Board of Health - Regular Meeting

Good evening and welcome to the November 10th, 2025 Grafton Board of Health meeting. As a preliminary matter, this is Jen Maynard, 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. Members, when I call your name, please respond in the affirmative. Andrew Chalupka Andrew Chalupka present. Aaron Gustski Govin Aaron Gwustski Govin present. Bill Müller Bill Muller present. Radika Pu. Radika present. Radika Pu present.

Staff and anticipated speakers on the agenda when I call your name please respond in the affirmative. Nancy Connors. Nancy Connors present. Uh, McKenzie Fauler. Mackenzie Fauler present. Annette Garcia. Annette Garcia. Present. Bridget Hurley. Bridget Hurley present. Great. I'd like to open the meeting. May I have a motion to open the meeting? This is Andrew Chalupka. I make a motion that we open the meeting. Second. This is Bill Muller. I second that motion. Roll call. Andrew,

Jen Mayor.

Okay. This meeting of the Grafton Board of Health is being conducted remotely consistent with the act extending certain CO 19 measures adopted during the state of emergency. Governor Healey has further extended this act until July 30th, 2027 of the remote meeting provisions of former Governor Baker's March 12th, 2020 executive order suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law. In order to mitigate the transmission of the CO 19 virus, the act extends the requirement of the open meeting law to have all meetings in a publicly accessible physical location. Further, all members of the public bodies are allowed to participate remotely. The order, which you can find posted to the town's website at www.rafton-mass.gov, allows public bodies to meet entirely remotely so long as reasonable public access is afforded so that the public can follow along with the deliberations of the meeting. Ensuring public access does not ensure public participation unless such participation required by law. There are two public hearings scheduled for this evening's meeting. If the public has a question or comment on the agenda, please utilize the Q&A feature in Zoom. Please include your full name and address when submitting a comment for this meeting. Uh, as we said, we're convening via Zoom and the uh agenda is posted on the the town's website identifying how the public may join. Please note that this meeting is being recorded and that some attendees all attendees are are participating by video conference. Accordingly, please be aware that other folks may able to see you and to take care not to screen share your computer. Anything that you broadcast may be captured by the recording. Any supporting materials that have been provided to members of this body are available on the town's website unless otherwise noted. The public is encouraged to follow along using the posted agenda unless I note otherwise. Before we turn to the first item in the agenda, permit me to cover some ground rules for effective and clear conduct of our business and to ensure accurate meeting minutes. I'll introduce any speakers on the agenda for a topic. After they conclude their remarks, I'll

invite the board members to provide any comment, question, or motions. Please identify yourself by name when speaking. Further, please remember to mute your phone or computer when you are not speaking. Uh, please remember to speak clearly and in a way that helps generate accurate meeting minutes. For any response, please wait until I yield the floor to you and state your name before speaking. Members wish to engage with other members, please do so through me, taking care to identify yourself. Finally, any votes on any motions made during this meeting will be conducted by roll call vote. I think it was longer this time. Okay, first meeting uh first item on our agenda. Um would somebody like to make a motion uh to uh open the hearing for the variance request for the first variance request?

This is Andrew Chalooka. I make a motion to open a public hearing to consider the variance request from heart and hand. Okay. Is there a second? Go ahead. Radika. This is Radika. I second the motion. Roll call. Andrew. I sorry. I today I'm like speaking over everyone. All right. Go open eye.

Den Maynard Eye. Okay. Um, so the hearing is open for the variance request uh to the town of Grafton rules and regulations for body art establishment and practitioners section 6 part A4 dividers or partition and section six part A7 hand sinks. Uh, and uh requested by Samantha Mter uh heart and hand tattoo. Um, so I think what we'll do first is um Samantha, we received your um your letter request, your um layout of the um the shop uh and then um your sort of work plan for dealing with the uh portable hand sinks. Um, I think what we'll do is open it up for comments from you and then uh we'll probably have a few questions from board members and then um hopefully we'll entertain uh some motions at the end of that. And certainly Annette, if you want to weigh in on anything, please do as well. So, go ahead Samantha.

