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, September 15, 2010
Chilmark Town Hall
5:00 pm
Present: Katie Carroll, Mike Renahan
Also Present: Marina Lent (Administrator, BOH), George Sourati (Sourati Engineering Group), Noli Taylor (Island Grown Initiative)
Absent: Jan Buhrman
Goldberg, 19 Peaked Hill Road (19-5) The Board received a revised plan for the septic system construction permit approved at its meeting of September 1, 2010.
Eaton, 29 Tilton Farm Road (18-14.4) The Board reviewed a proposed 6-bedroom sewage disposal system and floor plan for a proposed 5 bedroom house. The system will serve the proposed dwelling and an existing carriage house with a detached bedroom. The Board approved the sewage treatment and disposal system construction permit.
Matschullat, 34 Flanders Lane (26-28) The Board took note of the bedroom count conducted by Marina Lent on Septmenber 14, 2010. The Board will review a septic system plan in preparation by George Sourati at an upcoming meeting.
Mill Brook Springs Public Water System Marina Lent noted that the well serving the Chilmark Spring Water company operated by the Dunkl family is listed by the DEP as “declassified”, meaning that PWS 4062007 no longer qualifies as a public water system. The Board asked Marina Lent to look into this question, and specifically to determine whether the Board of Health has oversight responsibilities for Mill Brook Springs.
Chilmark School Local Lunch Program Noli Taylor presented a proposal to institute a monthly series of healthy cooked lunches for students, staff and invited guests during the 2010-2011 school year using locally-based foods. The lunches will also serve as a pilot program to assess the feasibility of offering locally-based lunches on a regular basis. The Board expressed interest in helping to make this program a success. The Board decided that the school lunches will require a temporary permit for each lunch, but that the $10 fee will be waived, as is customary for Chilmark Town events. Noli Taylor assured the Board that the chef for the lunches, Chris Fisher, has a current ServSafe certification. The Board welcomes the initiative of the Island Grown Schools program, and
looks forward to attending the upcoming lunches.
The Board asked Marina Lent to look into what would be required for the Chilmark Community Center kitchen to qualify as a commercial kitchen, while reserving judgment for the time being as to whether this would be a desirable option for the Community Center.
Chilmark Community Center Art Shack Katie Carroll reported that she has been contacted by Elise Elliston regarding available options for running water at the Chilmark Community Center Art Shack.
Update from MVRD Representative Frank Fenner Frank Fenner, BOH representative to the Martha’s Vineyard Refuse Disposal and Resource Recovery District (MVRD), briefed the Board on current discussions being held with the Towns of Tisbury and Oak Bluffs regarding the possibility of joining the District. He stressed that discussions in the “Consolidation Committee”, of which he is a member, are promising, but still preliminary. He introduced the major issues behind proposed draft changes to the District Agreement contemplated to enable the Towns of Tisbury and Oak Bluffs to join the District.
The following are some of the issues to be addressed:
1) change wording to refer to “appointing authority”, rather than Boards of Health, since in some towns the Board of Health does not act as the appointing authority;
2) Member Voting Rights: Frank Fenner reported that he had opposed the model of voting rights weighted according to volume of trash produced, on the basis that, regardless of the size of the town or the volume of trash, the responsibility towards the citizen is the same for every town. He strongly supports equal voting shares for member towns.
3) Capital Cost apportionment is another area of discussion, for example what types of expenditures need to be determined by membership, and what is to be considered ongoing operational expenses. Certain machinery and vehicles could be handled more efficiently as operating expenses, in order to minimize what comes into the assessments. Economy of scale to be achieved with the consolidation of all Island towns in the District should enable operating expenses to be covered.
Capital cost apportionment had been assessed by weight, but this system doesn’t work very well. There are various suggestions as to how to determine each town’s share. Frank favors apportioning the cost according to kitchen/dwelling. Population varies strongly on the Island, even from season to season, and attempting to obtain an accurate annual “head count” for each Town would be impractical. An accurate, reliable annual count of dwellings and commercial establishments can be more easily obtained from the Town Assessors. This would also reflect variations in population growth in the different towns on an ongoing basis.
