All righty. So, are we ready to call to order our meeting on Tuesday, July 1st of the board of health? In attendance, we have Terry Putnham, Trish Leiniac, Tom Hbert, and on the phone, Erica
Prrowy, Erin Simmons, that's I started to say, who is that in the other? That's us. Yeah. It's been a long day, Tom. Sorry about that. That's okay. And we have no one unless we have someone online for public comment. So,
we'll go right to the review of minutes. And I do have a couple of things that I highlighted. And we don't even there there's nothing of substance. Um I just wanted to make sure that there was one when we started discussing the first two
items of the agenda last time. Um I think um Cindy had put until the nurse could get there. I put until the end of the meeting to give Trish a chance to meeting. Um, Chris Leiac. So, so and then just a couple of of things because
my sisters were all English teachers. Um, and under housing ex it says exterior end. So, I don't know what else was meant to be there, but I have highlighted this. So, I just leave this with Perfect. And then one thing um Kaen noticed today that we were talking about
is it still has Sue and Kaen doesn't really need to be on the on the minutes. Oh yeah. Um and then we'll put So take Sue and Kaen out and put Erica and Trish in. Yep. Okay.
Okay. Good catch. And if you want to give me your noted up ones and I'll get that to you. So, do I hear a motion to approve the minutes with those changes we just talked about?
Yes. A motion to institute those uh changes. Okay. Do I hear a second? Yes, I second the motion. All in favor? All in favor? Terry Putnham, Trish Leven, Eric Crowy. Okay, thank you.
Great. And now Tom, I'll turn it over to you to discuss the private will regulation. Okay. And those are quite extensive. Yes, they are quite extensive. So, I think we we kind of had like a kickoff discussion
in maybe in the fall or January, like six roughly six months ago, let's just say. and um and then things got busy or whatever and um and now Erica's on the board and um
so I figured we would kind of just rehash that conversation a little bit and um and then we can decide how we want to move forward or we don't have to decide anything tonight. We can just talk about it. Um, so as background, I
believe our well regulations were adopted in like 99. So there's been multiple iterations of the model, the model wellregs. Um, this version came out in 2023.
I have tried to do some research and ask around. I don't know if any other towns have adopted the model since it's been published by by the state. Um there's also talk at the state level.
Um, there's been some legislation that was passed for the for D to um I might not be 100% accurate on this, but I think it was basically to for the D to have pay for a study to have a
statewide loan regulation. Um, that was Eric. Erica, did you hear double? She may have got bumped up. Oh, there we go. My apologies. No worries.
No worries. So, um, so there's that kind of going on at the same time as well where there could be, um, a statewide well regulation, which I would be really good because it's a patchwork across the state. Every town is is different. um
which is I think confusing for for well drillers because the wellre there's the state also has guidelines that the well the well drillers are licensed by the state and they are supposed to follow the guidelines but they're also supposed to follow the regulations in each town
and they have to get a permit to drill the well in each town. So, it's kind of a a patchwork and our our current regs um I my main concern is what is required for people to test for?
Is that does someone have background background noise? No, we hear a TV. No, I'm so sorry. That's I'm all discombobulated. That's my dog, children, grandfather.
Okay. Sorry about that. I'm going to mute. Okay. All right. Um, so the I think that's kind of my biggest concern is the what we ask people to test for isn't
consistent necessarily with what they should actually be testing for. Um, so that's kind of the main thing I would like to to update. Um but it is kind of that that awkward position of do we wait for the state? Do we do this
sooner? Um and then my other concern with the wellres and I for those of you in person I did some highlights which hopefully show up in black and white on page
page 11 section six. So this is the water quality section and the top bit is uh sections 1 through five are what should be tested for. Um and then
6 through 10 12 I guess two um are times that the well water should be tested. Um currently we only license and require
tests when the well is drilled. Beyond that it is the owner's responsibility. It's their well it's their water and it's so that's how it's always been. Um I think we kind of have a recommendation to test it. Um
I think the standard recommendation is like five to 5 to 10 years. Um so this section six would six would require testing for um rental properties.
