MINUTES OF MEETING
SHARON BOARD OF HEALTH
February 14, 2011
A meeting of the Sharon Board of Health was held on Monday, February 14, 2011, beginning at 7:30 PM at the Sharon Town Office Building. In attendance were Stan Rosen, Vice-Chair, Andrew Stead, Jay Schwab, and Ed Welch. Jim Andrews, Health Agent for Engineering, was also present.
Stan Rosen stated he had hoped that this would be the last meeting he would chair (as vice-chair). However, since one member was not present and, by tradition the Board does not vote for officers unless all members are in attendance, the Board will defer voting for chair and vice chair. He stated the Board hopes to have an election at the next meeting - to be held on March 7th.
Water Department Proposal
Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer, presented the water department proposal for a tight tank for planned sanitary facilities at the Sharon Water Department facility on Upland Road. He was present seeking a verbal ok from BOH to go forward with plans.
There are 9 employees who worked at this location, which has no restroom. He reviewed various options which had been reviewed, none of which were feasible or practical: including a Clivus toilet; incinerating toilet; portable toilets, etc.
He recommended the installation of a 2500 gallon seamless (monolithic) concrete holding tank
in the parking lot in front of the building; estimate of $4000 for the tank; will do the work inhouse. There will be both a visible and audible alarm.
Peter O’Cain had spoken to DEP about the proposal. He will have to file with DEP following the findings of the BOH. DEP will allow the town to do the approval.
Stan Rosen expressed the Board’s general agreement to go forward with the plans. Peter O’Cain will provide Jim Andrews with a plan....which Jim will show the BOH.
Miscellaneous issues
Stan Rosen explained that, in accordance with prior discussion of the Board, other items on the agenda will again be deferred pending the presence of a full board.
PHER grants...Region 4A
Linda Callan, Administrative Assistant, provided a presentation on grant funds available to the Sharon Board of Health through Region 4A (Emergency Planning).
Stan Rosen asked for update on any grants provided to the Board of Health. He stated that the last update the Board had received was from Sheila Miller in July 2010...and that, at that time, there were no specifics available about funds to be provided....how they would be made available, etc. Linda Callan reported that there has been a communication problem from Region 4A in providing such information to the Board chairs. She stated she was not knowledgeable of the total amount of funds, but was just here to speak of the $8000 in PHER grant funds. Stan Rosen stated that he would ask Sheila Miller to provide the BOH with information on all grant funds available: how much, what they are to be used for, deadlines, etc.
Andrew Stead noted that he had contacted Linda Callan and had learned that there is about $1750 in some grant fund available to the Board for training purposes. Linda Callan stated that the $1750 is a PHEP grant that Sharon needs to spend down.....and that Sheila is working on that.
Linda Callan reviewed that there is $8000 in PHER grant funds available specifically for pandemic flu.....of which she recently became aware. She stated that, for probably 6 months or so, the Region has been discussing the possible use of these funds for the purchase of Ipads for the local Boards of Health...mainly for pandemic flu usage. At the last Region 4A meeting,
she discussed the proposed Ipad usage in more detail with Dr. Sam Wong of Hudson Board of Health and Chair of Region 4A. Hudson has been using a preregistration system for flu clinics for a couple of years now....and the Ipads would assist in this effort. The hope is to become a paperless clinic..with clients inputting all their insurance and other information prior to clinic, printing out a barcode which would then be the only paperwork they would need to bring to the clinic. (For Flumist administration, however, there is additional information required.) In addition, funds would hopefully be used by the Region to develop software to expedite preregistration. Linda also noted that the Ipads could be used within the Health office for recording of blood pressure data, etc., replacing the card system
now used.
Stan Rosen expressed concern that people would be more hesitant to provide all their personal details online prior to the clinic. Linda Callan stated that we would have to educate people to do this.....and this would make our clinics more efficient with the use of the technology.
Linda Callan proposed the Board of Health purchase 6 Ipads with the grant funds...to be used in the office on a day to day basis...as well as at flu clinics. There is a deadline of March 1st to request purchases through the region. Alternatively we would hand back the $8000 grant for the region to work on program to be used for pre-registration (which we then wouldn’t be able to utilize). She stated that, as technology improves, this may become a mandatory process.
She would also like to purchase a small wireless printer and one netbook. Some or all of these funds may be able to come out of the grant money as well.
Jay Schwab stated that this is not a big expenditure....most funds would come from the grant money.... to make the existing system more efficient. Andy Stead asked about the purchase of a bar code reader. Linda Callan responded that the region will provide that. She estimated that the amount of time she now spends on billing following clinics will be reduced by 90%.
Stan Rosen restated that, apparently, some grant funds have been made available to the Board of Health, but the BOH is unaware of what they are...and is just now being told decisions must be made within two weeks.
VOTED: (Rosen/Schwab) unanimously to accept the $8000 in PHER grant funds and to utilize as proposed.
Sharon Commons permits.
Per Jim Andrews, permits for both the residential and commercial (which was renewed for one year) aspects have now expired. The applicants will need to come back to the BOH for both permits.
Purchase plans
The Board reviewed a request for approval of a purchase through Moore Medical from Sheila Miller. She submitted the request to the BOH in accordance with the BOH policy recently established because the total was over $500. Stan Rosen stated that he did not believe it was the intent of the BOH to pre-approve such purposes; but that purchase of any individual item over the amount of $500 should go to the Board. He suggested the policy be revised to clarify.
VOTED: (Rosen/Schwab) unanimously that the BOH policy #21 be revised to clarify the Board’s intent: “ The Board of Health must pre-approve any expenditure for a single item over $500 - whether paid via grant funds or town funds - before the expenditure is made.”
Planning Board invitation
The Board reviewed the request by the Planning Board to attend their meeting on March 2nd. Ed Welch expressed concern about members attending this meeting AS the BOH...but suggested that individuals attend as private citizens. Stan Rosen stated that he would not attend the meeting if Suzi Peck chooses to attend, along with Andy Stead who had agreed to attend.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 PM.
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