001uh good evening everyone I'd like to call the March 4th 2025 um Board of Health meeting to order um so the first thing on our agenda is we'd like to welcome Maurice cner as our new member of the Board of Health Maurice um Maurice I know we have a lot of people that um are on from home if you want to just say a few words hi um morrice um very excited to get started with the Board of Health um I've been an Ashland resident for a long time and um very happy to have an opportunity to give back a little to the town and offer my my service welcome welcome Maurice thanks for joining us um the next thing the next thing on our agenda is um citizen participation do I have anybody that
002wants to do any s citizen participation go ahead Mark hey even Marky 119 Main Street welcome to the crew there Maurice hope hope you have a good hope hope you be patient enough to be with us and be happy together is it is a good group um through the chairman to Roger want to ask him a question if it's okay go ahead Mark okay R uh R keep saying R um I hear I heard that the vaccinations are back for the uh the flu vaccines is that true Mr Mark can you repeat that the flu vaccine vaccinations is that um true that that is back being being being done we we we we have flu vaccines if you're asking that that yes we we do have at at the health department level also and then
003we have we have a tie up with a pharmacy uh called pin Hill Pharmacy in shuran that we've been doing clinics with but if you need need a flu vaccine we have it in in stock here at the the department I need was is making making sure people haven't had yet here that um it is it is still in town that they can come to the town hall to get that that that's true so we we have clinics Wednesday and Thursdays that are public health nurses here and we we do have flu vaccines yes yeah that's it thank you yeah thank you yeah thanks Mark um so the next thing on our agenda is a septic variance for 12 Oak Tree Lane uh do we have anybody on for that u m Chief you know
004so they didn't get uh clearance from comcom so we have to put it to the next meeting you know so uh I'll bring it back on the agenda once once they are on you know okay so that's going to be tabled due to con con that is correct yes okay great um next thing on the agenda is 61 Waverly Street 40b application request from zba for comments um so good evening we're going to resume the Board of Health meeting at 6:16 um the next thing on the agenda was the 61 Waverly Street 40b application request from the ZB a for comments Raj do you can you guide us on this yes Chief so what has happened this this was back in June 2024 right we from the Board of Health we have submitted nine comments
005for for the developer right uh this month they came back and sub submitted an application so uh the public meeting to my understanding is not set up yet but uh uh the zba have asked comments from board and committees you know if we have as I mentioned I we had we have submitted nine comments earlier I will share it with the board you know because Mr moris is new you know but this this we submitted in June 2024 but again if any board member have any other comments if they want to say it now or they want to email it to us we we we can put that uh forward in our comments you so just just little bit more on the project it's a 40b project uh at 61 baverly streate it's a five
006story building that's going to have 22 226 units uh and 25% of it it is going to be affordable and and this is the one it's like across from the high school right it's that land in between 135 and the high school that is correct so yes and all right okay so really there's nothing for us at this point right correct I mean there was there was some comment that that time you know that the board decided right that was sent to me and I have forward it to the to the to the developer you know at that time through through through through our zba all right so I guess we'll wait for more on that um for comments right and if any any board member have it you know please send it to our
007way you know and we'll will'll we'll put it forward to you okay thank you all right um so the next thing on the agenda is the mary mortensson public health award um this is a a discussion so we've received um two um recommendations we'll call them at this point um does anybody want to have a discussion um any comments kind of open it up the floor here so tonight is just for commenting are we still collecting nominations Raj so uh Dr J up to the board again yes I guess you know till we decide we we can or you know um at our last meeting Jay we had talked about you know keeping the nominations open till March 1 yeah and we would discuss it at our next meeting okay guess then we we we
008should not be collecting any any more nominations right we passed pass March 1 right thank you thank you Chief yeah yes um did anybody have did everybody have an opportunity to read the two nominations I did um yeah so I'll just comment on you know um the one of the um recommendations was to um do the award to the um Ashland emergency fund and my my just personal opinion I kind of liked that idea you know doing it to a group that's been in town for quite a long time and to recognize them um and then also by by doing that you know we bring that emergency fund to light you maybe to more residents that don't even know about it and you know just that was just my thoughts yes that makes sense yeah