Uh section so once a year there. Yeah. once a year and then make it available to to the occupants which is I think a given. Um anytime there's a property is sold or transferred
um and then they have to share the results with any buyers which is reasonable. Um, irrigation wells have have to have annual testing and anytime they test they have to submit a
report to the board. I think that is all great ideas and in a perfect world I would be all on board. Um, but I just don't know that in our
small department, in a small town that has a lot of wells, uh, I don't know how successful we would be at monitoring all of that, making sure that people are actually doing it when they're supposed to.
So, um, so, so I've always heard it's not it's not good to pass a regulation that you can't enforce. So, right now, currently, we're testing new wells. New wells in that. So, new installation. Yeah. And then if it's recommended of whether it's
a rental property or just any new well, any new well. Yep. Irrigation. That includes irrigation wells as well. I'd have to double check. I'm not sure off the top of my head. Um most of the new wells are are just um
well actually no. So the this the I just remembered this. The other thing that is big that's a big change um our existing rags only require a permit for drinking wells.
So if someone drills an irrigation well, they're still there's a well completion report that they file with the state that we're supposed to get a copy of. That should still happen, but they don't have to get a permit beforehand. So we don't necessarily know about it. And if they didn't do the well completion
report, we wouldn't know any better that they didn't do it because there was no permit. And I mean what it says in 10 accidental consumption that that's kind of a I mean you can rarely pick up a piece of you know a news media that
there wasn't some ecoli or some contamination. So I just wonder if right what kind of hit to to our workload would would that be? Right. Right. So, um,
so that's that's kind of my big hesitancy with with adopting the model rags. Um just because you Yeah, I don't know if we could
I might be able to reach out to someone from um the state or there's like a professional organization the um Mass Health Officers Association and they sometimes can have like technical assistance um or the Mass Association Health Boards
can do to give legal assistance. So, um, can it be can it be something that is suggested and recommended? That's what I was thinking. If we if we basically leave it as it is and but it where it says shall uh we can just say it's suggested or
recommended um until you know unless you want to change it down. Right. Right. So, so that might be the way because it's good good advice, good suggestions. Um, so we can we can recommend that they
do it and then if they do it require that they send us the reports and kind of leave that. Um, so how do you know if they do do it? It's so yeah. So yeah. Yeah. And I just
wonder if we might entertain the the addition of the irrigation wells if we figure out from from from the and I I assume this would probably be farmers that would be doing this. Um if they could do that on an oh you know and it
says required annual testing. Maybe we want a result. Maybe we say we've got one result in there, right? um rather than make them do that on an annual basis unless there's been significant runoff and right blah blah blah um of that but
okay so so yeah and then as far as encompassing all wells I think that would be within the definition section any it says any um the construction requirements any work involving connection of the private well
um must be in conformance and has to be permanent and all that. Now, you have to inspect the wells or is that from the well digger thriller the um we don't normally do in it's all paperwork. Okay. We don't we don't normally do an
inspection. So, the permitting is really what we Yeah. Just Yeah. Now, do we do do most well people do the list listing of the listing of types of things they're
testing for like arsenic, etc., etc. Is that is that pretty standardized? That may be something we want to look at as well. Yeah. Yeah. So, that is um as well. No pun intended. No, that is spelled out
on spell that in it says page 10. Yeah. Oh, I saw it on 11. Bacteria, nitrate, pH, sodium, iron. Oh, maybe that's something else. Yeah, it's the arsenic and the chloride and the copper. Oh, there's your better. So, you said E.
coli and nitrates in there. Okay. So, for the they're saying for for the annual testing for rentals, you don't have to those things you do once a year. And then on section three on page 10, that's what you should test
for when they when they drill the well. So we would expect a certificate that says we they've passed and they have acceptable levels of that. Yeah, we get that now. Um I'm just trying to think off the top of my head. I don't most of them don't have
arsenic. Um but chloride, copper, I don't remember fluoride. I usually see I usually see hardness, iron, lead, manganese, pH, sodium, califforms, ecoli, nitrate, nitrite. Um, so the PAS would be new.
Mhm. Um, but that's definitely that should be in there. That's Yeah, I would have no problem doing it like we currently do it. Um, but making sure that we require Yeah. the stuff that the state requires. Yeah, that's my suggestion. Okay.
