001Uh, good evening. I'd like to call the April 15th meeting of the Ashland Board of Health to order. Um, the first thing on our agenda is citizen participation. Do we have anybody for citizen participation? Seeing none, uh the next thing on our agenda um is the annual Mary Mortonson public health award presentation. Um just some brief things. Um so Mary Mortonson was a longtime board of health member for many years here in Ashland. Um this award was created eight years ago. Um this is in recognition of Mary's contributions to public health and her contributions to the town of Ashland. Um some of Mary's um accomplishments. I actually have a large list. Um but I want to just highlight some of the more important ones. Um uh Mary was one of Ashland's first female call firefighters
002working on the department from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s. Um she started the annual bingo bingo night over 30 years ago which serves as the fire department's biggest fundraiser. Um Mary was a board of health member assisting in creating local regulations to prevent our youth and community members um for the head head concussions uh pesticide regulations food management regulations. She's assisted with D in reshaping the House Street landfill and following compliance. She's created the Sharps program, including obtaining grants for purchases of containers. Um, and for many years, she worked with the board of health as a volunteer nurse during um H1N1 vac and ran H1 vac H1N1 vaccine clinics and flu clinics as well of as well as helping patients throughout the community. Um the list would go on and on the things
003that Mary did. Um and I this year's awards going to be is being awarded to the Ashland Emergency Fund which was one thing that Mary also worked with. Um and I just want to give a little brief history of the um Ashland Emergency Fund. Um, in 1987, B Montenegro, Department of Public Safety Director, and Rick Galani, a town select board member, placed a wishing well at the Sunnyside Cafe to collect money on behalf of Ashland's town folk in need. When they had collected about $150 in change, they brought it to Isabelle Harrison, the town's youth advisory director and de facto social services officer. It took Isabelle about 10 seconds to thank them and another 20 minutes to point out that the $150, while very welcome, was just a drop in the bucket when compared to
004the realistic need that could be found in Ashland at the time. With Isabelle's lecture in mind, Ben, John Ellsworth, and five other concerned citizens founded the Ashlin Emergency Fund. In the 35 years since, the fund has collected and dispersed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Ashland citizens in need. So again, this year's Mary Mortonson awards going to be awarded to the um Ashland Emergency Fund and um you are going to read the proclamation. I will read the proclamation. Thanks Ed. Uh, so this is the board of health proclamation. Whereas the Ashlin board of health in honor of our longtime board of health member Mary Penny Mortonson has established an annual award in her name. And whereas the Ashlin Board of Health will present annually the Mary Penny Mortonson Public Health Award to deserving a deserving
005community member or group by nomination and a vote of the board. And whereas the Ashlin Emergency Fund was founded in 1987 thanks to the concern and compassion of residents Isabelle Harrison, John Ellsworth, Rick Galani, Ben Montenegro, Jim and Denise Eddie, Jim and Lorraine Hickeyi, and Chris Patadelis, sorry, Papadelis, thank you. who recognized there were many needs in the town and sought for a way to help their fellow residents during times of hardship and adversity. And whereas the Ashen Emergency Fund since its founding has given over $3 million in emergency financial support to over 250 members of the Ashlin community who were in need of assistance. needs ranging from putting food on the table to housing and utility assistance to help with medical expenses to getting through personal traumatic events. And whereas the Ashen Emergency Fund
006in 2024 bought Thanksgiving meals for 131 families and provided $170,16646 in assistance, more than they had ever provided to a single uh in a single year during their 37-year history. And whereas the Ashen Emergency Fund relies entirely on donations and grants to provide the assistance that they do, 100% of donations are distributed by volunteers to those in need. Mary Penny Mortonson started Friday Night Bingo and Ashton Fire Department fundraiser which for many years raised funds and support for the Ashen Emergency Fund. And now therefore, we the board of health for the town of Ashton do hereby recognize and honor the Ashton Emergency Fund. As this year's recipient of the Mary Mortonson Public Health Award, we urge all residents to make known their appreciation for the volunteers who make up the Ashen Emergency Fund as well
007as those who have generously donated to the Ashen Emergency Fund. We wish all good health and good fortune. Thank you very much. So, we will be pres So, we do have some members from the um National Emergency Fund here that will present the award to them up at the podium. Do you want to do that? Yeah. Who's you all coming up or Yep. Room for all. So, also it it's recognized on our the plaque that sits outside the board of health office here at town hall. Um, and the proclamation I will issue to the board, your board on behalf of our board. Welcome. including Isabelle Harrison, one of the founders. Y thank you very much. Yes, I do know. Um, so also, um, one of Mary's daughters, Susan Roby, is here and she's gonna come
008up and say a few words. You're ready. Hey, I don't know how to follow up on everything you guys already said. Yeah, I already covered it all, but I just wanted to say that the Ashlin Emergency Fund was near and dear to both of my parents. Um, so I think it's very appropriate and she is probably very happy knowing that they are being recognized. They do so much in the community and when she knew that there was a need for funding, she was all about coming up with the solution and that's when the bingo um came to be. So I just want to say congratulations. It couldn't have gone to a better group. Thank you. Thank you. All right. You're not saying anything. All right. So, yeah. So, we're going to take um a short
009break um because we'd like to take some pictures and then we'll start our meeting again. Done. Oh, sorry. Anybody on the um Zoom want to say anything? We got all mutes. Is some Can you try to unmute me? Isabelle. I asked her. All right. Is uh Isabelle try to unmute now. I I said asked. Yeah, she's want to call me. Still muted. Unmuted. Dian, there we go. There we go. Isabelle. Yes. Go ahead. Yes. Go ahead, Isabelle. There was nothing on Zoom I could hear nor see anything until just almost when Susan came up to the mic. Is there anything you want to say about emergency mic? Sorry. Isabelle, is there anything else you want to say? So, we'll take um uh a short break and then I'll get some pictures and well, then we'll
