Minutes
Board of Health · from the Town's website · 2 pages · 62 KB
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Winthrop Board of Health Meeting Meeting Minutes for April 8, 2025 Harvey Hearing Room, Town Hall Meeting called to order at 3:30 PM Members Present: Christine Reilly, Jeanne Maggio, Mary Lou Cooney Minutes from the Board of Health meeting of February 11, 2005, were read and unanimously approved 3-0. Public Comment: Mr. John Dowd, citizen, was present and asked when the Board minutes are posted on the town website. It was noted that the minutes from each meeting are reviewed and approved at the following meeting. Once approved, they are able to be posted on the town website, usually within 3-4 days. Director of Public Health and Clinical Services Update: [via email] C.L.E.A.R. Program We have been awarded a $50,000 Municipal Match grant through the MA Opioid Mitigation Funds to extend the reach of our current municipal opioid funding. More info will be forth coming in upcoming weeks. Immunizations & Infectious Disease We will pre-book Flu vaccines for next season based on the number of vaccines administered this year. Other We have been working with NeighborHealth in East Boston to plan a Gender-based Violence Conference, which will be held this Friday in Chelsea. We will be attending the Winthrop Senior Center Health Fair next week. MA DPH is conducting a capacity assessment of public health services. We have completed PhaseI and are currently working on Phase II. The goal is to assess how our health service delivery aligns with the Public Health Excellence plan and SAPHE 2.0. Commissioner of Inspectional Services Update: no update Speaker: Bonny Carroll, Director of Tobacco Control, Somerville, Massachusetts; Director, Six City Tobacco Initiative, spoke on nicotine pouches and tobacco/nicotine regulations.There is a new product called ZYN that contains nicotine in pouches, but no tobacco. There is more nicotine in the pouches than in cigarettes, and in addition to oral use, kids are placing them between their toes for a quick jolt. Must be 21 to buy. A package costs $4.99-5.99, which is cheaper than cigarettes.Ms. Carroll also spoke on her “Nicotine Free Generation” project, in which after a certain birth date, no one can buy cigarettes. Health departments can make realistic regulations. Winthrop must decide. TheBoard should review and decide which sections are appropriate for Winthrop. If Winthrop decides to revise the current regulations, Ms. Carroll can arrange for lawyers to visit and assist the Board with drafting new policies. Ms. Carroll believes the pouches should be banned due to possible detrimental health effects from their use. Fines are $1000, set by the state of Massachusetts, if the pouches are sold to people under the age of 21. If changes are to be made, public hearings should be initiated, though the Board will make the final decision. The board will review the information presented and discuss at the next meeting. Past Business: Report of raccoons in the Oddfellows Hall: Mr. Dowd was advised that both the town building inspector and the fire chief found no problem. Mr. Dowd will speak with Inspectional Services. New Business: Application for a Body Practitioner Permit was made by James Mustin. Mr. Mustin’s CPR certification must be updated in June, and his CORI must be updated when his application goes through. Mr. Justin Kopek spoke on Mr. Mustin’s behalf, as Mr. Kopek is the local business owner that wants to hire him for his tattoo shop, which will be called “Mustin and Justin”. A motion was made, and the Board approved the application. Unanimously, 3-0. The license will be issued Inspectional Services. Proposed agenda items for the next meeting were discussed: Review of current tobacco/nicotine regulations and consideration of potential changes. Adjournment at 4:19; approved unanimously 3-0. Respectfully submitted, Christine Reilly, Chair