And then yeah, so on page on page five it says um needs a permit prior to construction of a private well. And then the definition of private well is any hole or shaft drilled into the
ground to inject withdraw water, other fluids, gases, monitor soil gases, monitor groundwater levels, transfer heat, or provide cathodic protection that is not regulated as a public water supply. So, right now, an irrigation well, no
permit. A geothermal well, no permit. Um, forgotten what I just read. Did that include aquifers and all that other stuff that Yeah. Um, and Oh, yeah. Monitoring wells. There's
no permit for it. So, they they we eventually should find out about it, but um but this would require the permit. um ahead of time. So um which I think is good information to know. The few years ago or maybe like
last summer they drilled next to the Verizon building um right next to Mrs. Murphy's. They drilled a monitoring well there and it was a little disconcerting to just be driving down College Highway and just see a well drilling rig and be
like, "What are they doing there?" like there's town water here. And so I asked and it was just a monitoring well. So they weren't they weren't doing anything wrong, but it's good information that we should we should know. And if they don't
if they don't do it right, they could, you know, if it's a really deep well and they're the casing isn't correct, then it that can be a highway to contaminate the groundwater. No pun intended. So, so it's at least even if it's
there's no inspection or anything, it's good to know what's happening where. So, can I ask a question? Sure. Now, is the reason why we monitor for that prior to a sale is because if there's a problem,
it can be a very big expense. Is that why? I think that's that's definitely part of it. Um, so we we don't currently do that now. So there's a push to do that um statewide um which is how we do it for septic
systems. Um so I think part of it is it's a big expense. Um, and I I think that it's a when a house is being sold, it's a convenient time to replace your
septic, upgrade your well because usually, not not in every circum. Sometimes people are selling their house and they need every penny for wherever they're moving to or whatever. But um but a lot of times you can pay for things out of the cost and if someone's
been in their house a while, they hopefully are making money off the sale. So it's, you know, when you're when your septic system just fails on you, uh and you have to replace it and you're not moving, then you're like, "All right, you got to get a loan or come up with
the money somehow." But when you're selling your house, you can kind of work it into the sale and it's not like as much of a shock. So, I I think that's I don't know if that was intended, but it it works out that way where it's pretty convenient sometimes. And some of these
levels could be a health hazard, right? When you're in a hospital and you're doing diialysis patients, you have to know so you can add or or you know, some of these same elements. So, Right. Right. That's Yeah. And then it's a like a health
equity thing too, especially for the the rental situation where um you know renters aren't going to test test their water. They don't know added the faucet and drink it and see it tastes okay, right? So, um, so and and even some
homeowners, they just don't there's not the level of of education there and a lot of people that know that, you know, oh, it's from the ground, it's fine and might might be fine, but you don't know that for sure. So, um, unless been
somewhere like Flint, Michigan, you don't, right? You know, it's assumed that your water's going to be safe. So, um, so yeah, it's kind of balancing. You know, we're going to be telling people they have to test their water and
it's an expense to them, but also it's it's in their own their own best interest to Home Depot. I swear the last time I was in there, they had um a display of free water testing. Oh, really? Packets. You can send it in.
Oh, that's cool. It did. I think you're right. I am. I wonder what is on theirs with the Yeah, that would be because that would be easy for people to if it's free. Yeah. So, that's questionable because I h those free ones that you get from the Home
Depot. Yeah. Yeah. You can test it and they'll come out and do it, but then you have to pay for the results. Oh, that's where they get Oh, jeez. Okay. Yeah, that's where they get you. I don't know if they're all like that. Um, but that's happened to me once. Okay.
Okay. There you go. Um, so I guess to sum it up, Tom, what are you what are you suggesting that that we do right now? or or do we want
to um um table this discussion until you survey other areas to other towns to see what we are doing or are you comfortable with what we've suggested? Tell us tell us a little bit about Yeah. So I I think we should as much as I would love to
just say let's wait for the state. Yeah. Um because I we could be waiting Yeah. It could it could be five years before they do anything. Um, but I I would have to assume if the state does if they end up deciding to go the route and that
they pass a regulation, I would assume they would use this as their template. I would hope. You never know. Um but um I'm I would hate to make if they if they
start at a new drawing go totally back to the drawing board and do something completely fresh. I like if we do something and we have it for a year and then the state comes out with something that's completely different that's just you know but um I think I
think for the town and for you know public health I think it would be better to do something rather than just wait. So, um, so I don't know if I'll I'll reach out to, um, MHA or MH MAHB
and see if I can get some maybe some technical guidance on wording, whether it's whether we're better off to just take those sections out or change it to suggested. I like I personally I like the idea of just making it a suggested test.
Um, but we would still require what we're requiring now, new wells. Yeah. And and is that you have to have a a permit permit or results or whatever, right? So, new wells um of any type, not just drinking wells would need a permit.
Yeah. Um I think that's important. Yeah. The what is required to be tested for a new well being updated. I think that's important. Um it's just that the ongoing testing that makes me
makes me nervous. And then, you know, if we can't keep up with it and we're not enforcing it on, you know, a hundred people and then one person would a neighbor reports, oh, my neighbor sold their house, they didn't test their well. And then, you know, are
we going to throw the book at them when there we know there's 20 other ones that no one complained and we didn't have time to do anything about it. So I mean statistically if a well is there unless there's some act of God you know the water what what's the change the water
right I say that now a septic system changes right a farm yeah I mean maybe maybe as as we as we kind of ease this in that maybe some restrictions we want to put at the next reiteration right
that but yeah right and that that might make it easier for people too. Um, if we adopt this now and then in, you know, couple years the state adopt something similar that might be more
restrictive than what we have, but we're kind of it won't be as much of a change for for some people. And you may want to put a clause in there that says you may be you may be um required to test more frequently depending on X, Y, or Z. and
then take and then structure that a little bit that way. Right. So, um so yeah, so I'll get some I'll get some guidance um or I'll try to at least and then the process would be that we would
need to post it, have a hearing. Um I would imagine at least some of the well drillers would want to come to the hearing. Um and then probably some of the farmers. Yeah, now that we're including irrigation, right? And then we can go we can go from there. Um do you
have any idea of the an example of what the expense might be for people for to do something like this for I the town for the for the beach testing um we bring that to Pace Analytical in
East Long Meadow um and they are exclusively testing for E.coli. coli. Um, and that test is parks and wreck actually pays for it. I want to say it was like $70 just for the e.oli. Um, and then they
have they have a minimum that they charge which is like I think it was 150 but um they wave that for us since we do we're doing weekly testing there. So they wave the minimum. So we pay $70 or the parking rack pays $70 a week for that. So, I would guess for
that full for the full panel, I've never actually I've never actually needed to test a well myself, so I can't say for sure, but I think it a few hundred pro hope I would think less than 500, but um I do remember hearing that the
cost of testing for the PAS is significantly higher. Little chat. Oh, there we go. I guess I'm just wondering like if we were to change something like this,
is it like reasonable to expect people to be able to pay for it? And like how would you enforce it? And if they didn't pay for it, then what happens? It seems like a bigger job than we might think. Yeah. There's kind of like a little
Okay. But aren't they already paying for the testing of a new well? Is that is that a fear of something? Right. So current currently the testing is only for if they're so if they're paying like I think a well can go from like 10 to 15 grand. It depends on how deep the well
is. Um so if they're paying a lot of times the testing cost is included in that and the well driller will pay for it. Um but yeah might be Yeah. So PAS could be $300 to
$600. Wow. So yeah, maybe I'll reach out to a couple of the testing labs, too. And just just out of curiosity, if someone was to test for all of this, what what would it cost roughly? And if you know a weld to to
reach out to a couple of them Yeah. and see what they include because they include every if they include everything except the PAS. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, we do need more information. Yeah. Um, so I'll I'll keep working on this. Um,
try to get some some feedback from labs. I'm going write this down so I don't forget. Labs, well drillers and mahb or mha. Um, and then so maybe we can keep the
discussion going over the summer and then come fall we can do a a hearing and and hopefully pass it at that point. Sounds good. Or pass some version of it at that point. All right. Any other discussion on the wells?
No. I think that was a pretty good Yeah, that was a good jumping off point. Yep. Good start to it. So, thank you. Um, and then meeting dates for the next year.
