Board of Health - Regular Meeting

All right. Good evening everyone and welcome to this ad hoc meeting of the Grafton Board of Health on April 21st, 2026. As a preliminary matter, this is Jennifer Mander, chair of the board of health. Permit me to confirm that all members and persons anticipated on the agenda are present and can hear me. Uh members, when I call your name, please respond in the affirmative. Andrew Chalupka. Andrew Chalupka here. Uh Bill Muller. Oh, sorry, Bill. I muted you. Let me unmute you.

I'm here. Thank you. I'm actually at Logan. So, oh we can hear you. Thank you. Uh Radika Prabuika Prau here. Thank you. And Annette Garc and um staff and anticipated speakers on the agenda. When I call your name, please respond in the affirmative. Uh Annette Garcia. Annette Garcia here. You I'd like to open the meeting. May I have a motion to open the meeting? This is Andrew Chalupka. I move uh to open tonight's meeting. Is there a second? This is Bill Muller. I second that. Roll call. Andrew Chalupka. I Bill Muller.

I Jen Maynard. I I'm just going to do a modified version of our script this evening. Um this open meeting of the Grafton Board of Health is being conducted remotely. Um we do not have um any hearing this evening. I'm sorry you um we do not have any hearings this evening. Um but uh if you would like to review the open meeting law that permits us to um have meetings in a publicly accessible uh and not necessarily physical location. You can find find that at the town's website at www.grafton-mass.gov. Um, ensuring public access access does not ensure public participation unless such participation is required by law. Um, as I mentioned, there are no public hearings this evening. However, I do note that there are two attendees of the public um, listening in. So, if you do have any questions or comment on the agenda, please utilize the Q&A feature in Zoom. Uh, please indicate your your full name and address when submitting a comment. Um, please note that we are recording this meeting. Um so those of you who are um as attendee as uh participants please note if you screen share um the recording may uh capture that. Um so with that uh we have a very lean agenda today. um we were coming together so that we could review um the uh TUS biomed consultant um for renewal of Colleen Driscoll's um contract effective July 1st, 2026. And just as some background, um, Colleen is joining us here today. Uh, and we had requested, um, just as background, as I said, Colleen before we started the recording, um, some of us are new on the board of health and maybe haven't gone through this process before. So, just wanted a

little bit of background on on you. So, uh, we've received your CV. Um were there any questions from members on the CV uh first or any additional questions and then we can just talk a little bit about um um the sort of scope of the contract that we received a couple weeks ago? Any questions from the members?

Yes, Jen, this is Andrew Chalupka. Colleen, thank thank you very much for joining us tonight. I am uh one of the new members who hasn't gone through this before. So I'm you know learning about the process. Um and you know I don't know uh too too much about the process. Um uh so I would I I have two questions for you. The first is um you know having reviewed your CV um I'm curious you know how many other facilities you do these inspections for. I know you work uh for UMass Medical School, I believe I saw. Um but then, you know, in terms of inspections um of of other facilities, I'm curious um how many, you know, you typically do in a year. And um um and then I'm also curious um in your experience working with tufts, what kinds of things you have observed that have needed to be addressed in the past.

Okay. Hi, I'm Colleen Driscoll and um so your first question, how many other um entities have I inspected before? This is actually the only one that I ever have. But in my job, I work frequently with the CDC at UMasschan. We have what is called a highly complex uh select agent program, which means that we work with agents that are known uh could be used for bioteterrorism. And because of that, we have um inspections at least once a year. Um, and then also it's a joint inspection between the USDA and the CDC. So, um, I have had many inspections while I've been working there. I mean just the only thing I can really say for um my experience is that I have gotten so many compliments from the CDC not only on our program and how you know excellent it it is and um you know even in the last inspection when they came uh uh one of the um he's he's a supervisor and he did our inspection and he said you know he was talking to my direct reports and he said if I could give your your boss the RORO of the year award which means the responsible of the official award she would win it. So I mean again I'm not trying to pat myself on the back. I don't have a lot of experience and I'll just as far as uh other you know inspecting other places but I also feel like this is a very small niche uh and

it's um there's not a lot of companies out there that really do lots of these. I mean there are some consultants but you don't know. I mean, I think it's hit or miss as far as the staff and how much experience do they really have, you know? So, I mean, I know there's eh& out there and I know safety partners, but you know, really depends on uh like I said, hit or miss. How much experience do they really have? Um, and I know I have a lot of experience. I know I have a lot of good experience. I've gotten a lot of um people from the government, you know, really telling me what a great program I have. So, I mean, that's my that's all I can tell you for really.

Okay. You know, my kudos. That's great. Thank you.