Hi, I'm Samantha Mentor. Um, so one thing I did want to uh just mention real quick is I realized when I sent the floor plan, my dimensions are a little off. It's not 12 feet between each station. They're 8 to 10 feet depending on the station. Um so that is uh one change that um I would have to make to that in resend. But uh the main thing is right now we don't use partitions between the stations. I've never really have done this in previous shops as well but we are at a safe distance from one another where there is no um issue between the stations and needing partitions at the moment because of the distance that they are from client to client. Um, and the other one is regarding the sinks. So, um, when I opened I did have two portable sinks cuz there and a stationary sink. There were three of us. Um, as I had more artists come in um through inspection, I this wasn't really brought to my attention. So, I actually didn't uh realize I needed one for each person. But the other reason why I wasn't sure or wanting to kind of put a variance in for this is um the distance that we have to go to the sinks is not far uh for each artist that they are put between each artist. Um there's one section of the shop that I would actually have three artists using one sink. Now we don't walk through artist stations to use the sinks. We have we walk through like a just a general walking area. But the other thing with the sinks is um we do not carry bio to sinks. So in the shop we each have our own bio um trash and anything liquid bio um we actually have a formula that's put into the liquid to solidify it and then put it into the trash. So we're not even really walking

around with bio in hand. It's solely for the purpose of washing our hands after we remove gloves from our hands. Um, so there there really isn't much of a risk of having to walk to a sink to wash your hands rather than trying to put a sink a portable sink for each station. So I was just trying to get that altered to make it a lot easier in the shop with space as well. Okay. Um, just a couple clarifying questions and then I'll open it up to the board. Um so so when you open you had two portable and one stationary sinks and how many um tattooing stations? Three.

Three at that time. And then now you have seven stations and um it looks like I see two sinks on the diagram. Three. Three. Is it still three sinks? Still three sinks. Um and the one that is plumbed is where? Uh, it is the back right sink next to the hallway and closet area. Yeah, by the slop sink. Gotcha. Okay. Um, and then are there uh mounted liquid soap and paper towels above each portable station? Uh, not mounted, but I could do that. But but there is um liquid soap and paper towels for each.

Yes. Yes. Okay. So, not mounted. Uh, plumbed was there. Um, where is the fully plumbed bathroom there? There's two. Um, located down the hallway. They're going to be on your left side. One is for our clients. The other one is for employees. And the employee bathroom has a second door in it that opens up to a slop sink as well and closet area. So, there's two additional sinks just in another part of the area. Yes. Including there's a whole full kitchen with a sink as well. in the back hallway. Yeah.

Um and then for the partitions, um let's say you had a situation where every client just happened to that day want a partition. Do you have enough partitions in case that were the case? Yes, we also have a spare um enclosed room that we could also work in if it was a very private session and the client did not feel comfortable. But we always arrange that ahead of time with our clients before they come in for their um appointment to make sure that they'll have proper coverage. My other question was to Perfect. Great. Um those were my questions. Board members of the board. Other questions for Samantha?

Thanks, Jen. Um this is Andrew Chalooka. Um I have to recuse myself uh from the vote on this due to a conflict of interest. Um, but uh I I wanted to um thank you for explaining the purpose of the sink. Uh cuz I actually wasn't sure and that was going to be one of my questions. So um just to be clear, it is um it's for primarily for handwashing is is the purpose of these things, right? Yes. Solely hand washing. We do not throw any bio down them.

Okay. So this is very interesting interesting to me personally uh because as an anesthesiologist um I put in endless u IVs uh spinals and epidurals without ever having access to a sink by the bedside of my patients. So it seems like our uh guidelines in Grafton are uh more stringent than what the joint commission requires. So, it's it's uh it's interesting to to learn these things, but um thank you for for clarifying the purpose of the the sync. Um and I'll defer to the the rest of the members of the board. Thank you.

Are there other questions from the board? Um, and I and I think the requirement is at least what the variance request is is to um it it states that there should be um uh a plumbed sink for each station. Correct, Annette? Correct. The the um regulation does say that. Got it. Um and just I think one additional question is there like hand sanitizer liquid hand sanitizer available throughout the shop? Yes.

Great. Right. Any question other questions from the board any we would need two separate motions on this um because it's two separate sections. Um, wouldn't you need to make any motions on this? I can't do it. As a reminder, I had to pull up the thing. I I had closed it by mistake. I'm like, I cannot remember this off the top of my head with all the parts and stuff. So, this is Karen Gustigi Goen. I'd like to first make a motion to um approve the variance request to the town of Grafton rules and regulations for bar establishments and practitioners section 6 part A4 dividers are partition.

Is there a second? I cop the motion. Roll call.

I think I uh Andrew abstain. Yes. Andrew abstain. Thank you. Jen Maynard. I uh and then for the second. All right. This is Karen Weski Govin again making a motion to approve the variance request to the town of grafting rules and regulations for body art establishments and practitioners section 6 part A7 for handsix. Is there a second? I radical second the motion. Roll call. Karen Weski Govin I radical I. Bill Muller I. Andrew Luke.