So, I figured the past few months I feel like we've been all over the place. Um, so I thought it might be good. I said I know some of the other boards do this just to we had the last meeting we had said the first the first Tuesday of the
month. So, I wrote out all the first Tuesdays for the next year and um that way and we don't have to as long as everyone's good for August 5th, we don't have to reschedu anything tonight. Um
but looking ahead, I had um October 7th. I could I have a um class that day that's um I'm part of the group that puts it on. It's the totally title five conference, but it's only in Holio. Um, so I could be back in time for the
meeting. Um, so if that works for everyone else, I think it's probably better to just keep the keep our day. Which one? The October 7th. October. Okay. Um, and then we're rude. Okay. So maybe we do want to
No. So may maybe we do want to reschedu that one if it's not not ideal for me and definitely not ideal for you. Reschedule which ones? The 5th, August, October, so why don't we go by month? Um, for
what we know, I know my schedule up to November. Okay. Um, so the 5th I'll be joining by Zoom. I'm will be the same time zone. Um, how about are you okay, Eric, on the 5th of August? Um, I'm okay, but I would also likely
have to join from Zoom. Okay. How about you, Trish? I can be in person. Okay. You can hold the fort down with Tom. All right. Um and then September I am uh available for being scheduled. So I don't know but I I can certainly join um
from Zoom unless it's California. Okay. Where's the I see in the minutes it talks about the next meeting in August. I don't see where you have the other. It was a separate attachment.
I see proposed I think I I don't remember what it was called. Let me propose meeting schedule. Did I title it? Hopefully I titled the document that too. But um
yeah, it was one of the Yeah, draft B meeting schedule is the document title. So, are we thinking September 2nd is is good with everybody either by Zoom or in person? And you're good, Tom? Yep, that's good for me. And then October is
is going to be need to be changed. Yeah. Because I I won't be available and Tom won't be available. So do you want to look at that now or so we have at least the next 3 months? Yeah. I'm good for the next Tuesday. That's that's the day after Columbus Day
or or Indigenous People's Day if the 14th works. Does the 14th work? Yep. Tuesdays. I'm good. No. Yeah. any Tuesday I can do. What about you, Erica? You're on mute. Oh, you're muted.
Oh, you might have to hold up signs. Are you okay? It show It shows that you're not muted, but we still can't hear you for some reason. No, still can't hear you. Do you want to do a thumbs up if October 14th is good for you or or thumbs down?
Maybe. Okay, maybe. Okay, so we got time to work on that. That's good. That's good. Um, which one was that? That was October 14th. Oh, okay. So, so that's a question of all team
and November 4th is election day, so it may be kind of crazy around here, but then you can come vote. We could That's a good Yeah, you're back. We can hear you now. I'm back.
Trish just suggested that we come and vote and then have a meeting on November 4th. How's that look for you? What are we voting on? No, that's your your election day. Oh, it is
second Tuesday of November. Yeah. Um I mean, whatever. Sure. Okay. I um my mine's very um depends on my
child care whether it's going to be Zoom or in person. Okay. Um but I should be able for the most part to make every meeting. Okay, that's good. Um, and then December 2nd would be
the next and I'm actually in town, so I would be here. And was that one that did we cover all the ones that you were questionable? The Well, the la the other one question isn't a full year away, but June 2nd is my wedding anniversary. So, I I don't think my wife would like that. Well, why
don't you come and you can celebrate right after that. Looks like we can vote and then we have this. So, do you want to let's just stay with December because it um after that I I have no schedule so I don't know. Yeah, we can do that. So, let's go
through let's just what you've got through December and we'll as as we get closer to the end of the year we'll because we could certainly be flexible on a Tuesday and this doesn't um or Monday so this doesn't this doesn't lock us in. So
if you know if in August if something comes up for someone in September that's we still can change it. So um and as long as you're two of us right from from a board perspective I think we'll be good. Yep. So okay. All right. So the only one that would be changing is the
October and we'll switch that to the 14th. And actually I just want to look because I don't think I checked my calendar for that but yeah that would work for me. Okay. Okay. So, do we want to vote on do I
hear a motion that we accept those dates um and through from now from August until December and then we'll we'll look at the next quarter or the next half year, you know, as we get closer. Can I hear a motion for that? So, um let's
have a motion to accept the dates up until December 2nd. We just need Do you want me to second it or No. Okay. Eric, do you want to second doing the motion that's on the I'll second Erica Prrowy. All in favor?