Um and I forgot what the other question was. The the second question is um what you know um I don't know how many years you've been doing the inspection of tufts but you know what have been the issues that have popped up um that have needed attention from them after the inspection in in past years. Um, honestly, I can't remember. Uh, but they've been very minor. So, there's nothing um that was, you know, we should shut them down type of thing. Um, I'm trying to remember, you know, I've asked for documents. There's been occasions where I've asked for, you know, certain things that I hadn't seen, that they hadn't given me, that I wanted to review. Um, yeah, but I can I we we definitely have a I I wrote a report for the last inspection and I could try to find it. I have it sitting here beside me, but maybe while someone else asks a question, I can try to find it. Yeah, Colleen, to that to that end, um I guess if you ask them for things and they don't have them um at some point, you know, are those things sort of left left um out there or do they eventually um provide those to you would be my first question. And then uh my second question would be um you know when you go in for an audit um is there like a a list of standard operating procedures that you get from them that then you're going in and making sure that they're doing what they say and you're identifying any perhaps gaps in that. Um is that sort of what your process looks like uh when you go in and do these inspections?

Right. So obviously um based on government requirements, regulations, guidelines, you know, I'm looking at all of those guidelines which I in my own program have to um you know comply with. So their training records, their, you know, do they do all the things that they're supposed to be doing like all their drills and exercises annually? And um let me see your training programs. uh how many incidents and accidents have you had? Have you followed up on them? You know, we also look at commissioning reports, HVAC reports, um and and are those, you know, within the limits that they're supposed to be within. Um and you know, I'm trying to think of what else. Uh IBC documents that all of their experiments have been reviewed. Um, and the IBC has approved them, of course, and they're within their, you know, renewal period. Um, and I mean, there's just lots and lots of things that are required annually. So, in that type of a program, so I basically go in there with my list and I if they haven't given me the documents already, then I will ask for them. I interview people. I um talk to the people and I say, you know, um tell me about the program, tell me about any incidents that you've heard of, tell me um are there safety problems, uh you know, I don't know, just stuff like that. I look at what their what inspections they've had in the past uh with the government um and if there was any issues with those.

So, you know, you you you look at all of their um documentation and then you also look at their, you know, facility record and you just see if there's if there are, like you said, there are there gaps, have there been a lot of incidents? Um, you know, what are the gaps? And if they haven't addressed them or tried to address them, then that would be a finding, you know. Um but usually I think more or less institutions like this we know what we have to comply with. It's very rigid and strict. It and and we pretty much know like we have to do this this this this and there's there's 40 different things or whatever we have to do a year and most people have like some system and you know medical surveillance and you know whatever make sure that people are TB tested and this and that and the other thing. So um so those are the things that that I'll be looking at and you know um asking for records on and usually they'll have them and if they don't um then we talk about that and that's becomes a finding but

great thank you. Hi Colleen uh I'm also one of the newer members of the board so thank you for uh being here today and uh speaking with us. My question is um you know you have a checklist and you follow certain uh guidelines to um for your audit purposes and when do when you do have findings this is again from my knowledge I'm sure you have a very uh you know process for all of this but when you do have findings how do you address it are there some capas that are provided to these um you know and then uh is there a followup what is typically the process there

right so I do follow up with a laboratory and I'll usually say, you know, either I need this, this, this, and this, or I'll follow up with questions like, okay, you know, cuz cuz I know that I'm I was missing something. Either I was missing something, like they didn't communicate it right, or or like I missed it, or I just didn't get the documents or whatever. So I'll ask them additional questions and then if they still don't have the documentation then it becomes a finding and I'll tell them about it and you know we work it out that it's their job to address those findings and and correct them right so um yes I do write a report at the end of the inspection um come come up with findings obviously I don't want this to be like a you uh all bad thing because it it's a learning experience. It's a it's a good to have a third set of eyes in a program like this, you know, and everyone usually is trying to do the best job they can. So hopefully, you know, if there are gaps, we'll find them and fix them and that'll be for the betterment of everybody, you know. But yes, just to answer your question, there is a report that's sent out and I have my own checklist that I'm filling out as well.

Great. Thank you.

