1972-04-06City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Board of Health
Subcommittee:
Date: April 6, 1972
Place: Health Dept. Office
Board members present: Dr. Jacob H. Fine, chair, A, Joseph Callahan, Jr., and Angelo R. Massa
Board members absent:
Others present: Joseph W. Walsh, Jr., Director of Public Health, and Robert Russo, Plumbing
Inspector
Recorder: Joseph W. Walsh, Jr.
BOARD OF HEALTH - MONTHLY MEETING - APRIL 6. 1972
Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Members present were A. J. Callahan, Jr., and Angelo R. Massa.
Also attending were Joseph W. Walsh, Jr., Director and Robert Russo, Plumbing Inspector.
The minutes of the March 2, 1972 meeting were accepted as mailed. The monthly reports of the
various staff members were read and the monthly bill schedules were signed.
OLD BUSINESS
Music Theatre (See minutes March 1972)
Mr. C. Henry Glovsky, member of the Board of Directors, was on vacation and unable to submit the
required letter of intent. Therefore, the Board of Health tabled any further action until the May
meeting.
Garbage Contracts
Mr. Joseph W. Walsh, Jr., Director, reported that the garbage contracts have been signed and that
the required bonds had been submitted for four of the five districts. Anibal Teixeira, contractor for
District #1, is the only contractor who has not submitted the required bond.
The Director to submit another report at the May meeting.
Sanitarian's Test
Mr. Joseph W. Walsh, Jr., Director, submitted to the Board his suggested Civil Service Flyer for the
position of Sanitarian in the Beverly Health Department.
After a brief discussion of the proposed civil service flyer, the Board approved the job description and
requested that the test be open to residents of Beverly only. The Board instructed Mr. Walsh to fill
out the necessary forms as needed to request the Civil Service test.
Transportation of Septic Tank Wastes
Mr. Ronald B. Strong of 122 Western Avenue, Gloucester, Massachusetts appeared before the Board
of Health to request a permit to conduct ins septic tank pumping service in Beverly. He brought, as
requested by the Board, pictures of his trucks and equipment, and his license issued to him by
neighboring communities. Mr. Strong explained to the Board that he is receiving numerous inquiries
from Beverly residents for his services and would like a license for conducting ins business in Beverly
from the Board of Health.
After a brief discussion, the Board on a motion made and seconded voted to grant the license,
Statistics: Change of Occupancy Permit
Gas Company calls
Permits issued
Temporary permits issued
Permits refused
Permits refused held over
199
38
0
1
7
Inspections:
A. Ventresca 35
A. Semple 3
RodentGrant
Director of Public Health reported to the Board that our request for a grant for Rodent Control was
being processed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and our proposal was favorably
received. He further reported that there is a good chance that we will receive the entire $7,500.00 that
we had requested.
The Board accepted this report as one of progress.
Day Care Centers
The Director reported to the Board that our application to be the licensing agency of all Beverly
kindergartens was being processed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and we should
be notified shortly by the State whether our request was approved or not.
The Board of Health accepted this report as one of progress.
NEW BUSINESS
Funeral Directors' Licenses
The Board of Health signed Funeral Director's licenses for the year 1972-1973 for the following
undertakers: Richard W. Russell, William L. Moody, John T. Curry, Frank T. Campbell, Charles E.
Campbell.
Nursing Services
Mr. Walsh read the following letter to the Board of Health from the Principal of St. John the
Evangelist School requesting the assignment of a Public Health Nurse to the school one or two
mornings per week.
March 14, 1972
"As principal of St. John the Evangelist School, I would like to inquire as to the possibility of having
a health nurse come to this school on a regularly scheduled basis, perhaps once a week. As of now,
one is sent only twice a year for testing of eyes and ears.
The necessity of keeping track of our children's health is of utmost importance to us, and I feel the
needs and problems are the same as children everywhere
As our children are eligible for eyes, ears, and inoculation programs, I can see no reason why this
presents any conflict of interest.
I would appreciate it if the request is considered. I will await your answer. I am available at St. John's
if you have any questions you would like answered. Thank you.
Gratefully yours,
(signed)
Sr. Georgiana Smith, SND
Principal
Tel. No.
School 922-0048
Convent 922-4819"
After a brief discussion the Board of Health on a motion made and seconded voted to approve the
request and instructed the Director to formulate the plans needed to implement the program.