009I I agree with you Ed and and Barbara I so this was the nomination from Brandy Kinsman um from the select board I wasn't really even aware of the Aston emergency fund uh prior to this I had heard about it but never really looked into it until this and um and I I did just a little bit of digging and it it's really impressive um uh and I I like the strong nomination from Brandy so I yes know kind of kind of partial to to this nomination I guess you know and you know and we did have the other nomination too right I mean um but again you know um this is just an opportunity for us to recognize a group and then maybe to also you know when you know when we do the
010presentation you know I thought this was a great opportunity um again you know I don't want to repeat myself but for other residents in Ashland who might be in need that don't even know about it but then an opportunity for other our some of our other residents to get involved whether to be you know to join their group or to you know maybe to make donations to that group that would help the Great good of Ashland yeah I agree I will um I I I feel the same way the the uh the ashon emergency fund is certainly a an important um benefactor and organization for the community um I think it would be remiss though if we didn't at least discuss um kisten Kern's nomination since it seems uh you know she's also um has
011quite a quite an impact in the community um through her work with uh with decisions at every turn and and as a um you know a jail diversion uh clinician um with Riverside Community Care um you know it it's it's clear that she's um she does a lot of work important work in the community and I think at the very least that that needs to be mentioned even if we don't recognize her this year oh absolutely you know like I said that you know I wanted to discuss that next you know um you know that that is a pivotal role in the community um yes but just I mean you know everyone's deserving right and and unfortunately during these things sometimes you know just like like when you do promotions at your company right there's
012going to be some people that you know don't get it initially and you know it's something we could certainly look at for next year unfortunately this is a once a year um award that we do from the board absolutely and I think you know it's it's probably overdue for the Ashland emergency fund um and I would certainly encourage uh those who wish to recognize uh Kirsten's contributions to um to to resubmit for next here if if that's the way things go um so um is this something we want to vote on tonight or do we want to wait for our next meeting if you know if anyone else wants to make any comments um and like I agree with um all on what we're talking about the Ashland emergency fund and like ksten you know
013really working hard on it but um I agree with like it being like for the group for the Ashlin um and and cuz we only when we have closed and we don't have any any more nominees and we have two so I feel like maybe if we are able to just vote tonight and I think that might be the best yeah I mean you know and also you know you know we can certainly do that and then you know maybe as a board send um Kirsten a letter you you know you know recognizing her efforts and you know you know just you know please continue doing what you're doing yes no that'll be great Chief you know so as like just my two cents right she she she's part of our holding task force right
014uh there are a lot of complicated cases housing cases that we are dealing right now right and she's definitely helping a lot with that you know so uh that'll be great another thing I want to mention you know about the other nomination right that it seems it was it was on Mary mortinson's know to-do list as well you know about that fun you know so that's that's I mean again just just my my my two cents on this you know thank you so why don't we do this so um looks like Mark has a has a comment has his hand oh sorry Mark I didn't see your hand Mark sorry go ahead okay um this Mary I've been around since day one on this that and um it originally started as a person who did
015who were was around for the town and got into service and brought up other things that was in the uh medical field but now it with the whole different spin on it is basically um now you're talking groups and and as emergency is a good group and uh decision every T is is another good group but it's still Mar as a person that is in order of so why could it be a person not a group as being a person being for with that not a group you're mute right so in the past Mark both individuals and groups have been um recipients of the award and decisions at every turn in the past has been a recipient of the Mary Morton and award yes and then there as emergency was was mentioned by certain members
016of that group but not as the group itself so this is like a first time for the emergency group that being they being named but in the very begins it was a Mary moson person that started out the first couple and then and then it expanded if a person is in town doing doing all the volunteering and not not Vol but involvement in any field not just the health field you got an overall person that can be out there and still get a married Mor CER award for being all around all town all everything not just Health thank you you're welcome um so do we want to vote on this tonight hello I think Barbara's right you know it's it's top of mind right now and um we have all the nominees so um a
