|
Town Government & |
Departments: Board of Health
2007 Town Report The Board consists of three elected members from the community. The term of office is for three years. The Board oversees a staff of 4 full time employees (Executive Health Officer, Administrative Secretary, Public Health Nurse and Health Agent) and two part time employees (Health Clerk and a Food Inspector). The Board of Health’s jurisdiction and responsibilities includes such activities as adult immunization programs, domestic abuse, crisis intervention, Food Establishment licensing and inspections, surface water quality enforcement, tobacco control program, rabies control, West Nile Virus surveillance, local emergency planning, Right-to-Know program, septic system approval and inspection, bioterrorism response, Body Art licensing, recombinant DNA licensing, group day care licensing and inspection, communicable disease surveillance, massage, camp licensing, tanning salon licensing, building permit review, subdivision review, private well permitting, housing code compliance and much more. During 2007 the Board has been working on updating some of their outdated regulations. Animal and Fowl regulations headed this year’s rewrite of old regulations. These regulations established minimum standards to promote the responsible care and welfare of animals, protection of the public health, and environmental protection, which is considered necessary for the health, safety and welfare of the community. The Board will be filing an Article for the 2008 Annual Town Meeting on outdoor irrigation system in an effort to put less strain on the Town’s aquifer during the summer months. The Board is still working on Fats, Oils and Grease regulations “FOG” with the Hingham Sewer Commissioners. These regulations are aimed at reducing the amount of FOG that enters the municipal sewer system, which in turn will reduce the amount of blockages, and maintenance the sewer system currently experiences. This year the Public Health Nurse conducted a number of Influenza Clinics at a variety of locations from our senior housing units to the Town Hall. As a result, over 2000 residents received their “flu shot” this year free of charge and with no cost to the Town. Permits issued in 2007 by the Board of Health are as follows: Day Care Centers 11
Stephen White, Chairman
|