Minutes of Meeting
May 14, 2007
A meeting of the Sharon Board of Health was called to order on May 14, 2007, at 7:40 P.M., in the Sharon Town Office Building, with the following members in attendance: Anne Bingham, Chair; Vice-Chair, Suzi Peck, Elizabeth Barnett, and Jay Schwab.
Fees.....plan review
BOH discussed establishing fees for review of plans/initial site inspections of new establishments requiring licensing by the Board of Health. Linda Rosen presented results of a survey of area communities, and suggested fees for plan review of various establishments under BOH jurisdiction. Fees must represent the estimated cost of providing the review service.
VOTED: (Bingham/Barnett) Bingham, Barnett, Peck, and Schwab to schedule a public hearing to discuss these proposed fees.
Hearing - 29 Harold Street
Mr. and Mrs. Winter of 29 Harold Street presented their request for confirmation by BOH that their house, located in the groundwater protection district, is defined as a 3 bedroom home. They have a 3 bedroom septic system...upgraded in 2000 and passed Title 5 inspection. The house was used by the prior owner as a 2 bedroom...and the Assessors’ card indicated it is a 2 bedroom house.
The Winters will require ZBA approval to expand the house. They want to eliminate the bedroom on the first floor — leave it as an open room — and add a third bedroom on top of the first floor addition. The Board determined there is no variance required...just confirmation from the BOH that the house is designed as a 3 bedroom home. .
VOTED (Bingham/Peck) Bingham, Peck, Barnett, and Schwab voted to send a letter to the ZBA confirming that the system for 29 Harold Street was installed in 2000 as a 3 bedroom system. Also, by BOH definition, the house is a three bedroom home....as long as the playroom on the first floor is designed so that it no longer meets the Boh definition of a bedroom. They can have three bedrooms upstairs. A deed restriction will be required. BOH recommends that, if and when any plumbing fixtures are replaced, toilets, showerheads, and washing machines should be low flow.
Stanley Rosen joined the meeting at this point.
Herb Chambers Lexus Dealership: Well Variance Request
Atty. Joel Fishman and a representative of Well Water Connection, Inc. were present to apply for a landscape well. They are aware they would need to abide by the same watering restrictions as everyone else in town. All well applications for any Zone II need to come to BOH (Chambers is in Walpole’s Zone II ).
Also present was an abutter to the property, John McSweeney, to express concern for his private drinking water well. He stated he has had problems with his water filters allegedly due to construction of the dealership. There are only 2 homes in the area with onsite private wells. The Well Water Connection representative stated he though the filters looked like they had silt. He stated that silt can travel a distance...and that it would be difficult to trace the origin of the material. He further noted that installation of the well would be by a narrow 6" diameter hole straight down — done in such a way that it doesn’t disrupt. Anne Bingham asked the applicants for a locus map....to see location of proposed well.......difference between this well and McSweeney’s well.
They asked that Herb Chambers consider this concern. Mr. Fishman noted that there has been no blasting; most of the construction is completed. In addition, Stan Rosen asked that the applicant communicate with the Walpole Health Agent about this matter — and ascertain whether or not Walpole has regulations re irrigation wells.
The applicants will return on June 4th.
Animal permit request: Roselyn Farren -
Ms. Farren was present to request an animal permit for 5-7 hens at her recently purchased home
on 15 Maple Avenue. Ed Little was present to support her request.
VOTED: (Rosen/Barnett)unanimously to grant an animal permit for 5-7 hens to Ms. Farren for 15 Maple Avenue.
Dr. And Mrs. Teplitz....30 Sturges Road
Dr. And Mrs. Teplitz of 30 Sturges Road were present to express concerns about migratory geese potentially bringing avian flu. They had located a next of geese near their property and had hoped that Geesepeace could addle(oil) the eggs.....only to learn that Geesepeace is no longer in Sharon. They expressed concerns about their own property and the lake in general. They were also concerned about a neighbor who feeds the geese on a daily basis.
The Board discussed developing a regulation/bylaw against feeding waterfowl. Linda Rosen will research.
Also.....to ask Marshall Bradstreet to check the status of the depridation license (to oil eggs); Anne Bingham believed it had lapsed.
VOTED: (Bingham/Barnett) unanimously to send a letter to the neighbor notifying him that feeding the geese, a disease vector, is a public health nuisance (Ch. 111, S 144 of MGL).
Tobacco Control program
The BOH discussed Sheila Miller’s request to reimburse a town employee for co-payments for anti-smoking medication, with funds provided from DPH Tobacco Control Program which the BOH receives after conducting tobacco compliance checks. Stan Rosen stated that we should not allow employees to obtain whatever anti-smoking drugs they want; furthermore he felt there should be a specific proposal made to the BOH. The Board agreed that this should not be done on an ad hoc basis — must be open to all employees — program should be set up. Stan Rosen suggested that nicotine patches should be provided rather than oral medication.
VOTED: (Rosen/Bingham) unanimously to decline to authorize the request for reimbursement of the co-payment for anti-smoking medication.
Suzi Peck asked that approval of the minutes be postponed to the next meeting. Jay Schwab expressed concern that there are items repeatedly listed on the agenda which the BOH doesn’t get to address in a timely manner. It was agreed to begin all appointments at 8 PM, in order to attempt to get some business items addressed at the beginning of future meetings.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 P.M.
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