Market, SS Arts Festival, and Triathlon permits in
the month of May. Atlantica still has food violations. The chefs/staff are not labeling food properly
and not disposing of expired food. Additional inspections will be performed until Atlantica is
completely in compliance.
• Pools: Ms. Fahey met with Dan Cantelli, certified pool operator, at the Red Lion Inn. Violations
from last July were reviewed some violations were removed and some were added. Ms. Fahey will
return when all violations have been addressed in order for Red Lion to receive there pool permit.
• Cohasset Safe Harbor Coalition: Ms. Fahey oversees Nicole Garrity and Chris Colleran who are two
full time employees hired by the Town of Cohasset earlier this year to carry out the Cohasset Safe
Harbor Coalition. Their mission is to educate, encourage healthy, and responsible choices about
drugs and alcohol use
• Beach Testing: Weekly beach testing began May 29, 2018
MOTION BY: To adjourn meeting at 8:50 PM
SECONDED BY: Lynn Doxey
VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIED