C h i l m a r k B o a r d o f H e a l t h
M i n u t e s
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Chilmark Town Hall
5:00 pm
Present: Katie Carroll, Mike Renahan, Jan Buhrman
Also Present: Marina Lent (Administrator, BOH), Reid Silva (Vineyard Land Surveying and Engineering), Kent Healy (PE), Ed Higham (7-63)
Minutes of December 1, 2010 approved as amended.
Perc Season: The Board decided to open the Perc Season on January 1, 2011.
Mackey, 40 Shadbush Hollow (11-6) The Board considered a sewage disposal system revision permit application submitted by Kent Healy to expand the leaching capacity of the existing field. The Board confirmed that no increase in capacity is foreseen: the house remains at three bedrooms, and no home renovations are contemplated at this time.
Higham, 5 Old Farm Road, (7-63) The Board approved a proposed plan for a sewage disposal system revision prepared by Douglas Dowling and presented by homeowner Ed Higham. The Board requested Mr. Higham to secure a fully filled permit application for signature by the Board.
Chilmark Community Center The Board welcomed a proposed wash-water disposal system presented by Kent Healy which will divert modest amounts of cold water used in the Art Shack during the summer camp operations into large, lined planters.
5:15 Public Hearing: Flanders, 26 Harbor Hill Road (27.1-107) The Board opened the public hearing on variances required for a sewage treatment and disposal system upgrade on the Flanders property in Menemsha.
The following separation variances are sought: Title 5: leaching to property line: 10’ required, 3’ proposed. Chilmark BOH regulations: leaching to coastal water body: 200’ required, 123’ proposed; leaching to leaching: 300’ required, ca. 4’ proposed; leaching to property line: 30’ required, 3’ proposed.
The Board noted that the property does not allow for greater separations, and approved the proposal for the system serving the Flanders house.
The proposal also involves upgrade of an existing tie-in serving two cottages on an adjoining lot owned by John Keene, for which an easement to the Flanders property is required. It calls for a pump chamber, separate tank, d-box and leaching bed for the Keene shacks to be installed on the Flanders property. Kent Healy suggested that it would be best to address the easement after installation, so that precise locations could be determined.
The Board noted that the proposed system serving the Keene shacks is a separate proposal, which should be accompanied by its own completed plan and application.
Schlossberg, (13-43.1) The Board reviewed the house plan for the affordable housing homesite at Middle Line Road, and noted that the proposed home is within the four-bedroom limit of the approved sewage treatment and disposal system.
Bradley, 1 Oak Grove (13-43.6) The Board reviewed the house plan for the affordable housing homesite at Middle Line Road, and noted that the proposed home is within the four-bedroom limit of the approved sewage treatment and disposal system.
Wlodyka, 4 Beech Grove (13-43.3) The Board discussed the house plan for the affordable housing homesite at Middle Line Road, and noted that the proposed home is within the four-bedroom limit of the approved sewage treatment and disposal system. The Board approved the sewage treatment and disposal system construction permit application for this property, and Katie Carroll reviewed the house plan on the day following the Board meeting.
Squibby LLC, 14 Round Pond Road (35-1.12) The Board reviewed a sewage disposal system revision permit application presented by Reid Silva. The ca. 20-acre property has a six-bedroom septic system already installed, but no dwellings on the property. The proposed revision is for a twelve-bedroom system, including a new leaching bed, 1,500 gallon pump chamber, 1,500 gallon septic tank. The system would utilize the existing force main.
The Board pointed out that the existing force main, while consistent with requirements at the time it was approved in 2002, would not be approved as new construction today. However, a certificate of compliance has been issued for the existing system, including its force main, and it therefore qualifies as a pre-existing component.
The Board requested a revised plan which notes that the force main met all requirements at the time of installation, can remain in use, and shall not be altered or removed within 50’ of wetlands. The Board approved the construction permit with this specification.
Dimovich 13 Hewing Field Road (12-42) as-built received, certificate of compliance issued
Hancock, 45 Blue Barque Road, (17-53) Title 5 inspection report received: Main House passes; Guest House conditionally passes, on the basis that the system was never hooked up. The Board requested Marina Lent to write a letter to Deborah Hancock that the conditional pass must be satisfactorily resolved prior to sale.
Grin Acres, 15 Nickerson Farm Lane (21-10,13,14) Well completion report received – positive total coliform
Bollin, 22 Larsen Lane (27.1-45) as-built received, certificate of compliance issued.
Murphy, 8 Rumpus Ridge Road (30-29) as-built received, certificate of compliance issued.
Flanders, Lovey’s Cove Road, (33-94), as-built received, certificate of compliance issued.
School Lunches update: Marina Lent reported to the Board results of discussion among the All-Island Health Agents’ Coalition regarding current efforts to include on-Island sourcing of fresh produce in the school lunch contract currently under negotiation for High School, West Tisbury and Chilmark schools. The health agents welcome the initiative, and are prepared to assist to achieve this goal consistently with food safety and sound nutrition. Jan Buhrman, who is a member of a working group addressing this issue, asked Marina Lent to put this statement in a brief letter to her.
Dukes County Mosquito Testing Program Marina Lent reported to the Board on a discussion of the All-Island Health Agents’ Coalition with Dukes County Manager Russell Smith regarding a proposed Dukes County Mosquito testing program. According to Mr. Smith, the County has established that mosquito testing is a high priority, and should be carried out by County employee TJ Hegarty during regular working hours. The County will pay for the labor involved. It remains to be determined whether the State will cover the testing costs as it has in the past.
Katie Carroll noted that this did not seem like a particularly useful program. She felt that it would be better to proceed on the assumption that there are West-Nile positive mosquitoes on Martha’s Vineyard, and put public health efforts into educating the public to take reasonable precautions. Jan Buhrman strongly agreed, and stated that a positive test-finding would lead to the requirement from the State to undertake aerial spraying, and that this would be more dangerous to public health than West Nile virus. Mike Renahan pointed out that the Board had had negative experience with the County’s mosquito program in the past. He felt that the Town had ended up paying for labor that hadn’t taken place. He stated that the Board is unwilling to support a County mosquito
testing program.
Tick-Borne Disease Initiative: Marina Lent updated the Board on the All-Island Health Agents’ Coalition’s initiative to reduce the prevalence of tick-borne illnesses on Martha’s Vineyard. The initiative was recently awarded a major funding grant through the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Community Health Initiatives program. A steering committee, consisting of representatives from all towns, a physician and research scientists from the Cape will meet in January 2011, and two working groups will be formed to carry out the work of the initiative.
Mike Renahan stated that Marina Lent should not devote time in excess of two working hours per week to this project.
Draft Budget FY’12: The Board reviewed a draft FY’12 budget for Board of Health and Waste Collection expenses, and instructed Marina Lent to inquire about last year’s spending prior to submitting the draft to the Town.
Invoices: The following invoices were approved for payment/reimbursement:
- MWWA annual dues are due: $75
- VNA November 2010 $748
- Menemsha Porta-Pot $225
- Wampanoag Lab CCC Public Water System testing $150
- Handbook of Environmental Health, Vol.1 $202.69
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm.
_______________________ _______________________ _______________________
Katherine L. Carroll, Chair Michael A. Renahan Janet L. Buhrman
Chilmark Board of Health Chilmark Board of Health Chilmark Board of Health
A recording of this meeting is on file at the Board of Health office and available for on-site review.
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