7-30-2020 meeting RACISM
City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Board of Health
Subcommittee:
Date: July 30, 2020
Place: Teleconference Participation, Google Meet
Board members present: William J. Alpine Jr. and Susan Higgins
Board Members Absent:Frank S. Carbone Jr. MD (excused)
Others present: William Burke, Director of Public Health, Mayor Michael Cahill, Teresa
Kirsch, Public Health Nurse, Joselyn Rueller-Kersker, Stephanie Bilotti, Jesse Dole, and
Bruce Doig, Community Services Director
Recorder:Kathleen McCullough
RE: Mayor Cahill - Racism an Emergency and Public Health Issue
Mr. Burke called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. and read the agenda.
William Alpine motioned to adopt the meeting minutes of February 20, 2020 and a Public Health
emergency meeting March 20, 2020. Susan Higgins seconded the motion. All in favor.
Mayor Cahill displays the proposed rough draft of the Executive Order Declaring Racism a Public
Health Issue in the City of Beverly for all attending the meeting. He read what has been proposed
in the order, getting input from Board of Health members and others, suggesting rewording the
order to make it more understandable. It will be a direct order declared by the Mayor of Beverly
and the Beverly Board of Health.
They reviewed the eight key strategies to combat racism listed in the declaration.
With help from the Covid19 task force, the City will develop a plan outlining the root causes
of the inequities in health outcomes.
The Mayor will make this an ongoing effort citywide using the resources available,
structuring the work and having community conversations in the coming weeks. He will be
asking the City Council to approve a budget for the effort of racial justice.
There will be sharing of specific race and ethnicity data between the Beverly Health Department
and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This will help to understand the impact of racism
to resources for good health, jobs, food and housing, transportation and public education.
Teresa Kirsch explained that the North Shore Mothers Visiting Program, which is a regional
nurses’ program, had been keeping good racial group data. The program has been derailed by the
Covid19 health emergency.
The city will focus on the inequalities existing in health care. Develop new programs and services
to address the barriers and advocate for funding at the state and federal level and from other
resources.
The Solicitor’s team, Jesse Dole and Stephanie Bilotti, will help with the legal language in
the rough draft of the declaration. Mayor Cahill is hopeful to have a final draft within the
next week.
Mr. Burke read the list of all the State Declarations and Emergency Orders pertaining to Covid19
as of today. Ms. Higgins motioned to approve and Mr. Alpine seconded the motion.
Mr. Burke had a few updates for the Board.
The department has received numerous applications for Keeping of Animals. The administration
will review the application, then there will be a site visit by Animal Control. Letters will be sent to
all abutters if approved by Animal Control. A permit will be issued if no contest or
default to a temporary permit if objections. The Board agreed to the decision to proceed this way
because of Covid19 issues.
Teresa Kirsch stated that on April 1 twelve school nurses were hired to help with the Covid19
tracing. In July she now has four nurses assisting her because the numbers of cases have gone
down.
Mr. Burke is anticipating how the next flu clinic will proceed. There are talks that maybe a
drive-thru clinic could be the safest way.
The Beverly Household Hazardous Waste Day supposed to take place April 25, was
cancelled because of the Covid19. Salem is hoping to have theirs in September, but that has
yet to be confirmed.
Ms. Higgins motioned to adjourn meeting and Mr. Alpine seconded the motion.
The next scheduled meeting will be determined at a later date.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 A.M..
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathy McCullough
.