Committee membership has been suggested as six: one member per town, with a rotating three-year term, one member, one vote. Katie Carroll suggested that having an alternate member is probably an important option, to accommodate occasional absences of a Town representative.
Frank Fenner offered to make the draft Agreement available to the Board.
Mike Renahan asked what the “buy-in” from Oak Bluffs and Tisbury will be: will they bring their current facilities to the District? Frank Fenner noted that, once the basic member agreement is completed, there will also be a side agreement on the terms on which Oak Bluffs and Tisbury will join the District. It is likely that use of the existing facilities in the two towns could be part of such an agreement, at least on an interim basis.
Mike Renahan raised the question of what it would cost Chilmark to handle its refuse independently of the District: could it be cheaper for Chilmark to contract out its entire trash removal than to remain with the District? Frank Fenner pointed out that the Island needs to be a consolidated refuse district if it is to achieve the economy of scale that can make it financially viable.
Mike Renahan noted that Chilmark MVRD representative Alex Preston has indicated that he would like to step down as soon as an appropriate replacement can be found. Frank Fenner noted that experience in the transport end of things could be very valuable. The Board resolved to redouble its efforts to find a representative to the MVRD.
Lee, 1 Clampoint Road (33-120) The Board approved a septic system repair permit submitted by Reid Silva to repair a crushed pipe between the tank and the pit.
Shae, 11 Hammet Lane (8-43) The Board took note of a Field Inspection and Service Report of 7/28/2010 on a FAST Wastewater Treatment System at the Shae property, submitted by Wastewater Treatment Services, Inc.
MV Savings Bank, 82 South Road, (11-83) The Board took note of a Title 5 Inspection Report on this property submitted by Reid Silva, Vineyard Land Surveying and Engineering, Inc. The inspection passes.
Ryan (c/o Conroy Real Estate), 188 State Road (33-76.2) The Board took note of a Title 5 Inspection Report conducted on 9/2/2010 by Doug Cooper, Cooper Environmental Services LLC. The inspection passes.
Levy/Church, 8 Greenhouse Lane, (33-30, 177) The Board noted a letter from Doug Cooper dated 9/7/2010 which reports that a manhole cover and riser have been installed as recommended by the Board at its meeting of 9/1/2010.
Freeman/Hancock Woodlot, Blue Barque Road (17-50,52,65) The Board took note of a letter from Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation requesting that the foundation be informed if a permit for construction of a septic system is submitted for this property.
Regulation Revision The Board discussed how to proceed with an update and revision of its regulations. Marina Lent raised the possibility of addressing wastewater nitrogen loading of Chilmark’s coastal ponds according to watershed and/or proximity to impaired ponds, and Katie Carroll noted that the practice of the Board has been to require de-nitrification for systems in particularly sensitive areas. She felt that formalizing this practice in BOH regulations would ensure consistency.
The Board will add language to require BOH review of final, approved building plans prior to issuing the Certificate of Compliance for new construction, and require periodic inspection, including a pressure test, for tight tanks.
Mike Renahan asked Marina Lent to look into any available information regarding the amount of nitrogen loading to the Upper Chilmark Pond coming from livestock at the Allen Farm, in particular, from pigs kept in close proximity to a stream running into the Pond.
Grey Barn milk processing wastewater facility: The Board stated that, while authority for oversight of the milk processing wastewater from the proposed dairy operation rests with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Board would like to be kept fully informed of matters concerning wastewater discharge, and will make approval of the pasteurization license issued by the Board contingent, among other factors, on the satisfactory performance of the wastewater treatment and disposal system used by the facility.
Delinquent taxpayer list The Board asked Marina Lent to look into the mechanisms that would allow septic system permits to be exempt from the requirements of MGL ch.40 sec.57, which states that the town will deny permits and licenses to any taxpayer whose prior fiscal year taxes are unpaid.
Invoices: The following invoices were approved for payment/reimbursement:
· Mileage reimbursement for travel to Holliston, MA Water Treatment Operator Training $79.40
· Bailey’s test strips – need $9 additional to the $14.50 already paid.
· Treatment 1 Operator certification application $70
· Mileage to Framingham, MA for Water Treatment Operator exam $93.30
· VNA, August 2010 $748
· MVRD Transportation/Transport Recycling, and Metal by weight $ 5,454.85
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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