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Home My Public Portal AboutBoard of Health -- 2022-09-21 MinutesTown of Brewster 2198 MAIN STREET BREWSTER, MASSACHUSETTS 026314898 PHONE: 508.896.3701 EXT. 1120 FAX: 508.896.4538 brhealthCc brewster-ma.gov W W W.BREW STER-MA.GOV Board of Health Meeting Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 7:OOPM Virtual Meeting ESI; `i Health Department Amy L. von Hone, Director Sherrie McCullough, R.S. Assistant Director Tammi Mason Senior Department Assistant Board members attending remotely: Annette Graczewski, MT (ASCP), Chair; Kimberley Crocker Pearson, MS, MD, MPH, Vice Chair; Penny Holeman, MPH, MA, MS; David Bennett and Casey D. Chatelain Others attending remotely: Amy von Hone, R.S., C.H.O., Health Director, Tim Pasakarnis, Cape Cod Commission, Heather McElroy, Cape Cod Commission, Ron Essig, Natural Resource Advisory Committee, Chris Williams, Natural Resource Advisory Committee, Elizabeth Taylor, Natural Resource Advisory Committee, Konrad Shultz, Brewster Ponds Coalition, Susan Bridges, Brewster Ponds Coalition and Marty Burke, Natural Resource Advisory Committee 1. Call to Order Meeting was called to order at 7:OOPM 2. Chair announcements Cape Cod Healthcare will be holding a blood drive at the Brewster Police Department on September 22, 2022. Registration and appointments can be made at the CCHC website at capecodhealth.org 3. Citizen's forum None. 6. Presentation and discussion on Cape Cod Commission Freshwater Initiative — CC Commission staff Tim Pasakarnis (Joint meeting with Natural Resource Advisory Committee) KCP-called the Brewster Natural Resource Committee to order at 7:07PM. A quorum was present (Ron Essig, Elizabeth Taylor, Chris Williams, and Kimberley Crocker Pearson). Tim Pasakarnis is a Water Resources Analyst for CCC, and Heather McElroy is the Natural Resource Director at CCC. A slide show was presented to the Board. HM -spoke about the work they do at the CCC, which is to identify a path forward for improving pond water access across the region. There are 890 freshwater ponds and lakes on Cape Cod. The key to regulating water quality is to manage nutrients. Their health is also a glimpse into the health of our shared aquifer across the Cape. The ponds are at risk from pollutants from precipitation, stormwater runoff and groundwater recharge. N:\Health\from Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\SCPL 2122m.doc 9/21/22 BOH Minutes Page 2 There are regional planning efforts that focus on freshwater quality. Cape Cod Pond and Lake Atlas from 2003 was the I planning effort made. The PALS program was also part of that effort. 208 Plan and the Regional Policy Plan from 2018, which looks at freshwater quality was brought up. TP- went over the slideshow with the Board. He stated that this is called Cape Cod Freshwater Inative. There are 10 major tasks associated with it. They are broken into 3 phases: 1. Establishing a baseline: Remote sensing, data management & analysis, physical characteristics, and ponds & lakes atlas update 2. Strategy Development Engagement & outreach, strategies database, economic analysis & legal analysis 3. Ongoing Monitoring &Analysis Monitoring program and ongoing data management and analysis The 2003, the Cape Cod Pond &lake Atlas was updated in 2021 Updated Pond Classification -defining what is and isn't a pond; salt ponds, water bodies under 10,000sf; seasonal pools, wetlands were not included Cape Cod ponds by the numbers, largest, deepest, etc. Recommendations - *Collaboration and coordination of pond stakeholders *Reinvigorate, broaden, and standardize a regional water quality monitoring program to acquire data to inform pond management decisions *Prioritize watershed management measures that can have widespread impacts on water quality improvements *Create a centralized repository for Pond monitoring data and provide public access *Continue education on the value of ponds and impacts on poor pond health There is a "CC pond viewer interactive map" on the website. Data Management &Analysis *Existing monitory data *CC water quality database *Identify trend analyses& develop processing scripts *Release freshwater public data portal/user interface *Reginal data and trend analysis Physical Characteristics *Using GIS and other data sources to examine characteristics that may contribute to changes in water quality and determine potential internal and external drivers of water quality degradation *Land use, septic systems, stormwater runoff, impervious surfaces *Remote sensing — investigating the use of satellite derived imagery and existing pond water quality data to quantify changes in pond characteristics Strategies for pond improvement N:\Health\fr om Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\Sept2122m.doc 