017vote and we also have all of our members um so it's probably seems timely to vote tonight y so how about this what I will make a motion that we vote to award the Mary mortensson award to the Ashley and emergency fund this year but also a letter will be sent to Kirsten thanking her for all of her current contributions to the town from from the board I second that and any further discussion all in favor I I I okay that's unanimous um Laura um maybe if you could um help draft a letter to Kirsten and um between you and I we and then we can send it out to the board to see if everyone's good with it before we send it and then sure and then once it's finalized maybe if people have
018a chance to stop down they want to sign it actually you know you could sign it yeah that'd be great if everyone could sign it before we send it off sure sounds good yep and then we can also um Laura once once that's done too what we could do is we can send um an email to the original person that made the the nomination you know thanking them also yep great idea and let them know when the uh award will be um the ceremony will be sure yes y that'll be great that would be great um everyone else are we good with this then great all right um so Raj you're up next thank you Chief thank you so uh first uh first with the food establishment uh uh we have permitted clock down pickle
019wall now did couple of inspections there they do have a food permit regarding the Clover Road Brewery I did uh one for one inspection for the occupancy last week there are certain items that are still pending there that I have to go back uh now only thing with the Clover Road Brewery or tap room right they won't be pulling a food per as for now so how they're going to be doing it um the there are couple of food trucks lined up right we we did had one inspection today that they're going to be calling food trucks or uh getting food there but for right now but I have heard from the owner that they won't be pulling a food permit but they will be doing that further down the line so our inspections was
020just to sign on the occupancy uh and we we have to do one more inspection there to get going about the 135 discount Ashland IL house I I have confirmation that the water issue been resolved uh we'll do an inspection to confirm uh that soon uh with the chestnut Place Apartments from our last meeting I I had two three inspections I've been able to go to all the three units uh on on my first round of inspections for the three units uh that was 146 147 as well as 1415 those was the unit numbers uh for now we have cleared two units that's 146 and 147 can be reoccupied uh and all the violations on those was corrupted 145 still have activity uh that uh they they the management have agreed to to continuously treat
021uh but for the other units also they will not be doing u a p control every two weeks and sending us the reports but uh the conditions both at the dumpster or at the at the three housing units right is way better than what we had a couple of months back regarding our other housing cases 137 pwn Street I had an email from from a receiver today that they have accepted an offer uh for somebody to buy it uh it's I guess it's close to $490,000 um offer that they got for 170 137 P Street so so they'll be working on that 183 Union Street uh that's another case that we had going uh uh that had uh some mice activity still going on I had a p control report from from the management company
022last month and I will ask them an update uh again for for this month's past control we did pick up couple of new housing cases one on Elliot Street and one on conquered both are like you know again falling being under like complicated housing cases more of you know uh some sort of hoing scholar situation at both the cases with the accessory dwelling units uh as I updated the board last time now uh accessory dwelling units are allowed by right uh it's under Section 8 of the chapter 150 of the acts of 2024 that these units under 900 sare ft are allowed in a single family uh testics right and so far we had couple of queries only thing that we are missing so far is we don't have any guidance from be on the
023septic systems right like how how we going to be dealing with the septic system are we going to be hooking up to the current septic systems or they they need to build a new septic system so we're still waiting on the guidance from De uh once we have that we we will be probably getting good get going on on the adus you know and again as I said we had couple of queries from from our residents regarding regarding those um myself our public health nurse and and uh Sam from sustainability we attended our uh round table last uh week in natic this was around you know a climate uh hazards right and we we did some couple of exercise around heat events right like H that we we set up cooling centers you know about
024the management of it and all that you know so we had that Workshop uh two weeks back in in Native and then with the with the Boston Emergency Shelters you know it's coming next month as you know in the last time board members have supported me you know help me with with the with the with setting up the shelters and be there please please let me know whoever whoever is available for that this year as well I'll appreciate that with the even flu uh we we have information up on our website like you know how to handle dead birds and I'm just glad right so far we have not heard anything at least in Ashland regarding that you know but website information is available on our website how to handle if there if there is
