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Home My Public Portal AboutBoard of Health -- 2022-01-19 Minutes CRE PS T rR T OIJ11 ! [: i ERVP ' 2) 2 I 'l () Y 5 112 \11111„►„ I►II�IIII��,��,/ Town of Brewster 0 e w S �'��f///i 2198 MAIN STREET Health Department S 0'�C f f,�. oe +� 6 �i� BREWSTER, MASSACHUSETTS 02631 - 1898 Amy L. von Hone, R. S . , C.H. O . S r Director momv „ � = PHONE : 508 . 896 . 3701 EXT. 1120 Q < FAX: 508 . 896 .4538 Sherrie McCullough, R. S . Y' _ •� brhealth cubrewster-ma. gov Assistant Director Tarnmi Mason F�oftaoxA� WWW.BREWSTER-MA. GOV Senior Department Assistant //�////1/�1l/11I!!)►lllllllli\11111\\\\\\\\\ Board of Health Meeting Wednesday January 19, 2022, at TOOPM Remote Meeting Board members attending remotely: Penny Holeman, MPH, MA, MS, Chair; Jeannie Kampas, Vice Chair; Annette Graczewski, MT (ASCP); Joe Ford and Kimberley Crocker Pearson, MS, MD, MPH Others attending remotely: Amy von Hone, R. S ., C . H .O ., Health Director, Sherrie McCullough, R.S ., Assistant Health Director, Tammi Mason, Senior Department Assistant, Chris Miller, Natural Resource Director, David Michniewicz, Coastal Engineering and Mark Nelson, Horsley-Witten Anyone wishing to listen to the meeting can do so via Live Broadcast (Brewster Government TV Channel 18) or by Livestream at www. livestream . brewster- ma .gov or by video recording (www.tv. brewster- ma . gov) 1 . Call to Order Meeting was called to order at TOOPM 2 . Chairman's announcements Upcoming free vaccination clinics and PCR clinics are scheduled in Barnstable, Hyannis, Falmouth, and Provincetown . Please visit the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment for specific details . Two weeks ago, CDC endorsed the recommendation to expand eligibility of booster doses to those 12 to 15 years old and recommended that adolescents aged 12 to 17 years of age receive booster doses 5 months after completing the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine series. CDC recently published a study that showed flu vaccination protected children from serious flu illness even when they were infected with a flu virus that was antigenically different from the vaccine virus. If anyone would like to be added to the email distribution list to receive Board of Health agendas, please contact the Health Department at (508) 896- 3701 ext. 1120 3 . Citizen 's forum None. 4. Covid update Mrs. von Hone stated that the number of cases is starting to come down . There were 118 positives during the peak 2 weeks ago and it is now down to 54. This seems to be the trend all over the Cape . Long term care facilities are also starting to see a decline in their positive numbers. They are continuing to do weekly testing . Most of the cases are coming from outside the facility. N :\Health\from Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\Jan1922m .doc BOH 1 / 19/22 Minutes Page 2 Vaccination resources are still available at local pharmacies and Cape Cod Community College. Testing is still being offered at the Melody Tent, Barnstable County Department of Health & Environment, and the Orleans DPW. Residents can check the Barnstable County website for more information . Homebound vaccinations are still a work in progress. The Health department is working with the COA and the VNA to help get these residents their boosters. The Federal Government is giving out free test kits. www. covidtests .aov . This is also posted on the Town 's website. The Department of Public Health has a new tool to access your vaccine card . www. myvaxrecords . ma .gov , enter some information and they will send a digital copy of your records . Mrs . Graczewski spoke about the symptoms of Omicron and how they are significantly different from the other strains. Mrs. von Hone stated that the 2 prominent symptoms with Omicron are sore throat and bad headaches . People that are vaccinated that have gotten the Omicron strain have been testing negative at the beginning and the end of the illness . This strain is more infectious, and the cases seem milder. 5 . Mask Mandate discussion and vote to extend or modify Mrs. von Hone stated that on December 15, 2021 , because of the surge of cases, the Board voted to have a temporary mask mandate in Municipal buildings except for Freeman' s Grill at Captains Golf Course. The mandate was to continue until the end of this Board meeting ( 1 / 19/22) . Her recommendation is to extend the mandate because the cases are still high (around 14%) . Motion : Extend the current mask mandate in the municipal buildings except for Freeman' s Grill at Captains Golf Course, until the March 21 2022, BOH meeting . Motion : Joe Ford Second : Kimberley Crocker Pearson Vote: Annette Graczewski — yes Action : Motion carried Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Kimberley Crocker Pearson -yes Penny Holeman - yes Motion: Do not extend the current mask mandate to the general public/public spaces Motion: Joe Ford Second: Kimberley Crocker Pearson Vote: Annette Graczewski — yes Action : Motion carried Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Kimberley Crocker Pearson -yes Penny Holman — yes 6. Discuss and vote on BOH Nitrogen Loading Regulations — Mark Nelson, Horsley Witten Mark Nelson went over the proposed regulation and spoke about a few changes he made to the regulation . He went over the spreadsheets that are included for engineers. David