Jen Mayor I. Uh both motions pass. Um both and um Samantha um Annette and her team will certainly um be in touch for just making sure they have um uh you know regular check-ins for your uh making sure everything's in place and making sure your staff are doing the sign off and things on those uh the work plan that you put together for managing those those sinks. Um, thank you for bringing this to our attention and for doing business here in Grafton and congrats on growing. Um, would anybody like to make a motion to close this hearing? This is Karen Gustowski Govin. I'll make a motion to close the public hearing.

Is there a second? This is Bill Muller. I second that. Roll call. Karen Wasowski. Go. Bill Muller. I Andrew Mayor. All right. Thank you, Samantha. Let us know if any questions. Okay, I will. Thank you so much. Take care. Thank you. Okay. And I just want to recognize right on time. Good job everyone. Uh we have uh Rashid uh Ali Shadri. Is that am I saying that right? Yes, you seem right.

Oh, perfect. Okay. So, just let us go through um our sort of steps we have to do to open your hearing. Um so, we have our second hearing for 6:45 this evening. Uh would somebody like to make a motion to open the hearing? This is Andrew Chiluka. I'd like to make a motion to open a hearing regarding the uh tobacco violation uh for Village Dairy. Second, I second that. Roll call. Andrew Luca I

Jen made it. That's okay. All right. Um so um this hearing is as Andrew mentioned a petition uh to the board regarding a tobacco violation on October 7th, 2025. specifically the $300 fine um indicated as other violations of section 105 CMR 665.0000 and regulation of the Grafton Board of Health restricting the sale of tobacco product offering the sale cigar products under the minimum pricing outlined in the regulations of the Grafton Board of Health restricting the sale of tobacco product sections G1 and two. Um the first violation being that of a fine of $300. Um so um we have your letter that was sent um by Annette and her team upon um discovery. And so um we'll give you a moment to um you know say what you'd like to say um Mr. Chadri and then um we might have some follow-up questions for you. We might ask Annette to weigh in. Um but we'd like to yield the floor to hear um your request or any additional details you'd like us to consider before we entertain any motions. Yes, thank you so much for giving me opportunity to listen my point of view and u I was like just want to little bit clear. So we had a delivery coming up and every week and some products we carry and we some product we dis discontinued. So sometime customer required send say something and they say like you know that product we we like to have it could you order for me and we do the order every week weekly basis. So what what I did I ordered for the customer request one tobacco products.

So tobacco products had a old price which has come up regular price was town which is had like $5.50 50 cent plus tax which is a four like $5.84 and our computer price show up in $5. So it's the that kind of thing happened. So we got delivery and our employee put the delivery away and each every time one product and one sample they put it aside when the whenever the new product come up. So what what he did he put it on one side in the box whole uh box of the it's called cigars or games whatever you call. So he put on the side and the new next day with morning time the guy come down and he doesn't know that he pulled up and it opened the box and he pulled it on on the shelf. So is a kind of bad luck. The same time you know town of Grafton come down and the inspection and they check and they find a one cigar which is a $5 and it's supposed to be $5 and50 plus tax. So it's kind of like honest mistake but in the back of mind everybody's everybody know that it's $5.50 plus tax. So it's only 50 cents because this old cigar which come up $5. So I would like to request you guys give us uh this time a break. So it's not it's not really like we charging the wrong price under pricing which just is just the honest mistake is like my employee put in on the shelf before checking the price. So usually I check the price which is a delivery come in afternoon. I come next morning and do the pricing and that afternoon I was a little late and I think it's 3 something

and the state the town inspection come down they check the pricing is $550 not a $5 is not $5.50 is $5. So this is a whole story.

Thank you. Um, so I guess my my first question and then I'll open it to the board would be I thought I heard you say that it was marked incorrectly in your computer system and so that's how it got marked um as the $5. And so I guess I'm wondering uh if if this product was marked at the wrong price even though it happened, you know, the timing of the chicken of the egg or whatever came first, the delivery or the inspection. if that one product is marked wrong, you know, what are the checks and balances uh in the computer to check to make sure that you have the most up-to-date pricing even if somebody by chance asks you for a one-off ordering of something when it comes in.