Trish Leia. Uh Erica Prrowy. Okay. All righty then. Thank you for or doing that, Tom. No problem. And I know that Kaen sent the nursing report, but um why don't we let Kaen do her report? Yeah. I can talk about
Trisha's a little too. I went to a few, but she had a nutrition presentation at the Southwick Villages last month as well as a stop the bleed at the Southwork Library with um Maryanne, our other public health nurse. Both were pretty well attended actually, so I think they were happy about that. Um
there's been a low number of cases in all six of our towns in June. So that's exciting. So hopefully that continues. Um there's been a need and a lot of residents asking about ticks. So, we've been getting a lot of information together, some presentations to be able
to uh put out some information about tix. Um, district-wise, our work plan and budget was approved with a few minor edits for uh FY26. So, that's exciting. And we were able to send out all of the
shared staff contracts. So, we're just waiting for board members to sign those. Um, yeah. So, overall, it's been a good month in Tolland. Maryanne and I last week were able to go to a community day event. So, we were spreading some information about the district and different health topics. So, that was
good. And I went with Maryanne last week to one of the camp inspections in Talland um to inspect their infirmary and that all looked good. So, yeah, it was a good month. Okay. And has has
Thank you, Kaen. Um, Trisha done anything on mosquito born illnesses? I'm just wondering if she's looking for another topic that's kind of we can uh I think she I think she has I think she has I think she has some information,
but I don't know if we have a presentation on that. So, I can talk to her about that. That's a good idea. Thank you. And that's that's one that she could even tie in with the tick born. Yeah. And just do one
one vectorbor presentation and you can why you don't want to go outside. Yeah. Exactly. Okay. All righty. Well, thank you. Anything else before we move on? No. If anyone has any questions though, I'm
happy to try to answer some. Okay. Thank you, Truth. I mean, thank you, Kaine. All right, sir. All right. Let's move on to your um report. All right. So, um it's been a short month since our last meeting was a week late.
So, um they did four perk tests, um couple housing inspections, and then I actually did one more housing inspection today. There was a reinspection. Um, I have a few lingering cases from earlier in the year that I've
like been playing phone tag with the tenant or the landlord. Um, so they're way overdue, but usually usually if there's major problems still, I'll they'll make sure I know about it. So, um, they're kind of I don't want to
unplug anything with my feet. Um they but I want to get them off my plate and reinspect or do whatever I need to do to close them. Um so that's that's on my goal for the next month is to get contact with them somehow and do a
reinspection and and close the cases. Um hopefully there's not still ongoing violations, but um that's that. and then food um couple food truck inspections and then the last um public well semi-public pool
inspection at the South Acres campground. So, um that 256 College Highway, the property with all of the cars, um he did get rid of a lot of cars, but
there was still like 20 left and there was still a lot of other junk. Um, we had a hearing that I went to with um the town um attorney. Well, the town attorney and I always want to say town town manager,
but it's the chief uh chief administrative officer, Nicole. Um, and the property owner didn't show up. So, um, the town attorney last week filed a hearing for receiverhip,
um, which is a process where the court will appoint a receiver who will take over the property essentially and bring it back up to code. Um, and then at the end of that process and they're
they have to document what they spend and this and that. Um, and at the end of that process, the property owner has an opportunity to um, you know, take out a loan or whatever to to pay for what was
done. Um, and then they get back a property that's that's up to code. Uh but if that doesn't happen, it becomes the property of the receiver and then they can um it's I've seen it more happen with um
houses and rental properties and things like that. Um so then at the end of that they could they could sell it or auction it. But um so I don't know exactly how it would work with this being a a kind
of commercial use property with no house on it. But um but I guess the vacant land would still be pretty valuable if they just took all the cars and knocked the buildings down and did a an environmental assessment to make sure there wasn't any groundwater pollution
and then they could sell it. So, um, so hopefully that will work and that if that goes well, um, then it the other process would be for the town