Michniewicz, Coastal Engineering/Resident spoke about his concerns and asked for clarification on the spreadsheets. He brought up that this spreadsheet seems to deviate from the State Regulations. There was back and forth discussion on the regulation and how it was going to work. Chris Miller, Natural Resources Director spoke about the regulation . N :\Health\from Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\Jan1922m .doc BOH 1 / 19/22 Minutes Page 3 Motion : Approve the Brewster Board of Health Nitrogen Loading Regulations as put forth with the understanding that assumptions in the calculations are reasonable and we could accept at this time requests for the use of nitrogen fixing vegetation or other types of nitrogen reducing landscaping could be considered as variances going forward . Motion : Annette Graczewski Second: Kimberley Crocker Pearson Vote: Annette Graczewski — yes Action : Motion carried Joe Ford — abstain Jeannie Kampas — yes Kimberley Crocker Pearson — yes Penny Holeman — yes 7. Discuss and possibly vote about perceived need for supplemental local BOH Marijuana Regulations Mrs. Graczewski told the Board that the last time this was discussed was 2019 . The adult only shop is scheduled to open sometime in September of 2022 , She stated that she did reach out to 4 surrounding towns (Wareham, Mashpee, Provincetown and Bourne) that already had adult only shops open and asked the Health Directors if there were any issues. 3 out of the 4 responded and stated that they had no problems. 2 of the Town's had local regulations and 1 of those Town 's regulation required inspections (which added to the burden of the Health Department staff) . The Brewster BOH was previously split on whether to have a regulation . Mrs. von Hone stated that she agreed with the previous Health Director that local regulations were not necessary. She feels confident that the State regulations are already restrictive. Motion : Table this discussion indefinitely. Motion: Joe Ford Second: Annette Graczewski Vote: Annette Graczewski — yes Action : Motion carried Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Kimberley Crocker Pearson — yes Penny Holeman - yes Mr. Ford asked that his motion be amended to the following : Motion : The Brewster Board of Health has made the decision to not have a local Marijuana Regulation , Motion : Joe Ford Second : Annette Graczewski Vote: Annette Graczewski — yes Action: Motion carried Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Kimberley Crocker Pearson — yes Penny Holeman — yes 8. Discuss and possibly vote on drafting a letter opposing Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plan radioactive water release into Cape Cod Bay Mrs . von Hone stated that the Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod (APCC) put out a letter of concern about the discharge of radioactive water in Cape Cod Bay (CCB) . The Selectboard also wrote a letter expressing opposition to the dumping of the water. The APPC is encouraging other Boards to follow suite , Dr. Pearson asked if anyone had info on what the nature and concentration of isotopes is in the water that is proposed to be discharged . Ms. Holeman stated that she didn ' t and thought getting more information would be helpful . Mrs. Graczewski stated that the company isn't calling it " radioactive ", they are calling it "contaminated " . It is low level radiation that they held on property for a period and they've treated it somehow, and it would be low level radiated water that they would be dumping into CCB . There are two alternatives to this . One would be to evaporate and the other would be to truck it to an offsite place . N :\Health\from Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\Jan1922m.doc BOH 1 / 19/22 Minutes Pag 4 There are 2 letters, one that APCC wrote asking the BOH to write to Senators, Congressmen and various public figures opposing the plan and the letter that the Selectboard wrote to the CEO of the Company. Ms . Holeman stated that she would like to get more information before writing a letter. Motion : Write letter in opposition of dumping the radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay using the APCC template . Motion : Joe Ford Second: Annette Graczewski Vote: Annette. Graczewski — yes Action: Motion carried Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Kimberley Crocker Pearson — yes Penny Holeman - no Mrs. von Hone will send letter and have a copy given to the Board . 9. Liaison Reports Dr. Pearson stated that there had been no Water Quality Review Committee meeting . Mrs. Graczewski stated that the Recycling Committee had met on 1 /6/22 and the new program (separating glass from single stream recycling) is going well . 10. Matters not reasonably anticipated by the Chair Mrs . von Hone stated that there will be a joint Selectboard and Board of Health meeting next Thursday at 6PM . Mark Nelson will be giving a presentation on the Town' s current Integrated Water Management Plan . 11 . Items for next agenda Dr. Pearson asked that a discussion on the contents of the vats at the Pilgrim Power Plant be placed on the agenda . 12 . Next meeting: February 2, 2022 Noted . Informational items were noted . Meeting adjourned at 9 :05PM *Accompanying documents in packet: Agenda, Covid update information, informational items N :\Health\from Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\Jan1922m .doc