===PAGE 1=== LUNENBURG BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING MINUTES Monday, November 16, 2020 The Board of Health met at 7:00 pm at the Ritter Memorial Building Roll Call conducted by Vice-Chairman, Perry Jewell: Perry Jewell, George Emond, Paul Fortin and Evan Watters. Agent, Jim Garreffi, was also present. Vice-Chairman Perry Jewell prefaced the meeting with the following reading. In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over Lunenburg P ublic Access and this meeting of the Board of Health is being conducted remotely. The Town of Lunenburg, in response to the COVID -19 (Corona Virus), is currently following the guidance from the Lunenburg Board of Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the CDC regarding the virus and steps communities can take to prevent the spread and all town facilities are currently closed to the public. In accordance with the Governor’s Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L.c.3 0A, Section 20, all public meetings are being conducted remotely. The Governor’s Order, which you can find posted on the Town’s website COVID-19 Information Center page, accessed through the Town Manager’s webpage allows public bodies to meet entirely rem otely so long as reasonable public access is afforded so that the public can follow along with the deliberations of the meeting. Ensuring public access does not ensure public participation unless such participation is required by law. This meeting will f eature public comment. For this meeting the Board of Health is convening by video conferencing via Zoom and FacebookLive as posted on the Town’s website identifying how the public may join. For Zoom meetings, please note that this meeting is being record ed and that some attendees are participating by video conference. Accordingly please be aware that other folks may be able to see you and take care not to screen share your computer. Anything that you broadcast may be captured by the recording. Perry Jewell then covered the ground rules for effective business and to ensure accurate meeting minutes. All voting by Roll Call Votes. 93 WHITE STREET Dan Proctor was present to represent the owner. This system is in failure and the property is served by public water. This is a straight forward upgrade. An offset to groundwater from 5 feet to 4 feet is being requested. By allowing this offset the system will fit better on the lot with a tighter grade. There are no wetlands on the site. Agent Jim Garr effi agreed that this is a very straight forward plan , with the best system having been designed for the lot. After discussion and on Motion by Jewell and second by Fortin, the variance was unanimously approved by roll call vote. 81 MAPLE PARKWAY Steve Sears met with the board on behalf of the owner. This system is in failure. This lot and the surrounding lots are on town water. This is a narrow lot, 100 feet wide and 300 feet deep. Half way back is wetlands and ===PAGE 2=== they also border one side. Because the water table is high, a sieve analysis was performed. Because of the extensive wetlands, there is limited space on the site to place the system. Variances requested are: Offset to groundwater from 4 feet to 3 feet Use of a sieve analysis Inlet and outlet tees less than 12 inches (to accommodate current plumbing in the house) Offset to wetlands 100 feet to 51 feet Jim Garreffi stated that this is a tough site with high groundwater. There is a limited portion of the site that can be utilized due to the wetlands. This variances being requested are a balance to lower the system to provide better grading and keep a distances from the wetlands. This is a good compromise for this lot. After discussion and on motion by Fortin and second by Watters, the board voted to approve the variances. All in favor by roll call vote. MEETING MINUTES On motion by Jewell and second by Watters all previous minutes were unanimously approved by roll call vote. COVID UPDATE Chairman George Emond commended Agent Jim Garreffi on a letter that he prepared and sent out to board members, as well as Town Administrator Heather Lemieux and members of the Selectboard with regard to Covid. Chairman Emond stated that he felt it was very well written and, if members of the board had not had an opportunity to read the letter, they should do so. Agent Jim Garreffi stated that there are numerous changes and amendments to Covid guideline daily. Re- opening is based on risk level, specifically “red” communities as noted on the statewide Covid map. Lunenburg is currently red. We have moved into Phase 3, Step 2 which allows the bar portion to open for the serving of food with social distancing provisions in place. Bars opening for alcohol are still prohibited. We are allowing greater number at events and more people, up to 10 people, can now sit a table together at a restaurant. In addition, restaurants stop serving food by 9:30 pm. Alcohol can only be served with food and all food must be prepared on site. In addition, there is a stay at home order from 10 pm until 5 am. We are seeing more cases now than we did last spring. Currently, Lunenburg is still seeing 45 to 50 new positive test cases a week. We have more people coming into contact with more people. It is important to social distance whenever you can. Wear a mask in all public locations, including parking lots, sidewalks and office buildings. Carry a mask at all times. Agent Garreffi has recommended to the boa rd that they start enforcement for all non-compliant establishments for overcrowding, seating and serving alcohol without food service. Garreffi stated that, currently, our cases are out pacing our ability to do contact tracing. The State Collaborative in now doing some contact tracing for us. He does not know what happened in the last week to push Lunenburg numbers up so high. Garreffi reiterated that you need to stay home until you get the results of your test. If you are a close contact to a known positive case of Covid you must quarantine, even if you receive a negative test. You cannot test out of quarantine. It is important to protect ourselves as we don’t know where others have been or who they have been around. We continue to address complaints received from the State as well as complaints that come into our local Board of Health office. We have complaints on restaurants as well as concerns about the wearing of masks. ===PAGE 3=== Contact tracing is showing that private gatherings are accounting for the biggest increase in C ovid numbers and leading to clusters within families. There was discussion as to the difference in numbers from Nashoba reporting to State reporting. Agent Garreffi stated that the state “sorts” out the information and corrects misreporting such as not really living in town. Agent Garreffi stated that with Special Town meeting tomorrow, he believes that all precautions are being taken. At Spring Town meeting all distances and mask requirements were adhered to. There is still an exemption for people who can’t wear a mask due to a medic al condition and he has had conversation with the Town Manager with regard to this. Member Evan Watters has been tracking Covid numbers and it makes it easier to understand the difference from week to week. Chairman Emond asked that those spread sheets be sent to the members and Agent Garreffi. Having no further matters before the board and on Motion by Emond and seconded by Fortin, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm. By roll call vote, all in favor.