So like some products like you know we have brand new product like when we order which is brand new which is not in the system. So it's just you know the all customer we put on the little piece of papers in the front of that we printed the paper we put in a paper say like single cigars $5 or $2.50 plus tax and two pack or fourpack or five pack is $5.50. So everybody knows like if the is not this price is not coming the computer they should charge single for 250 plus tax or five the two pack or five pack or anything is $5.50 plus tax. So every single person know that. So so my I'm saying trying to explain like that price is wrong because $5.50 it's like a charge coming on the computer. It's $5. So it should be like $5.50 50 cent plus tax is 50 cents uh is a mistake or is like uh is an old price or something? I honestly I don't know and it's just honest mistake but like our employees everybody single know that what is the real price which is 250 for single and 550 for four pack or two pack.

I'm a little bit more confused. Sorry. Are you saying that what you feel that you've been that you're that the that the price that the alliance came out and is saying it should have been marked is the incorrect price and you folks had the correct price or that the price that you had marked initially was wrong. No price which is which is coming on computer which is wrong. Okay. Yeah. Which is wrong honestly. Which is wrong you know which is there should be like $5.50 50 cent plus tax. Plus tax is totally priced is $5.84. And what does the computer say is $5. Got it. Okay. That's that's what I thought you said initially. I thought what you were

No, no, no, no.

Okay. So, I mean, I guess I would say I don't think everyone knows that that's the incorrect pricing because it was then put in a box with the wrong notice, which is what was seen by the alliance, it sounds like. Um, so I I just I guess I would say that somebody at the store um doesn't know that. Uh, and if it happened one time, then they might do that again. Um, and that's it's unfortunate that it happened to happen on the same day or the next day that um the alliance was there. But it it seems like not everybody has that same understanding of pricing. So sorry to cut you. One more thing which is uh there are five different cigars which is a it's called white owl. It's a five different cigars. It's called green, sweets, black and all different kinds. All other pricing all other had like $5.84 is only one piece. Why would we do that? If we all other all other price we are keeping in $5.84. Why would we keep this only one cigar price just five bucks? It doesn't make sense. It's just the owner's miss what he guys did guy did. He just grab it in the tote and he put in the shelf before even like uh before even change the price whenever I come down I change it is we tell we keep in everything in in the tote.

So we keep to change the price then go to shelf and this guy was like he he thought this price is already done and he grabbed from the tote and put in the shelf. This is a whole mistakes.

Sure. And what I'm pointing out is that it's probably an opportunity for education because it happens once. It could happen again and we might not know about it. I I understand what you're saying that why would we mark this one this, but it it did happen. It it may have been an honest mistake, but that I'm just recognizing that when these things happen, it's an opportunity to re-educate staff uh on why things it wouldn't make sense to put something out on the shelf that would be marked at a lower price than that and what the what the risks are for that is is what I'm pointing out in that point.

You are totally right. I agree with you. I totally agree with you. I have to I I I did I tried to explain them everything. I put in the note on the on on the computer big node in the front which is saying single is 250 for plus tax and five pack or two pack or anything which is going to 550 plus tax which is 584 and everybody knows that how what the pricing charge uh I have one thing uh like if we making $5.84 84. Why would we charge less money? We we we go for like bigger money. Five $5.84 is a profitable. Why would we charge $5 for less money?

Yeah. That's that's not why the regulation exists though, right? Yeah. No, I I understand. But like I'm just I'm just saying that like it's just it's just a guy was he grabbed that and I when I when I go over there and I ask him like why would you do that? He's he thought like he's done. I thought he's everything is done. His toad is done. Is toad is open. And he grabbed it and he put the shelf. He said like I said like if it's done I always put in little piece of note. This thing is done and you should put in the shelf. Did you see the note? And he said no. I said like he's the we just got hired the new guy and our regular guy is on vacation for two weeks. That's the whole part happening.

Yeah. I mean that and and I I will say when we've heard some of these things oftentimes we hear it happens around staffing change and and we ask similar questions to try and prevent this type of thing from happening. So yes, I just want to see Annette before I uh see if you have anything to weigh in uh members of the board other questions or comments?

Yes. Uh this is Andrew Shaluka. I have I'm I'm somewhat confused. It sounds like it was a confluence of multiple factors, a special order, unfortunate timing, unfortunate staffing. Um, can I just clarify, was the item actually rung up or was it just on the shelf?

So, I'm happy to answer that question. We had Kathleen Defor, she's with the Massachusetts Health Officer Association conduct our tobacco inspections. And so the way that she checks prices is she has the um clerk at the time that she's working with actually ring up the item. So this particular item was an item that was on the shelf and rang up for under the minimum pricing. Thank you, Annette, for clarifying that. So Mr. Chowry, why was it on the shelf? You said it was a special order for a customer. Um did the customer not pick it up? like how you might have already said it and I apologize if you didn't. Can you clarify for me why it was on the shelf in the first place?