to do it on the town to do it themselves. Um, and that's that can get costly and um, it's a little easier for the third party to do it. Sure. Um or the other option, which sometimes happens, um is that the property owner
will be like, "Oh, I'm going to like they're not messing around. I'm going to lose my property." And then they do what they do what they need to do and then the case gets dismissed. So, um and I'm I'm perfectly happy with that, too. I don't I don't it's not fully up to me,
but I don't love the idea of like taking people's property. So, um, so that there's a few ways that could that could pan out, but it's been a good 20 years that it's been being inspected and getting letters sent and
it keeps getting It's at that time. Yeah. So, that's a long time. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so the hearing is on the 14th of this month and the person's alive. We know that. Yep. Okay. I was just I know I'm like I'm just checking unless I mean
he was at the hearing in he was at I saw him in May. Okay. So I guess it's okay. Theoretically he something could have happened in the meantime. I hope not. No. He is a nice
guy. He is a nice guy. So um but Okay. So, we'll look at um and then the the wick uh the motocross nationals um I did the inspections with fire
department on Friday, but the day before the event um mostly well actually it was like 50/50 of people that got temporary food permits and um people that get an annual food permit that just hadn't been inspected, hadn't done anything in town
yet, so they hadn't been inspected. So, um, for that event, since there's so many, I use like an abbreviated, um, inspection form that I got from West Springfield cuz I I help them with the Big E every year for opening day. Um,
and and it's just a little easier when you're So, I don't do it on our inspection software. I just do that form and um, does the trick. So, so that went pretty well. Um the there was a few of the vendors that weren't that weren't there, but the
fire inspector got them on the phone and they gave us the the code to get into their trailer and we had them on speaker phone and where's this? Where's this? So, we got um got them all done and I think it went smoother than than previous years. So, so that was good.
Um and then staffing, Cindy Barton, um she was going to be here tonight. I hope she's okay. Um, but she is officially the board of health secretary now. Um, and so she's been she's mostly been doing
Tuesdays and Thursdays and then um coming in for the the meeting. So we have her roughly 10 hours a week. Um, and then the the building inspector um has
resigned. His last day was 2 weeks ago. Um, which affects us because we share office space and the full-time secretary is shared between um, she's a little more building, but she helps us a lot too. Um, Karen. So, so last week Karen was on vacation and we have no building
inspector. So, it was a little uh little crazy in the office, but Karen's back now and she's able we have they're using the backup. Um the Granville inspector is the town's backup building inspector. So, um so Karen does a better job than
than we did last week of of calling the calling the backup and the plumbing and electrical inspectors. So, um, so things are are slightly more functional now. Um, I was trying to trying to help both offices last week, so I'm I'm pretty
happy Karen's back. And are they interviewing for that position yet? It's posted. I don't know if they've done Okay. done interviews. I think they're still getting um getting applicants. Okay. So, and in most other towns, the health
department wouldn't wouldn't be affected that much, but because we share share space and share staff that it was like you can't I can't just let them flounder. Um, so, and then lastly, the town beach is
open. Um, I've done two weeks of sample. Well, today, this was the third week. I just haven't got the results yet. Um but the first two weeks were well below the E.coli count. It's um 235.
It's above that. You have to the beach has to close. Um that's a magic number. Yeah. Which is e uh the I think the unit is most probable number per 100 milliliters.
Um so we've had the first week was like 26 and the second week was 87 or something like that. So um so should get the results probably tomorrow for this week and um
I draw a blank. There's something I was going to add about the testing. Oh the testing results. So, I report it once I get the results, I report it to the um to the state online. Um this was new last year that they had this online portal. So, on the state website,
there's a um for any public beach that gets tested. Um anybody can go and you can see all the results if it's open or closed. Um so, that's that's on there. Um, but I'll talk to Jim and last year we
had it on a link on the website to that testing. Um, but I think in the once the beach was closed, I think I had him take it down, but I'll have him put that back up. And what kind of downtime is it from when you test and when you get the result?