Request to Keep Chickens
The Director submitted to the Board of Health a request from Mr. Francis Barker, 3 Priscilla Road,
Beverly, Massachusetts for a permit to keep not more than twelve (12) chickens in a coop located
on his property.
Mr. Joseph W. Walsh, Jr., Director, stated that he had followed the established procedure of sending
by registered mail letters to all abutters to the Barker property and had received four (4) letters in
opposition to the request and none in favor.
After a brief discussion, the Beverly Board of Health, taking into consideration that four out of five
abutters had registered opposition to granting the permit, on a motion duly made and seconded, voted
to deny this request.
Glaucoma Clinic
Mr. Joseph W. Walsh, Jr., Director, reported to the Board of Health that the Lions Club and Health
Department were co-sponsoring a Glaucoma Clinic to be held on April 22, 1972 at the Beverly High
School Cafeteria, old Salem Road, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and that the clinic is for all citizens of
Beverly forty years of age and over.
The Board accepted this report as one of progress.
Septic Tank Failures in Centerville
Mr. Robert Russo, Plumbing and Sanitary Inspector for the Board of Health, submitted the following
letter to the Board of Health requesting the Board to go on record as being in favor of sewering the
Centerville section of Beverly immediately.
"April 6, 1972
Gentlemen:
In my opinion, as sanitary inspector of the Board of Health, the sewerage problem in the Centerville
area, is serious. Many of the sewerage systems are inadequate to handle the daily flow of effluent
because of the increase in the size of the individual families, and many of the homeowners do not have
the area within their lots to increase the size of their systems.
A number of the residents have spent money year after year to maintain or try to correct falling
systems.
As agent for the Board of Health on sanitary systems, I strongly recommend that you go on record
as being in favor of the Centerville Sewerage Project being the number one priority for sewer bonding
and that the Board of Health draft a letter to this effect to be sent to His honor the Mayor and also
the Board of Aldermen.
Thank you.
Very truly yours,
(signed) Robert Russo
Inspector of Sanitary Sewerage Disposal Systems
co: Mayor
Board of Aldermen"
Mr. Russo apprised the Board of the problems in the Centerville section of Beverly, briefly outlining
the history of the problem areas which, in some instances, dated back several years.
He reported to the Board that there was a public heating last week, March 30, 1972, in the
Aldermanic Chamber regarding the sewering of the Centerville section of Beverly.
Mr. Russo reported that the Commissioner of Public Works had explained during the hearing that
other areas of Beverly needed to be sewered and it would be two more years before the Centerville
section would be eligible for sewers.
Mr. Robert Russo, Plumbing Inspector and Sanitary Inspector, further reported that there are three
(3) outhouses in Centerville, but when asked by the Board for the addresses of the houses using
outhouses, he refused to reveal the names or addresses. Mr. Russo, when asked by the Board for
statistics regarding the number of systems that are failing in Centerville and the location of these
problem areas which would be needed by the Board to substantiate his request, failed to produce the
statistical data requested.
Mr. Callahan felt that, in his opinion, further discussion was not feasible and the Board terminated
any further discussion. At this point, Mr. Russo ended his discussion of the Centerville area by stating
"he was not getting any satisfaction from the Board of Health and was going to the local newspaper".
Mr. Joseph W. Walsh, Jr., Director, reported to the Board of Health that he had begun a sanitary
survey, which included taking eighteen water samples of all the streams entering and existing from
the Centerville section of Beverly. Mr. Walsh reported that Mr. Thomas Knowlton of the Salem
Beverly Water Supply Board was working with him on this project and a joint report would be
submitted at the next Board meeting.
The Director further reported that he had discussed the problem with Mayor Grimes and the Mayor
had informed the Director that it would be impossible to sewer this area this year. He cited the
following reasons to substantiate his opinions: lack of easements over private property; cost (by
waiting two years the Federal and State government would pay the major portion of the project).
Mr. Walsh also referred to the minutes of the Board of Health meeting June 1970 when the Board
had, with the former Commissioner of Public Works, Mr. Romeo Beaulieu, who stated at our meeting
basically the same reasons as Mayor Grimes
The Board tabled action on Mr. Russo's request until he can submit he statistics needed to verify his
verbal report.
Meeting adjoumed at 7:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Joseph W. Walsh, Jr.
Director of Public Health