And then um the final question we were just sort of um looking through. So I know you did um so your contract is typically two years. So you did 2022, 2024 and this is for the 2026 two years. Um and you you mentioned this is sort of a niche um niche scope of work if you will. Um so just can you talk to us a little bit about how you come up with um sort of the total cost that obviously costs are going up year-over-year for everything. Um and that's not really you know our we don't have to do oversight of that but just would be helpful how do you how do you make sure that you're you're sort of um getting the right amount and you know what kind of work do you do behind the scenes with that? Um it's I I have to say that it's not easy. Um because it is such a a interesting or difficult, you know, like thing that I do, right? Um and there's not a lot of people doing it. So I like I said, I mean, for me, it's more about I'm doing this. It's not like a favorite thing. I mean, I love my job, what I do, and I do enjoy it, but I also um you know, I I did get this insurance and I've been doing this and it's like really uh this one facility is pretty much the only one I consult for. Um, and it's not I mean I'm giving away my secret, but I really I probably don't really need to do the consulting, but um because like TUS is a good neighbor. I know the people there, you know, and and it started out I was like, Colleen, come on. You know, the people that were doing it at that time that were doing the consulting, they

were like, Colleen, just do it. You know, you can do it. So, it's been fun. It's been a good learning experience. Um, and but yeah, it's um it's sort of difficult. It's a long way away. So, I I started out where I kind of just estimated based on what other people were doing, but that was back I don't know how many years ago, years ago or something

and maybe longer. And and so, you know, I increased a little bit, I think, the first year and um and this year I just uh did a percentage. I kind of did some searches online to see what what consultants were charging. And from what I found out, at least from my searches, that people that were highlevel consultants that were, you know, had many years in the business were charging around, I think it was $350 an hour, right?

So, I figured that, you know, upping my charges a little bit was still far below where a highle consultant was. And with my 30 um let's see 7 years of experience in the environmental health and safety business and uh my 17 years as a very highly respected biosafety professional that that is not you know an overly uh you know amount to ask. Um, so

that's helpful. That's helpful to kind of understand kind of kind of where it's gone. I was trying to figure a little bit of it out as I look back to a couple of years and I'm like there there's there's some, you know, moving along and and you, as you said, you know, with more experience in doing it and looking at what the what the landscape looks like um and especially it being sort of a um a specified area, that's that's helpful. Um so you know this group again we just wanted to kind of get a better understanding because we haven't always done sort of a deeper dive. We of course you know TUS is a very important partner in our community as well and you know agree that we want to make sure that um you know they have all the right checks and balances in place and you know have all the best practices. So you know we just wanted to understand a little bit more. we are not the final and we and we have a feeling some of the next steps sometimes they ask questions about rates and things like that. So we thought it would be helpful to get that background from you um before you go on to before the contract goes on to the next step for for signing. Um so this group um simply um does the approval to recommend to the select board um the renewal of the contract for the 2-year period. And that's part of the reason why we wanted to have this meeting today because um we were going to do it at our earlier meeting this month, but we needed a little bit more information before everyone sort of felt comfortable making that uh motion. Um so just wanted to pause and see if any other members had any other um discussion, questions or comments or if anyone was feeling um so inclined to make a motion.

Um this is Andrew Talupka and I am comfortable proceeding with the vote. Um, I do just want to comment on a few things I heard during um, the discussion with Colleen. Um, number one, it sounds like, you know, you have a close working relationship with the the folks at Tufts, and that's good. I'm sure that helps facilitate things, but, you know, um, I also want to clarify, it's my understanding that you are going to be engaged by the town of Grafton, not by Tufts. So, you know, the that seemed a little maybe not um in keeping with what you you had referred to a few minutes ago. I point this out because you know, some of the things you touched on um like um you know, making things better for Tufts. I'm I'm fine with that. But ultimately, it's the board of health's job to make sure that, you know, Tufts operating this facility in our community is safeguarding the health of the community. So, you know, things that might fall under like an OSHA violation or, you know, that's not primarily our concern. Our concern is is that the facility is operating in a way that is safe for the town of Grafton and the people in Grafton. So, you know, um ultimately I I think that is the lens I hope you go into this with. not, you know, not anything about occupational health necessarily, more about safety for the community, not um, you know, obviously everything is tied together, but I I hope that the primary focus is the safety of the facility within the community that is, you know, engaging you. Um, that being said, I, you know, I

I know you're doing an excellent job and it sounds like there have not been major issues, but I just wanted to to point that out. Um that that being said, um this is Andrew Chalupka and I make a motion um that we uh present um or recommend uh contract for the period of two years uh with Colleen Driscoll to the select board uh with an effective date of July 1st, 2026. With an effective date of date of July 1st, 2026. Is there a second? This is Bill Mer. I second that. Roll call. Andrew Tuca I

at the airport. Uh okay. Thank you. And um again, Colleen, thank you for joining us. I think um as Andrew said, this was uh helpful for us to get a better understanding and also, you know, make sure that we're doing our due diligence as the board of health here in Grafton. Um, and would somebody like to make a motion uh to adjurnn our e our meeting this evening? This is Andrew Talupa. I move to adjourn. Second. This is Bill Muller. I second that. Roll call. Andrew Tupa. I. Bill Muller. I Jen Maynard. I. All right. Thanks everyone.