All right. So, welcome to the se month of September uh city of Ravier board of health meeting. Can you please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands one
nation under God indivisibley and justice for all. So, thank you. Welcome. I My name is Drew Bunker. I'm the chairperson of the board of health. To my left is Kathleen Savage, board member. Also here is uh invited municipal staff, Lauren Buck,
who is director of public health, Michael Wells, who's health agent, director of inspectional services, and Paula Subovvo, who's board of health clerk. We also have in attendance um Anthony Bronco who is the um
solicitor of the river outside counsel sorry council yeah yep that apologize outside counsel that's better um so first we're going to uh review and approve the minutes from the August meeting ask Kathleen if she's approves those
minutes. Yes, I approve the minutes. Excellent. I approve as well. Um, next we will do the inspectional services monthly report with Michael Wells. Thanks, Dr. Bunker. Uh, September stats
for the um, inspectional services are as follows. In the interior housing division, we conducted 83 certificates of fitness. Um, 26 reinspections on certificate of fitness. Interior complaints received uh, were three in I'm sorry, two interior complaints
received in processes. three interior complaint reinspections one pool spar inspections one and pool spar reinspections four on the food inspection division we conducted 35 routine inspections five reinspections
three complaint inspections one pre-opening inspection 14 temporary food inspections and one establishment closure on the exterior sanitation division we issued 388 violations for trash violations Accumulation of trash or
bulky items. Um, cs out at improper times. One violation. Commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods. Three violations. Overflowing dumpsters. 27. Improper signage on property. Two. Um, junkkeeped and automobile graveyard.
17 violations. Multiple unregistered vehicles on a property. One. Unclean unsanitary land which is overgrowth. 98 violations, one violation for unsafe structure. That concludes the inspectional services
monthly report. Great. Thank you, Michael. Next, we're going to do the um public health communicable monthly report with Lauren Buck. Thanks, Dr. Bunker. For September 2025, we had a relatively low burden of communicable diseases. I do want to
point out that we had 86 confirmed and 18 probable COVID cases. Very consistent with the national trends where there was a bit of a wave in um at the end of August and um September. Um next up, some updates from the city of Rivier
Health and Human Services. Just wanted to talk about our fall respiratory vaccine clinics. We have several options for our homebound residents who potentially are listening to this or if you know someone who is homebound who lives within River. This year we're having homebound um uh vaccine trips
that run mid-occtober for flu, COVID, and pneumonia for both people who are homebound and their caregivers. If you are interested or have any questions, you can call the public health office at 781-4858486 to schedule or to ask any questions. We are also giving flu shots out every
Wednesday in the public health office in city hall in the very in the basement um level of city hall from 3:00 to 5:00 every Wednesday from here until um you know mid or late fall. You can also call us if you have any questions about that 7814858486
for more information about that. We're also having a larger regional clinic in conjunction with um Chelsea and Winthrop um on Saturday, October 18th from 10:00 to 5:00 at the Chelsea Senior Center, which is 10 Riley Way. There we'll be offering flu, COVID, pneumonia, RSV, and
shingles if age appropriate and eligible. So, if you're interested in getting any of those other vaccines, you can always attend that clinic. Or if you're interested or just getting flu and COVID and you want to get it all at the same location, you can always go to that clinic. Um secondly, the fire prevention week events I wanted to
update everyone on. So we've been working the public health department has been working with the river fire prevention team um to bring fire prevention week events to uh River residents. There are three events that are that are happening. Um we've recorded PSAs that are going to be going
on Revier TV um over the next couple of weeks in multiple languages that talk about different aspects of fire safety and fire prevention. things like um lithium battery safety, cooking safety, carbon and carbon monoxide um and smoke detector alarm checking and all that
good stuff. Um so look for those on River TV. We're also going to be visiting kindergarten and second grade classrooms in conjunction with River Public Schools at H Elementary School the week of October 6th and 10th to do fire safety education. And finally, fire prevention week open house kind of
culminates on Saturday, October 11th from 10 to 2. So again, this is the open house at Central Fire 400 Broadway um with a lot of different fun events for kids and families um and a lot of information that you can get about fire prevention and fire safety. That's it.
Great. Thank you, Lauren. Next is the uh condemnation proceedings for um the address is 230 Harris Street and I'll just have um Michael Wells take over from here. Thanks again, Dr. bunker. This is a
condemnation proceeding for um property located at 230 Harris Street. Uh this property came into inspectional services as an interior housing complaint um from the uh previous tenants that lived there. The home is currently vacant. Um the complaint included rodents,
non-operable fire protection, um unclean, unsanitary land, trash, and debris. Um an inspection report was issued in October of 2022. Violations were not corrected. property property received weekly finding um from inspectional services. It was
transferred into our safe housing task force division in February of 2024. Um they conducted a safe housing task force inspection with the team in February of 24. Um the property was vacant at the time. Missing fire protection, fungus and mold growing out of the floors. Uh structural damage on
the walls and ceilings. Uh building was not secure at all. Um not locked. Uh doors open. Uh city has spent a long time trying to rectify what the owner recalls and letters. Um we did meet with the owner in March of 2025. He did re um
sign a remediation plan um taking on the work himself to this point. Um no permits have been pulled to um correct any of the violations at the property. Uh we recently obtained an administrative search warrant through Chelsea District Court. we went into the
property once again. Um and then um receiverhip has been filed on this case as well um in Chelsea District Court. And I'll turn it over to our um outside legal counsel um attorney Bronco um to describe that.
