MEETING PACKET DECEMBER 2014 CITY OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS
BOARD OF HEALTH
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KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL lramdin s.alem.com FILURRRY RAMDIN,RS/RE.HS,CHO,CP-FS
MAYOR CITY CLERK, SALEM,MAftM 1-IAGENT
NOTICE OF MEETING
Revised
You are hereby notified that the Salem Board of Health will hold its regularly scheduled meeting
Thursday December 9, 2014 at 7.00 PM
City Hall Annex 120 Washington St.3'1 Floor
MEETING AGENDA
1. Call to order o
2. Approval of Minutes ? o,
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3. Chairperson Communications 00 ^U
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4. Public Health Announcements/Reports/Updates
a. Health Agent m ®s
b. PHN Report W X
C. Administrative '3 ®d
d. Council Liaison O a 10
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5. Hearing request from The Hawthorne Hotel-smoking in a workplace violation d R
6. Presentation by RCG on Development at Washington and Dodge Streets p d '- Lei
a M ono
7. Executive Session—Purpose#1
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8. New Business---,Matters that are not anticipated prior to posting the agenda c
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Larry Ramdin
Health Agent
cc: Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Board of Health, City Councilors
Next regularly scheduled meeting is January 13, 2014 at 7pm at City Hall Annex, 120
Washington Street P Floor.
Know your rights under the open meeting law MGL chapter 30A ss 18-25 and City
Ordinance section 2-2028 through 2-2033
Health Agent report December 2014
Announcements
• Captain Mark Losolfo of the Salem Police Department has been appointed to act as
Police Chief until a full-time Chief is appointed.
• Dr. Monica Bharel has been named as the incoming Commissioner of the Department of
Public Health, by Governor Elect Baker. Dr. Bharel was most recently the Chief Medical
Officer of the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program.
• The MDPH has issued the first license for a medical marijuana dispensary to the
Alternative Therapies Group for a dispensary in Salem. The Dispensary should be
opening by the end of the first quarter of 2015
• Councillor Arthur Sargeant was elected, President of the Salem City Council
Community Outreach
• We were contacted by the Rotary Club to attend their monthly meeting scheduled for
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January 6 t2015, to discuss infectious diseases and planning and preparation for disease
outbreaks/emergencies
• • Larry Ramdin met with Gillian Foods a commercial baking operation that is relocating to
Salem from Lynn.
Public Health Highlights
• We responded to fire suppression system discharges at Hong Kong King and at Burger
King. The area and equipment affected by the discharge was cleaned up, contaminated
food discarded and businesses reopened.
• EDS call down drill was conducted on December 17, 2014 all positions responded within
24 hours; all personnel were available. The drill is a CDC emergency preparedness
deliverable.
• Larry Ramdin met with the leadership team at the Police Department to discuss the EDS
security plan
Meetings and Trainings
• Health Agent and Environmental Health team attended the MEHA seminar on December
3rd titled "What every Local Health Director needs to know", issues discussed, were:
Asbestos and Lead regulation updates, Food Waste ban, Recycling Ebola Case study
and an update on the MA Medical Marijuana Program
Inspections
Item Monthly Total YTD 2013 Total
Certificate of Fitness 41 559 577
Inspection
Certificate of Fitness 0 17 29
reinspection
Food Inspection 7 384 377
Food Re-inspections 6 124 227
Retail Food 0 23 55
Inspections
• Retail Food 0 7 27
reinspection
General Nuisance 1 14 9
Inspections
Food— 0 1 2
Administrative
Hearings
Housing Inspections 10 183 233
Housing re- 2 39 40
inspections
Rodent Complaints 1 23 39
Court Hearings 1 6 10
Trash Inspections 17 218 146
Orders served by 0 2 2
Constable
Tanning Inspections 0 1 1
Body Art 0 1 1
Swimming pools 0 23 30
Bathing Beach 0 100 102
Inspection/testing
Lead Determination 0 1 4
Septic Abandonment 0 1 0
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Septic System Plan 0 1 1
Review
Soil Evaluation 0 1 1
Percolation tests 0 2 1
Total 86 1737 1914
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Suzanne Doty RN, BSN
Salem Board of Health
Public Health Nurse
Public Health Nurse Report
Reporting on November 14th 2014 to December 9th 2014
Disease Prevention
• Investigated reportable diseases and reported case information to MDPH.
• In contact with North Shore Pulmonary Clinic and MGH pulmonary clinic on current
active tuberculosis cases.
• In contact with NSMC Infection Control department for prevention of disease within the
hospital.
