BOARD OF HEALTH
Robert M. Eisendrath, M.D., Chair
Donna S. David, R.N., M.N., Vice-Chair*
David B. Alper, D.P.M.
STAFF
Donna Moultrup, R.N., C.H.O., Director
Ellen O’Doherty, Administrative Assistant & Clerk of the Board
Patrick McCormack, M.P.H., Sanitarian
John Maguranis, Animal Control Officer
Lynda Graham-Meho, Tobacco Control Program Director**
Janet Amdur, LICSW, Outreach Worker
Ann Marie Thistle, R.N., Public Health Nurse
Disease prevention and health promotion are the primary goals of the Health Department, and are overseen by a three member elected Board of Health. State and federal departments of health mandate certain activities and suggest others based on research and national statistics. The Guidebook for Boards of Health guides local officials in mandated and suggested activities, considering local conditions and available resources. The Board of Health held nine hearings this year: two for food violations, three for tobacco violations, three for animal control violations and one neighborhood meeting concerning actions of a plating company.
Food sanitation is one of the most important activities of the Health Department because of the potential for serious food borne illness. The annual food service seminar focused on violations that were frequently seen during inspections and the choke-saving workshop was well attended. One retail store did lose its license to sell potentially hazardous food such as dairy products due to multiple violations involving expired products.
There are approximately 80 food service establishments in Town, including retail food stores, restaurants, catering establishments, bakeries and schools. Between one and three inspections are done at each of those establishments throughout the year depending on the relative risk of the operation and their level of compliance. Ice cream trucks, mobile food trucks, church halls and temporary food services add approximately thirty additional inspections. A total of 226 inspections were done this year. One new restaurant opened; three establishments re-opened after renovations were completed and with new management; three additional establishments were renovated and two closed.
The Health Department, under the authority of the State Sanitary Code, 105 CMR 410.000 Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation, responds to residents' complaints concerning possible health and safety violations in rental housing. After an inspection is done, an Order Letter is written to the property owner. The Health Department frequently facilitates negotiations between tenants and landlords, so that violations can be corrected as quickly as possible. Cases are occasionally resolved after court intervention. There were 16 new housing complaints during this year, one of which involved lead paint.
In addition to housing complaints, the Department responded to approximately 106 nuisance complaints that included inappropriate garbage/rubbish storage and disposal, air quality concerns, electric sanding, rodent problems and general safety issues. The Department is also responsible for inspecting the 3 tanning salons, 7 day camps, 11 swimming pools at 5 sites, 5 muscular therapy establishments and the air quality at the municipal ice rink. Although the Board of Health promulgated Body Art regulations in 2001, there are no establishments in Town currently.
The Health Department continued its efforts to mitigate noise and odor complaints associated with a plating company in Town. Inspections and order letters from State agencies such as the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority and the Environmental Protection Agency were coordinated so that there was an organized effort to bring the company's operations into compliance. The project will be ongoing in 2003.
The Board of Health is responsible for subsurface sewerage systems in the Town, under the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) regulations, commonly known as "Title 5." There were three connections to Town sewer, replacing old septic systems. There were two replacements of septic systems due to a home renovation and one home replacement. Soil testing was done at one residence in anticipation of a new system.
Belmont is a "delegated community" of the Office of Child Care Services, and as such, licenses the group day care, nursery school and after-school programs in the Town. There are 12 day-care and nursery school programs in the Town, and six after-school programs located in the public schools. The Health Department is responsible for licensing these programs every two years and for complaint investigations. Family day care homes, both regular programs with no more than six children and large family day care with no more than ten children, are licensed directly by the Office of Child Care Services.
The Board of Health contracts with Care Group Home Care for nursing services at Town-sponsored clinics. A blood pressure clinic is offered on the first Wednesday each month at the Belmont Library. 38 residents were vaccinated against pneumonia at four clinics in November and December at the Senior Center. Belmont received only 640 doses of flu vaccine this year from the State. Two clinics were planned and advertisements stated that the amount of vaccine was less than in other years. It is believed that due to that information, and a huge number of privately sponsored clinics, only 415 doses of vaccine were distributed through Health Department sponsored clinics. Due to State budget cuts, flu vaccine may not be provided to Health Departments at all in 2003. The Public Health Nurse completed 34 communicable
disease investigations.
For the ninth year, the Tobacco Control Program continued to provide services and support to the community until the funding, provided by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, was completely discontinued in September. The Tobacco Program Director's last day was October 4th. Prior to the program ending, the Director, in cooperation with the School nurses, presented the lung health and tobacco prevention education program, "Breathing Easy," to all of the third grade students. Three tobacco sales compliance checks had been conducted prior to the end of the program with five tickets being written for violations. One establishment had its license revoked due to multiple violations. The Health Department hopes to continue the compliance checks and the third grade anti-smoking program
despite the budget cuts.