Um, this year it's been pretty good. Previously we were at a different lab and it was it was like a three or four days and then even when we switched to this lab it was still three or 4 days and then so at the
beginning of the season this year I was very clear with them. I was like this is what we need. This is why we need it because if it's if like I don't want to test the water, I go on a Monday and have it be high and the beach should be
closed and have people swimming there for three days before I find out. So, um, so they've been they've been really good this year. We've been getting the Today is unless I got an email while we've
been sitting here to look. Um, today is the first day I didn't get it on the Tuesday. Um, so it's always been like one day that we've gotten the results and so I'll probably get it tomorrow morning. Okay. Um, but they've been
they've been really good this year. So, um, and then and then so if it's over over the 235, then I have to go post the beach. Um the property doesn't necessarily have to
close, but no one can swim. Um and then we would retest it. Uh and then if the retest is good, then they can they can reopen, but they can go boating on the lake and all that. Yeah. So we we only test in the swimming area of the town
beach. Um so people always ask, you know, is it safe to swim here? And it's like that's one of those things you can't you just can't answer it. I guess if they really wanted to, they could test the water by their house, but um you know, it's one of those things
where, you know, chances are if it's good at the town beach, at least on South Pond, the rest of South Pond is probably good, but we don't know that for sure. you know, a 100 feet away. It could be there
could be a bad septic system or something in the area and the water could be, you know, really high or, you know, the town beach could be really high and the rest of the pond or the other ponds could be fine. So, so does the is that why we test because of the
septics? Do they play a pivotal role in that those levels? Um, I don't we test it's just the state regulation that requires us to do it. So, um I know on the South Wick side there's not many septics left on the Okay. on the W.
There's a few. Um but for the most part anything on the water especially in like the really congested area um like um Lake View and Eagle
I can't remember all those street names but a lot of the a lot of those ones where there's a lot of smaller older houses um have sewer at least along the shore. That's good. So, um, so yeah, so that's been pretty good. The
trend usually is it creeps higher as it's warmer and the water's sitting longer during the summer. And um, and then last year, I think the the would have what would have been the last
test of the year was was over the limit, so they had to close like 3 4 days early. Um, but I think a lot of their staff were going back to school anyway, so it was kind of like hy sort of works out. But, um, but hope hopefully, knock
on wood, um, you know, they can be open most of the season and the water stays good. But if it if it gets too high, what what happens in order to bring it down more when it rains or
Yeah. So, um, so there is I don't know if we would ever get the results quick enough, but there is something in the code where say we get results the next day. Um, so if I got say I got the results Tuesday, Tuesday
morning, I could go sample Tuesday afternoon and the beach could stay open until we get this second results and verify that it's still that it's still high. Um, realistically though, we never
get the results quick enough for that to be an option. Um, so a lot of people say that the rain can make it bring in more bacteria from all the runoff. Um, I the two years I've been doing this, I
haven't noticed a huge correlation and I think one year it would it was on the high side and it seemed like the rain kind of brought it down. Um but but I don't the the year before I started they tested a bunch and I think
it was closed almost all summer. I remember like every other every other week we closed. Yeah. So So say tomorrow you test it and it's 350. Yeah. And then but there's nothing that
like we can do. You don't like chemically treat it somehow. You just have to cross your fingers and hope in a week it's better or I I think so. I think that's what they I think that's what they had did that year. It was bad.
Um I guess I if we ran into that I guess I would reach out to the state and you know see if there's any suggestions or anything we could do. But um but my understanding I think we just it keep testing and hope for the best because I think it's such a large body of water be
cut chemically. Right. Right. And even if you did do it chemically how long is that going to you know work? You could dump a bunch of chlorine in there and there's so much organics and bacteria in the water just naturally
that it would eat up all the chlorine and then you'd probably be right back where you were in a few days. I don't I don't know. So, um so yeah. So hopefully that that stays good for for the summer. Um so far so
far we're off to a good start and the snack shack is open. I inspected them and um they made some improvements from last year which was which was good. So um they kind of had some of the some of the like that's how that's how it's
always been done sort of stuff going on. So we've been uh every year you know focusing on a couple things and um and they're in pretty good shape. So um so that's all I got. Awesome. Anything from anybody else
if you have anything? Nope. Erica, do you have anything? No, ma'am. Okay. Do I hear a motion? Kaen, did did uh you have anything? No. I don't you out. I'm sorry. So, do I hear a motion
to Well, I will make a motion that we um we discontin we stop the meeting. Yeah. Thank you. Have a little adjourn. Yeah, I should look at that. That we adjourn the meeting at 7:02 p.m. Do I hear a second? Yep. I second
the motion. All in favor, please say I. I. I. I. Okay. Well, thank you everybody.