Thank you, Mr. Wells. Uh thank you, uh members of the board of health. My name is attorney Anthony Bronco and I represent inspectional services with respect to uh the property violations at 230 Harris. I'm going to provide to the board of health just copies of the memorandum that I filed
just because it'll be helpful to u follow along with some of the exhibits I want to present. Um and the reason I'm I'm filing all this is because I I want to just kind of underscore this this condemnation. This this request for condemnation didn't happen overnight. This is a long-standing issue that's been going on since 2022. As Mr. Wells
said, there's now been three inspections at this property. There's been finding, there's been meetings, there's been an in-person meeting where a remediation plan was signed. Um, and I will direct your attention to the copy of the remediation plan, which will be uh
exhibit D. In essence, what happened was we sat down with the property owner, you know, together at inspectional services in uh in March of 2025. We explained the violations to him. We explained the types of permits that he needed in order to remediate those violations and we
explained that he cannot do all of that work by himself and that he has to hire licensed professionals. We gave him a date of April 10th to pull those permits or or at least to get the ball rolling. Um what what followed was that we didn't hear from him and to date I still haven't heard from him. The only contact
whatsoever has been one single uh plumbing permit application uh which was received in uh June of 2025. And that permit application was for less than $1,000 and is simply to replace elements of the kitchen which
simply doesn't cover the scope of work. The fact of the matter is we were back in AP in August of 2025, excuse me, and what resulted was we saw that additional work has been done. Mr. Wells stated that there was uh fungus and mold of some sort growing out of the floor.
That's now been removed, so we think, but there's now flooring over where the spot was, and there's been no inspection. So, that's just an example of what happens when when permits aren't pulled and when there's no contact. We don't know what's happening in the property. So, it makes it incredibly dangerous. Uh, Mr. Wells also mentioned
a receiverhip case. So, in February of 2024, we did file a receiverhip case in Chelsea District Court. In August of 2025, the court issued an order, and I will direct your attention to exhibit G., excuse me.
The court order essentially states it's essentially a condemnation order in that the respondents the the property owner is no longer allowed to go to the property without written consent from the board of health in order to do the work. He must have had permits to do the work. He's not allowed to reside there.
Um and the property must be secured. And so while this order goes pretty far, it's not a condemnation order. And so at this time, we're here before you to request that the board of health specifically condemn this property, which will allow for additional ease of administration with respect to the um to
the enforcement. In addition, because the property is vacant, this this is a case where no hearing necessarily had to be held. Under the state sanitary code, when a property is vacant, property can be condemned without a hearing. We specifically requested that we have a hearing in hopes that the property owner
would show up, that we'd be able to speak with them before or after the hearing, get in charge, and try to get this resolved. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened. So, at this time, uh, Rever and Special Services would request that the board of health uh, vote to condemn this property.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Um, just some questions. So looking at some of the reasons why the violations um I see one was the fire protection devices that's were not installed. Um that continues to
not be addressed. That's correct. Um holes in the walls and ceiling. Um still not addressed from our knowledge. Uh correct. Okay. All right. Um, and up from to what point
was this inhabited by people or when were people living in this apartment or in this building? Do we know exactly? I can tell you that at the time of the second city inspection, which was put this up, excuse me.
In February of 2024, it was vacant. Okay. I mean, these are this building from everything that the uh um the attorney has said is is it's not safe to live in. Um
if he were to rent this out or live in there himself, um there'd be some serious um health risks. And so I think as the board it is our duty and obligation to um ensure that people are not living in these type of conditions.
Um unfortunately uh this was a situation where someone could have fix these issues and was given ample time to do so. Um I think that you know in order to protect this
individual and other individuals we'll have to um go ahead with a condemnation. Um, I wish the person was here to speak, uh, because it would be nice to get their perspective. Um, but I'm curious what you, Kathleen, what you what you
say and what you think. Um, if you agree with the concerns and the the ideas from the the thought that a combination is necessary. I definitely agree looking at looking at some of the elements that you handed handed to us to look at. Yes, definitely
it is. It's not safe healthwise. It's too many issues. No, I agree that that may be the only process is the condemnation. Yeah. So, I think um I certainly vote for the the condemnation at this um location. Um Kathleen as well.
Yeah, definitely. So, that's two votes from the board of health. Um and yeah, I think that's that's our opinion and thank you for speaking about this matter. We hope that, you know, this gets rectified and that this building can be livable, but at this
point it is not a livable location. Thank you, members of the board of health. Dr. Bunker and Kathleen, I I would just add as well and attorney Bronco that you know this property owner um has had other properties in our city.
One actually burnt down um from a fire and he's had some other issues in some other cities and towns, you know. So there's definitely some history here uh with with this this property owner as well with the condition of the property and other properties that he has owned.
Great. Thank you for that. Um it's unfortunate but all right I think that's the uh that will conclude uh this month's meeting. Board of Health, thank you.