This year was the first full year of having a full-time Animal Control Officer on duty and there was regular patrolling of parks and conservation areas. It also coincided with a resident movement to create a "dog park" so that there would be at least one area in Town where dogs could run off-leash. This project will extend into 2003 and may be addressed at Town Meeting in the spring. There were three dog hearings held before the Board of Health due to barking issues, with one case being referred to the Board of Selectmen. The Board of Selectmen also ordered the kennel, used by the Health Department to impound animals, to build a noise barrier due to resident complaints. A resident committee was formed to investigate the issue of barking dogs and their report will be completed in 2003. An agreement was
negotiated with the Town of Watertown so that both towns can call on the other for emergency animal control services.
Most animals impounded by the Animal Control Officer are eventually re-united with their owners; unclaimed animals are available for adoption. There were 12 Belmont residents bitten by animals, 2 animals bitten by another identified animal, and 17 animals were found to have bites of unknown origin. Two specimens were sent to the State Lab for rabies testing and both were negative. Belmont participated in the statewide rabies clinic day that will be held on the first Saturday of April each year. There was also a fall rabies clinic with a total of 68 animals vaccinated against rabies at Health Department sponsored clinics.
The Health Department's Administrative Assistant again facilitated the elementary school dental program. The Kindergarten classrooms were supplied with materials for four units on dental health during a specific month assigned to each school. Books, tooth models, plays, videos and other materials to be shared are delivered to each school at the beginning of its "Dental Health Month." Dr. Jolle Hami again volunteered her time in the classrooms, which was greatly appreciated.
The Outreach Worker's office was moved out of the school buildings in the fall of this year. The Health Department hopes to establish a good network of both referrals and resources over this current school year. The Outreach Worker continues to follow students who have been in the program from both the Chenery Middle School and the High School. Both student and parent groups are being formed this year. Cooperation with other human service providers in the Town to provide a comprehensive network of services to all residents is the ultimate goal of this program.
Belmont continues its participation in the Minuteman Hazardous Products Facility located in Lexington. Eight towns comprise the core group operating the facility, although many other towns are able to send residents with either the town or the resident paying the fee. It was also open to small businesses again this year, and the Health Department did send information to possible small quantity generators identified in the community. Belmont continues to pre-register through the Health Department office to insure that the program stays within its budget. 273 households, an average of 34 at each collection, participated from Belmont, which is approximately 5.8% of the total participation. Each of the last three years, more than one hundred Belmont residents visited the site for the first time. The site will
be open a total of eight Saturdays, April through November, in 2003.
Belmont is one of 20 cities and towns that comprise the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project. It has been in existence since 1946 with Belmont being one of the original five towns. Each city and town contributes funds towards the overall maintenance and administration of the District and then additional funds cover specific services provided to each community. Mosquito control specific to Belmont includes adult mosquito surveillance by trapping, helicopter Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis) application in a small area of Beaverbrook Reservation, and catchbasin larval control. Because the land area of Belmont is quite small, one benefit of the Town's support of the District is the mosquito control activities actually carried out in adjacent towns with large areas of wetlands.
The threat of West Nile Virus, carried primarily by container-breeding mosquitoes, continues to dramatically affect the workload of the Health Department. Dead crows with no signs of trauma were sent to the State lab to be tested for the virus, July through September. The criteria for testing dead birds became stricter this year, which ultimately decreased the numbers submitted. There were 86 calls to the Health Department about dead birds; thirteen of those birds were suitable specimens for testing and six were positive. There was one resident diagnosed with West Nile Virus in October. All catch basins were larvicided this year in early July with Altosid and again in August with either Altosid or Vectolex by Health Department and Highway Department staff. The Nuisance Regulations were changed to include the
appropriate storage of tires and two commercial establishments received tickets for violations. West Nile Virus is expected to continue to be a threat in the summer and fall months.
Bioterrorism preparedness was a very important aspect of the Health Department's work this year. The Health Department is a member of the (LEPC) Local Emergency Planning Committee, which started meeting and is concentrating on procedures for hazardous materials' incidents in the Town. Belmont is a member of the State's Region 4B for purposes of assessing the Town's needs and planning for specific bioterrorism incidents. The Health Department is also working on its own plan for handling a possible flu pandemic. Most of this year has been devoted to discussion and organization. More concrete steps are expected to be taken in 2003.
Cable TV and the local newspaper continued to be used to share information concerning programs, clinics and health education. The Action for the Community Elderly (A.C.E.) Committee continues to provide opportunities for representatives of agencies serving the elderly in Belmont to network and offer support to each other. Participation in the Massachusetts Health Officers' Association (MHOA), the Massachusetts Environmental Health Association (MEHA) and the Massachusetts Associated Health Boards (MAHB) helps insure that the Department has the most current information for Belmont's residents.
Belmont's Board of Health received a Public Health Leadership Award, "in recognition of the . . . outstanding record of achievement in public health promotion and disease prevention," at the Massachusetts Associated Health Boards' Board of Health Recognition Day at the State House, Boston, on April 25th.
Finally, the staff and Board members would like to thank the other Town departments, boards and commissions for their support and assistance throughout the year. Special thanks goes to the Highway Department staff for help with the larviciding in both 2001 and 2002.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna L. Moultrup, RN, CHO
*Donna David was re-elected to her fourth term in April.
**Lynda Graham-Meho was laid off due to State Tobacco Grant cuts in October.
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