025any any situation that arise with the open go uh permitting software we working with the vendor you know in the proc process of uh developing our inspection software U we have already finalized you know our permitting application for the food establishments and uh every Wednesday mostly we we meet with them you know to to to get going on on on the on the inspection software for our food establishment inspections and lastly with the disease investigations U uh we we we we have three to four open TB cases that we are working on right now and I guess that's that's all I have I'm open to any questions from the board members one question Raj now Clover Road when is that going to open I know you've got to go back but um just as a
026as a uh we we had minor items you know that all that was need to be addressed I guess other other department are working on what I have heard you know it was probably by the end of the week that they might be open uh uh that's what I have heard there was some some stuff going on with other departments but ours are minor right so there was few items that have written on my inspection report you know and I did had an email from the owner today you know for for one clarification but uh I guess it should be by end of the week or so you yeah thanks you're welcome anybody else okay all right so the next thing on the agenda is I'm sorry the next thing on the agenda is the
027consent agenda uh which is the review and approve the fiscal year 25 year-to-date budget reports and review and approve the meeting minutes from February 4th and February 19th do I have a motion yep I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda second okay any discussion or questions okay all in favor I I Maurice won't vote this time that you'll vote all right so Mor will have to abstain right because oh no oh uh he wasn't a member oh he wasn't at the February 4th meeting right but he'll he'll be able to approve the next ones for this thank you thanks Laura um discuss future agenda items external grease trap waivers green up Ashland is that you Raj so Chief we're still waiting from D DPW regarding the you know GRE St wers I guess
028uh there's some challenges with the Staffing and all that on their end I guess you know uh so hopefully we have that clear you know and green up again uh I guess they have started meeting on on on the on the Greenup day and uh we should be part participating you know I'll be there and if any board members want to be there you know that'll be great um so next thing is um we have a meeting schedule for March 18th are we going to need that meeting Raj U Chief the only thing is like was that uh uh um the septic system right that we need clearance for if that comes up you know I will I'll inform the board and then we can discuss right other than that I right because um because
029at the April meeting will have to be in person for well it has to be in person because we're probably going to do the Mary mortensson Awards so we're gonna have to notify the people from the emergency fund yes and we'll do that you know once we we have to get the plaque ready you know we we right me and Lara will work on the items right right but so so do we want Raj do you wanna should we wait a week or so and see if those plans come in so so we just want to make sure yeah we we have the plans right they they need clearance from comcom you know uh what I heard from Eric today that you know they're going to apply with the there was some sort of miscommunication
030within Eric's team that you know they were supposed to apply and they didn't and I guess it might might take time you know for them to be on comcom and get clearance right but I I will keep you posted or board posted and we we can decide right all right so so we'll keep the meeting scheduled for now we can always cancel it if there's nothing going to be on the agenda right right that's fine and then um and everyone will plan our first meeting in April will be in person but also the Governor still hasn't um let hasn't decided yet whether they're going to extend remote meetings anyway so but we'll plan our first meeting in April um as an inperson so Laura if you could maybe book the room for us yes we'll
031do okay um anybody else have anything to bring up once again Maurice welcome yes thank you for meeting Zoom bombed just like it never that would never happen to us you know you know can you Raj can you just let Michael know what happened just so he knows Chief I've already informed Jen right but I I will I will inform Mr Michael as well right yeah let him know we let him know we shut the meeting down and reopened it yeah I will do that so yes yeah all right s really makes me makes me wonder you know if um doing the in-person meetings again getting back to that and and I've been here for four years and never experienced that all of the meetings that I've been to for the most part have been
032online um but um I would certainly be open to doing in-person meetings if it if it came to that just you know yeah I agree for what it's worth so I'm I'm sorry Maurice that that was the first meeting um right yeah yeah and Maurice jbys dinner at every inperson Mee oh yeah looking forward to it then right absolutely um well if that's all everyone um I will accept a motion to adjourn I will make a motion to adjourn this meeting second second and all in favor all