HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/16/2020 Minutes for April 16,2020,adopted May 21 :
BOARD OF HEALTH tf
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Emergency Meeting
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www.nantucket-ma.gov
Commissioners: Stephen Visco (chair), Malcolm MacNab, MD,PHD (Vice chair) ,James Cooper,Helene Weld,RN,Rita Higgins,
Select Board
Staff: Roberto Santamaria,Artell Crowley,Kathy LaFavre,Anne Barrett,Hank Ross
-- MINUTES —
Thursday,April 16,2020
This meeting was held via remote participation using ZOOM and YouTube,
Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12, 2020 Order Regarding Open Meeting Law
Called to order at 4:01 p.m. by Mr.Visco
Staff: R. Santamaria, Health Director
Attending Members: Stephen Visco, Chair;Malcolm MacNab,Vice chair;James Cooper;Helene Weld;Rita Higgins
Absent Members: Mr.Visco off-line 4:05 to 4:11 p.m.
Speakers: Gary Shaw, President & CEO Nantucket Cottage Hospital; Dawn Hill Holdgate, Select Board
Chair
Agenda adopted by unanimous consent
I. ANNOUNCEMENTS
I I. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Item 1
I I i. COVID UPDATE
Santamaria—We're still in midst of the Governor's shelter-in-place order and going up on 12 days without new on-
Island COVIDI9 cases. Our primary effort is to look at the health of the Island and make decisions based upon what
we find; that doesn't make everyone happy. This is an unprecedent event, which was last experienced over 100 years
ago. It is unfair these decisions fall on government leaders,but we have to make those decisions with what we have as
quickly as we can;we are being asked to implement emergency orders on the fly.
I V. PUBLIC HEARING— REGULATION 51
Motion to open the public hearing at 4:05. (Weld) (seconded)
Voice Vote Carried 4-0:Weld-aye;Cooper-aye;Higgins-aye;MacNab-aye;Visco-aye
Santamaria—This is a contentious regulation; since we can't have a hearing with public involvement,we're asking to
table this for three months. It would be unfair to have a full hearing at this time
Motion to table to July 16 at 4:00 p.m. (Higgins) (seconded.
Voice Vote Carried 4-0:Weld-aye; Cooper-aye;Higgins-aye;MacNab-aye//Visco lost internet connection
V. REVIEW OF MINUTES
1. January 16, 2020
2. February 20,2020
3. March 17,2020
4. March 20, 2020
5. April 2, 2020
Action Motion to Approve all the minutes. (made by: Higgins) (seconded)
Voice Vote Carried 4-0: Weld-aye;Cooper-aye; Higgins-aye;MacNab-aye//Visco lost internet connection
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Minutes for April 16,2020,adopted May 21
VI. BOH BUSINESS
1. Loan for 53 Millbrook Road, 56-239, Gianutsos, septic repair
2. Loan for 266 Madaket Road, Millar, 59.4-273, septic repair
3. Loan for 30 Dukes Road,Webb, 56-189, septic to sewer
Sitting MacNab (acting chair), Cooper,Weld, Higgins
Discussion Santamaria—Asked these to be reviewed together;there are no objections
Action Motion to Approve all three loan requests. (made by: Cooper) (seconded)
Voice Vote Carried 4-0: Weld-aye;Cooper-aye; Higgins-aye;MacNab-aye//Visco lost internet connection
4. Variance request 113 Hummock Pond Road,56-59,setbacks 50.02A,502.05B,64.03B (Tabled until May 21,2020)
5. Variance request for 287 Hummock Pond Road, 83-39,setbacks 52.02A&64.04 C.2 (Tabled until May 21,2020)
6. Variance request for 65 Squam Road, 13-15, 52.02A setbacks (Tabled until May 21,2020)
7. Variance Request for Madequecham Valley Road, 88-25, 310CMR 15.214(2) bedroom allowance (Tabled until
May 21,2020)
8. Genetic Mice Project Steering Committee appointment
Sitting MacNab (acting chair), Cooper,Weld, Higgins
Discussion Santamaria—A person stepped down from the committee;we are recruiting Ginger Andrews.
MacNab—Reviewed Ms.Andrew's qualifications.
Action Motion to Appoint Ginger Andrews to the Genetic Mice Project Steering Committee. (made
by: Weld) (seconded)
Voice Vote Carried 4-0: Weld-aye;Cooper-aye;Higgins-aye;MacNab-aye//Visco lost internet connection
9. Phased Work Plans
Sitting Visco,MacNab, Cooper,Weld, Higgins
Discussion Santamaria — The plans were presented at the Select Board meeting; there will be a joint BOH
and Select Board meeting on Friday,April 17 at 1 p.m. to discuss a phased back-to-work plan. We
will also discuss an order that all Stop&Shop workers are required to wear masks.
MacNab—Swimming pools haven't been discussed.Asked if we need those.
Santamaria—We've addressed maintenance of swimming pools. We're not opening them yet, but
we're headed into the season that if filters aren't on,we get algae blooms which attracts mosquitos.
Some of the pool maintenance work can be done by 1 or 2 people.
MacNab—Asked what the recommended start time for the phased work plans would be.
Santamaria — The Governor's order expires on May 4; it's up to BOH to set the implementation
dates for this order.
Shaw—He wants the Board to feel confident about the tools in place for screening and quarantine.
We have 26 people trained to monitor quarantined people. We have no COVID patients in the
hospital. We have to figure out how to navigate coming up to normal.
Weld — Given the amount of paperwork to generate additional data, suggested April 27 as the
implementation date for the phased back-to-work plan.
Santamaria—We can work with that date. If you want any changes to the Order,April 27 start date
allows time for that to be done. Town Counsel is working to finalize the document. The Board
would need to vote to implement, table,augment,change, etc. It is a living document at this time.
Cooper—Asked if the Board is going work it out today or on April 17th with the Select Board. The
Police Chief said the Governor said no empty structures will have water turned on;the water should
be turned on prior to a family's return; the same with any electrical issues.
Shaw—Something to keep in mind is that the Select Board and BOH supported extremely fast the
request to take measures to slow the spread of COVID because of the unique situation of the Island.
Now we are ahead of the State mandate and this is another opportunity to be ahead of the State.
Asked if there is an option for the BOH to go ahead and allow water to be turned on to avoid
another public health issue.
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Minutes for April 16,2020,adopted May 21
Hill Holdgate — We settled on a definition of unoccupied that doesn't include a finished house
with furniture from which the owner has been absent; caretaking and property management are
okay. If you want to consider independent and one-worker jobs,you can include that.
Visco — We got this plan a little while ago and it's a lot to go over. Most year-rounders are self-
employed and encompass more than the landscaping companies. He thinks the wording is a little
discriminatory.
Higgins —It seems like turning on the water is an issue;it's safer to work in an unoccupied house.
We'll have to look at what will happen when people start coming back to the Island. It's hard to
differentiate between 1-month or 6-month occupancy. Speaking to the landscaping side,we need to
ferret out a safe way for them to start work. Also,if water is running on a property,workers have a
place to wash their hands. Regarding 1-person per construction work site, she'd like to discuss and
close possible loopholes.
Shaw—The approach with the lowest risk is one such as Mr.Visco and Ms.Higgins mentioned and
allows people to get back to work while we can monitor the situation.
Visco—He'd like to read this over and discuss it at the Friday April 17 meeting.
Hill Holdgate — Asked the BOH members try to get comments to Mr. Santamaria as soon as
possible so that any changes can be reviewed before the April 17th meeting.
Higgins — She wants to hear what other BOH members have to say. One thing that came up is
considering what can be done safely regarding going back to work. It's a judgement call about what
is too strict and what isn't strict enough.There is a divide among the business owners about getting
back to work with some wanting to open with as many employees as possible.Asked if there is the
possibility to have an employee hotline; there is a fear among people that they will be forced to go
back to work or risk losing their job; they should have a safe venue to express concerns their
employers might not be acting in the best interest of safety.
Visco—No one wants to be ill or sick; from what he sees and hears,people will do what they need
to do to keep their employees and families safe.
Shaw— Suggested that as the Town loosens the breaks, we should develop a fact sheet explaining
expectations and what is safe. People will ask and we need to get word out efficiently.
Weld—Mitigation has been successful; as more people come on the island,we'll see more positive
cases. Asked if Mr. Shaw is looking at a potential trend leading to another full shutdown.
Shaw—We're trying to get to the best minds in the country to help us understand the new normal
and ascertain what's the right thing to do. There is more disease on the mainland than here;a good
number of people coming over will have been ill and recovered; however, we want to be able to
identify if someone who is not feeling well is positive or where someone sits in the disease.We need
screening testing to quarantine if necessary to contact tracing while we do a simultaneous test of
everybody on the Island. Today at 5 p.m. we will be talking with representatives of the Rowe
Institute and MIT and Mass General and a scientist and epidemiologist about defining a study that
would lead to doing a dry-blood-blot test and to initiate it through MIT. That information would
help us understand the Island's health now. In the meantime, let the breaks off in the lowest-risk
way;we have to test this.
MacNab—The original Q testing provided a lot of false negatives; there are now new tests being
developed. Asked Mr. Shaw what type of test does the hospital use and would the hospital get to
the point of using DIY tests.
Shaw—Blood tests for antibodies are now coming out en masse; our clinicians would be able to get
that test.We have an analyzer that provides results in 45 minutes with a high-level of specificity;we
have enough to do more of that testing.
Higgins — Right now there is a Healthcare for All; one of her concerns is that as we open up, a
group of people who might be under insured or not insured are being put at risk. Asked if the
Hospital will continue the policy of Healthcare for All.
Shaw—We obtained the rural health-clinic certification so that we don't have to turn anyone away.
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Minutes for April 16,2020,adopted May 21
Visco — Asked the members to look at the order tonight and get suggested changes to Mr.
Santamaria as soon as possible.
VII. BOARD MEMBER UPDATES AND CONCERNS
1. None
Motion to adjourn 4:49 p.m. (made by: Weld) (second)
Voice Vote Carried unanimously: MacNab-aye;Weld-aye; Higgins-aye;Cooper-aye;Visco-aye
Submitted by:
Terry L. Norton
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