010restart our meeting. So I'm going to restart our board of health meeting and the next thing on our agenda is the health director's agenda report. Thank you chief. Uh so the first thing is about the food establishments. Uh Milport Rest Home. Uh there is a new owner. Uh we found this out uh during a routine inspection couple of weeks back. uh they have then since since then submitted uh the application for the for for the food handling there but we're still missing some certifications from them. Uh so we'll update the board on that. Uh pizza mine had a better inspection from from last time. Uh they are also still we are still waiting for a couple of items from them. Uh one is the allegence certificate and I guess there is one or two items
011still pending. Basil America that's next to pizza mine. They we it has come to our attention that they have closed the operations uh probably due to the development coming uh coming there uh but in in but they have left some trash and some equipment outside we're trying to work with them reaching out to the owner to clear that so that's there uh green up is coming May 3rd uh first Saturday if you can please join any of the board members or you know public want to join us uh uh for the green update um a national drug takeback day that's on Saturday 26th September handled by Ashland Police Department. Uh the only role we'll be playing will be just uh clearing the drugs out of the drug box at the community center before the event
012and after the event. Update on the housing cases. We have a housing case at 116 Fountain Street from last time that we have closed because they have gained compliance. uh 137 Elliot Street. This is another housing case we had. I we discussed last time. Uh the letters we sent you to the owner of the property for for the violations has come back. Um both both the regular mail and and the certified mail has come back to us and we'll we'll look at other options you know trying to find the contact information of the owner and we'll send back the letters to them. Uh we have picked up couple of uh uh a couple of trash complaints. Uh one is at uh 28 conquered state uh that today because of non-compliance after a week I have
013to give a $100 citation this morning and then we have another trash complaint at the dumpster area at 56 conquered steel that we have issued the order to crack collector today. Regarding the accessory dwelling units, ADUs, just before the meeting, I have I have sent the board uh an update from DP that we was long waiting. They have now issued guidance on on the ADUs that we can we can table it for next week, right? Um next next board meeting if we need to discuss that or if the any board members have any questions on that, uh please please let me know. I'm happy to answer that. Uh Boston Marathon is coming next week uh next Monday. So we'll be setting up two shelters uh one at middle school, one at high school. As usual,
014Dr. J if can join please, you know, and then we have uh folks from Red Cross coming. We might have our one or two of our nurses also joining me there. uh with open gob uh we still working with with the with the team on developing the inspectional software uh and we are that that we are working on uh still uh it's in the development phase but we already have our permitting uh software ready with open golf with the disease investigations uh from last time we met we we picked up a case one case of salmonella uh one case of compilactor and uh other than that we have three to four TB cases that we're currently working on and I'm open for any questions from the wood. I had a few questions. So So did
015you say pizza mine is closing? No. Uh it it's the Basil America. There was a store next to Okay, I know what you're talking about. Yeah, that's closing. Okay, that's actually closed. So, but uh last inspection we had was a bad inspection, right? So, but it was it was probably the owner have given him them notice to vacate. So, based on that they they have closed there's some equipment sitting up in the front of the store and there's some trash in the back that we're trying to address with with the owner. Got it. Um, as far as ADUs, I um I know you had sent something out before this meeting. Are are there people here residents that are interested in that at this point? Dr. J, there are a couple of we have a couple
016of queries. you know there's definitely one was definitely interested to start the process you know I guess it's on Wilbur drive if I'm not wrong I I can uh check on that but yes they there was uh queries that people are interested to put the edus in and uh the the guidance from D who is waiting because who is not sure uh the septic systems are going to be dealt with because the the bill that came right from the governor's office that didn't had any any clarity on on the septic system and that because of that D have now issued the guidance. Right. Okay. Um and then the last thing is um we can talk about this offline if you want but in for the the marathon setup um if I'm at the high school
017again just wondering if somebody could run the kit over to the high school um that would be good but if they can't I'll just come over like like we've done in the past. Yes, Dr. J. I'll again I'll communicate with you right hopefully I get the credentials and the kits beforehand right uh I just had a text with uh Mr. Richard right at the PD uh he usually get the stuff right uh Mr. rigs, right? So, if I if I get it beforehand, I'll definitely have it uh to you, right? Otherwise, we'll coordinate that morning. Okay. Okay. And if if you can't, don't worry about it. Absolutely. Okay. Thank you. Anybody else? All right. So, the uh next thing is the consent agenda. Uh review and approve the fisc year 25 year-to- date budget report
018and review and approve the meeting minutes from April 1st, 2025. Do I have a motion? Yep. I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda as written. I'll second. And all in favor? I. Okay, that's approved. Uh discussion future agenda items. The external grease trap waiverss uh 12 Oak Tree Lane. Should I go? Yeah, thank you. So, still again still waiting from our DPW to clear clear the grease up waiver. This is this is an item they they let us know if there's any issues with any of the you know grease apps you know then then we we bring it front of the board. We're still waiting from them. 12 vote relay in uh uh still pending with the conservation you know once we have clearance from them uh we'll we'll bring this on agenda.
019We're still in still waiting for their clearance. Thank you. All right. So, our next meeting is going to be on May 6th. Um, and that is all the things we have on our agenda tonight. And I will look for a motion to adjurnn. So, May 6, are we have we agreed that that will be in person? In person. Yes. Okay. Um, so that'll be yes recorded on the next uh meeting minutes because it on this the other meeting minutes we had that we weren't we were going to table it. So So Laura, can you do that? Perfect. Okay. All right. Thanks. And can I get a motion to adjurnn? Sure. Motion to adjurnn. I'll second it. Great. All in favor? I Good night everyone. Good night.