• The employee flu clinic was held on November 6`h and 67 doses of flu vaccine were
administered.A city wide clinic(EDS drill)was held on November 15`h and 28 doses
were administered. On November 24', 25`h, 26"'and December 1"flu shots were given
at the Fire Station Headquarters on Lafayette St and 18 doses were given all together. On
December 2nd two clinics were held at the Police Station and 22 doses were
administered.
• Health Promotion
• Provided the school nurse leader Paula Dobrow with updates from MDPH.
• Updated the Salem Board of Health Facebook and Twitter pages with information on flu
vaccine and how to set up an appointment to get a free dose.
Meetings/Trainingss
• Continued the Local Public Health Institute"Foundations for Local Public Health Practice in
Massachusetts"course. This class began on October 15`h, includes 3 in-person class sessions
as well as weekly modules and webinars until graduation on March 2015.
• On November 19`h,attended the Salem React meeting with David Greenbaum at the Salem
Police station to meet with representatives from North Shore Elder Services and the Salem
Council on Aging to continue discussing support needs and awareness.for elderly residents in
Salem.
• Attended the Incident Command System 400 (ICS 400)training in Boston on December 4`h
and 5th to achieve a further understanding and education of this system in preparation for the
event of an emergency.
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Monthly Report of Communicable Diseases ` .
November 2014
Disease #Of Cases New Carry Over Discharged Running total Total for 2013
Reported for 2014
Tuberculosis 4 0 4 2 5 2
(Active)
Latent 0 0 0 0 31 44
Tuberculosis*
Malaria 0 0 0 0 1 0
Calicivirus/No 0 0 0 0 1 0
rovirus
Group B 1 1 0 1 5 2
Streptococcus
Meningitis 0 0 0 0 2 0
Hepatitis C* 4 4 0 4 23 37
Hepatitis B* 0 0 0 0 1 0
Influenza* 0 0 0 0 21 62
Lyme 0 0 0 0 1 8 •
Disease*
Ehrlichiosis 0 0 0 0 1 0
Campylobacte 1 1 0 0 8 15
riosis
Giardiasis 0 0 0 0 0 2
Shigellosis 0 0 0 0 4 2
Shigatoxin 0 0 0 0 1 0
Producing
Organism
Group A 0 0 0 0 1 1
Streptococcus
Streptococcus 1 1 0 1 1 1
Pneumoniae -F
West Nile 0 0 0 0 0 1
Chikungunya 0 0 0 0 1 0
Salmonellosis 0 0 0 0 3 3
Legionellosis 0 0 0 0 0 1
Vibrio 0 0 0 0 0 1
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Monthly Report of Communicable Diseases
November 2014
Disease #Of Cases New Carry Over Discharged for Running
total Total for 2013
Reported
2014
Tuberculosis 4 0 4 2 5 2
(Active) 44
Latent 0 0 0 0 31
Tuberculosis*
Malaria 0 0 0 0 1 0
Calicivirus/No 0 0 0 0 1
rovirus 2
Group B 1 1 0 1 5
Streptococcus 0
Meningitis 0 0 0 0 2
Hepatitis C* 4 4 0 4 23 37
Hepatitis B* 0 0 0 0 1 0
• Influenza* 0 0 0 0 21 62
Lyme 0 0 0 0 1 8
Disease*
Ehrlichiosis 0 0 0 0 1
Campylobacte 1 1 0 0 8 15
riosis 2
Giardiasis 0 0 0 0 0
Shigellosis 0 0 0 0 4 2
Shigatoxin 0 0 0 0 1 0
Producing
Organism 1
Group A 0 0 0 0 1
Streptococcus 1
Streptococcus 1 1 0 1 1
Pneumoniae
West Nile 0 0 0 0 1
Chikungunya 0 0 0 0 1 0
Salmonellosis 0 0 0 0 3 3
Legionellosis 0 0 0 0 0 1
1
Vibrio 0 0 0 0 0
Varicella* 0 0 0 0 2 0
Haemophilus 0 0 0 0 0 1
Influenzae
Enterovirus 0 0 0 0 0 1
Pertussis 0 0 0 0 2 2
Hansen's 0 0 0 0 0 1
Disease
Total 11 7 4 8 115 187
*Notifications only, LBOH not required to follow up or investigate per DPH.
Summary of Current Communicable Diseases
TB:
Case#1: This case completed DOT visits daily, compliant and feeling well. Antibiotic therapy was
discontinued in November and this case is now closed.
Case#2: Case continues to be seen for DOT once per week,using daily medication box, very compliant
and feeling well.