9/21/22 BOH Minutes Page 3 *Developing a pond specific strategy database that includes a range of technologies, regulatory and voluntary options and management approaches for protecting and restoring pond water quality Economic Analysis, Legal & Jurisdictional Analysis and Engagement & Outreach *Pond network *Technical advisory group *Community outreach & input *Stakeholder engagement Pond Water Quality Monitoring Program *Develop & implement a plan for coordinated and consistent regional pond monitoring *Date collection *Centralized database *Integrated Planning On going data management and analysis. DB- asked what the BOH's role was. HM- In the process of contracting the Town Administrators to see who the point of contact will be. Stakeholder groups will also be engaged. PH -What is the next role out that we will see? HM -It is hared to predict. There are a few things in process: survey effort, identifying potential strategies for addressing a variety of pond water quality and other health concerns, which will likely be shared through the stakeholder process. CC -The Water Quality Date Portal is an incredible tool. The CCC has a GIS open data hub that has a ton of data from across the cape and she encourages everyone to look at it. AG -Asked about the Freshwater Initiative Plan that was shared with the Board in June of 2022 and whether there had been changes to it. TP -It would be hard to give a list of changes. Most are on pond water quality data. AG -Asked the Natural Resources Committee if they had any questions. RE -Asked about the water quality monitoring time frames and if any of the sampling would be done in 2023. TP -2023 will be the 1S' monitoring season. RE -Asked if anyone knew the number of ponds that the funding would reach. TP -The budget was built on 3 years of full funding and aonce-a-year sampling schedule. It would be hared to pin down a number. ET -Asked what kind of information coloration there was going to be with all the different parties testing. TP -The hope is that the monitoring program will be coordinated with the Town. KCP-Would like to see, as part of the initiative, a very clear way for the towns to input any management strategies that have been taken. KS (Brewster Pond's Coalition) -Asked how this was "actionable" N:\Health\from Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\Sept2122m.doc 9/21/22 BOH Minutes Page 4 TP -It would go back to the questions that keep coming up: *How do we get started — make answers more clear *When do we have enough information to make a plan -pathways to strategies SB (Brewster Pond's Coalition) -Stated that she is concerned about the water quality testing. How frequently and the protocols. TP -The program is designed to use volunteers. They are thinking about those issues now. SB -Asked about fertilizer as a "threat". Should it be added? TP -There is an assumed fertilizer load. MB (Brewster Pond's Coalition) -Data has been collected by "PALS" since 2001. He asked if there had been any conclusions made by CCC with that date. TP -No. It will be looked at as part of the freshwater initiative. The Natural Resource Committee adjourned at 7:16PM 4. Consent Agenda: a. 176 Canoe Pond Drive — septic system variance request b. 208 Sheep Pond Drive — septic system variance request Motion: Approve the Consent Agenda which includes 176 Canoe Pond Drive and 208 Sheep Pond Drive. Motion: Casey D. Chatelain Second: Penny Holeman Vote: Penny Holeman —yes Action: Motion carried Kimberley Crocker Pearson — yes David Bennett — yes Casey D. Chatelain — yes Annette Graczewski — yes 5. Review &Approve minutes for August 8, 2022 Motion: Approve minutes from 8/8/22 Motion: Kimberley Crocker Pearson 7. Liaison reports Second: David Bennett Vote: Penny Holeman —yes Action: Motion carried Kimberley Crocker Pearson —yes David Bennett — yes Casey D. Chatelain — abstain Annette Graczewski — yes AG -The Recycling Commission is going to visit the Mass Recycling Facility on 9/22/22. PH -The COA Board took a tour of Serenity, and they are working on their 2°d 5 -year plan 8. Matters not reasonably anticipated by the Chair DB -asked if the Board could discuss virtual meetings moving forward. AG -Stated she would have the Health Department poll the Board to see what the wish is. N:\Health\fiom Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETINGS\BOH\Sept2122m.doc 9/21/22 BOH Minutes Page 5 9. Items for next agenda AG -Asked that the Board have a discussion on the Monitoring Regulation and the performance of the current I/A systems in town. It will be at the October work meeting. 10. Next meeting: October 5, 2022 AG- Let the Board know that she would not be at this meeting. Informational items were noted. Meeting adjourned at 8:30PM. N:\Health\from Shari\MSWORK FOLDERS\MEETiNGS\BOH\Sept2122m.doc