• Case#3: Case moved to Salem in early February and has been on DOT visits since November.Daily
DOT visits began in Salem upon notification of arrival on Monday February 3'd. Patients DOT
appointments are 3 times weekly. They completed therapy in November without any complications and
are feeling well. This case is now closed.
Case#4: This case had planned to stay in Salem for a temporary stay but is considering staying long term.
At this time, I continue to do DOT visits and am keeping in contact with the regional TB nurse as well as
the original DOT nurse from their home town for updates and coordinating with the clinic. Currently, this
patient is seen for DOT 3-5 times per week. They are feeling well, compliant with their medications and
doctors' visits, and have been tolerating therapy for several months.
Campylobacteriosis:
Case#1:This case was in an elderly person who required hospitalization.Per their household contacts all
food was eaten and prepared within the home during the incubation period.No contacts are showing
symptoms. I provided information on signs and symptoms to look for also on hand washing and preparing
and cooking food at home, especially poultry. This case remains open at this time while I await
conformation of discharge home.
Streptococcus Pneumoniae:
Case#1: This case was found to have bacteremia with streptococcus pneumoniae and did not present with
any respiratory symptoms. Therefore, they were not able to transmit the bacteria via respiratory droplets.
All children in their household are properly vaccinated. No close contacts are exhibiting symptoms. The
patient was treated during a multi-day stay at a hospital with antibiotics and has recovered and returned
home. The case continues to be followed by an infectious disease specialist.There is no further follow-up
required and this case is now closed.
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• patient was treated during a multi-day stay at a hospital with antibiotics and has recovered and returned
home.The case continues to be followed by an infectious disease specialist.There is no further follow-up
required and this case is now closed.
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December 9, 2014
Good Evening Members of the Board of Health,
I would like to make a statement regarding the fine that was issued to the Hawthorne Hotel on
July 21, 2014.
The North Shore Cape Ann Tobacco and Alcohol Policy Program investigators conducted a raid
at the Hawthorne Hotel on July 21, 2014. The raid was conducted because of an anonymous tip
to their complaint call line that was received on July 17, 2014. There was no effort made to
determine the fact that smoking was legally allowed at the Hotel in accordance with State Statute
and Salem Board of Health Regulations.
On July 21, 2014, an employee of the Hawthorne Hotel was in their second floor office when a
couple walked in and asked if the area she was sitting in was the office area of the Hotel. The
• couple did not identify themselves to the employee. The couple then began interrogating the
Hotel employee if smoking was allowed in the Hotel. Once the employee began explaining to
the unidentified couple that the second floor was a designated smoking floor, one of the
unidentified visitors pulled out their badge and stated that they were from the Board of
Health. They then stated, contrary to the Law, that it was a violation for anyone to smoke in the
building and that no other hotel in the area still allowed smoking in the guest rooms.
The Hawthorne Hotel's second floor contains smoking rooms in accordance with Salem Board of
Health Regslation #22 `Wor.kplaee Smoking Ban' (`Regulation.#,22'). Regulation#22 states,
"smoking may be permitted in the followingp laces and/or circumstances...Hotel...rooms rented
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to guests that are designated as "smoking rooms", provided that at least 75% of the rooms are
smoke free at all times" (which is the case at the Hawthorne Hotel).
The report made by the North Shore Cape Ann Tobacco and Alcohol Policy Program
investigators is silent to the fact that the second floor of the Hawthorne Hotel contains designated
smoking rooms and therefore since all of the Hotel's designated smoking rooms are located on
the second floor, any room on that floor may have an odor of smoke.
The Hawthorne Hotel has been in business since 1925 and has welcomed numerous leisure
• travelers as well as dignitaries and celebrities. The Hotel has an excellent reputation within the
City of Salem, as well as nationally and internationally. The North Shore Cape Ann Tobacco
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• and Alcohol Policy Program investigators' failure to identify themselves upon their entrance to
the Hotel and decision to issue a fine while being completely unaware of the relevant provisions
of the State Statute (MGL. Ch. 270 § 22) and the Hotel smoking regulations in the City of Salem
was completely unprofessional and unbecoming of professionals representing the City of Salem
and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Hawthorne Hotel categorically denies any wrong doing in this matter and wants to
emphasize that it complies with all federal, state, and municipal laws and
ordinances. Nevertheless, I have attached a check in the amount of the fine in order to end this
matter without further delay and any further costs. I would strongly recommend that the Board
of Health recognize the need to fully train staff in the Law and to see that its agents comport
themselves in the future with some degree of respect for the businesses and the citizens of the
City of Salem.
Si cerely,
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Pon
Michael J. Harrin
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pg. 2