Yeah, I'm happy to answer that. So usually like in the small convenience stores when um you know the when customer ask something like could you order games and anything cigars we order and uh usually like if they come up like one day or two days or three days we like we open up the pack and we we put on the shelf like sometime like they want to like just one sleeve they're coming up two sleeves which is 30 packs in there and they just want like 15 pieces. So what we do, we open up that we give him like 15 and we keep half on the shelf. So we can sell like individual like two like a two pack or single pack or five pack. Okay.

So that's Yes. Go ahead. Go ahead. When was the price entered into the computer? Was this an old product that hadn't been carried for a long time and so it defaulted to its historical price or was it is it was it mistakenly entered as $5 more recently?

No, no, no, no. Uh I will tell you like how is our computer system work? computer system work like u when we uh purchase the computer systems and that uh that computer companies they transfer data like all the data from like different other computers like they just transfer everything over so all the product like let's let's give you example like monster or red bull. Mhm.

So they pull like they had like Red Bull like 20 different flavors Red Bulls. So what they do they transfer all the data into your computer and then is your responsibility to you can change the pricing whatever you want like you want like for example a computer say this red bull is 10 bucks but you want to sell for 269 you have to change that to 269 in some state for some some state for example that data we don't know that data come from Connecticut the data come from Maine or different any anywhere. So their pricing probably different. So they like what happened? You have to update the pricing in your computer.

Okay. So it just wasn't it it came with a default price and it wasn't Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. So you know that why why they do the pricing because like in so many pricing in like so many product in your store so they transfer whole data in your computer. So you don't you don't have to grab each one by one things and change the price one by one. Yes,

we're um I know we're at at our time. I just have one more question. Um in your and then another member, Rodica, has has also some questions. So, my last question in your correspondence to us, you mentioned that you were seeking for this um fine to be forgiven uh because it was your first violation. Um but in fact, looking at your most recent violation, it was in 2024. Were you working for Village Dairy at that time? Are you aware that there was a tobacco violation in 2024? No, I I don't.

You I I'm not working. I'm not working. It's like my employers working. I think is um uh Yes, you're right. You're talking about like 2024 we had some issue going on and but I'm I'm not working is one of the employees working and we we got rid of him this guy. So you were not affiliated with village dairy in 2024. Uh no we we are we are you were okay. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. This the same same owner. Same owners but Okay. Employee that was same same establishment. Same Yes. Okay.

Employee. Slightly different violation. But Andrew is correct. There was one in 2024. Just a different Yeah. And I just I'm sorry. Go call in next. So, I just wanted to Bill, I know you had your hand up earlier. Go ahead.

Well, I had I guess two a two-part question. If it was a special order, had the uh customer ordered it before and if so, what had he paid for it uh when he had um ordered it before? So uh how is a small convenience stores if you ask like um uh for example like we used to for example like black like we had the black and mild or games is so many flavors is called sweet aromatic black or same thing like a whole flavors going so what we do they like customer like they say you know next door next door carries those pricing and they they carry white towel why would you you don't carry for me so I stop by buying from you and could you order for me? And I said like I love to order for you, you know, if you stop by for buy the beer and all other product grocery and uh he said like could you order for me and I'm I'm definitely buy for everyday two pack or threeack from you. So I did order from for for him so so he can come down and give give us more business and because he buying for beer or bread or anything. Why would he go for a cigar for other stores?

But had he ordered it before? Uh no we we we didn't order it before. Thank you Bill. Uh Radika.

Yeah Mr. Rashid. Uh this is Radika Prabhu. I have two questions actually. Um so you said this was a custom order for a specific um uh request from a customer. So when you make such orders, do you buy more than what the customers requested and have those on shelf? That's one. And the second one is with this current pricing or whatever which was $5 which you mentioned that was incorrectly put in there. Did you sell any of those items that cost? Did was it purchased? Uh, pardon. Could you explain your like your question again? I'm sorry.

So, there are two questions. The first one is you mentioned that this was a special order for your for from for a request from one of your customers. So, when you make such orders, do you buy more than what a customer has ordered for and have that on your shelf?

That's like Yes. So first first your question like if the customer asks special order. So if the customer just like uh if the customer pay for us like a customer pay for like you know could you order me a two boxes or three boxes and he pay in the front and we we we go our computer and was distribution and we take a look at pricing and there are town pricing and we tell him like is $5.84 84 cents. For example, he want to like uh 15 pack sleeves. So I go like change the quantity in 15 and whatever the prices come we charge him and he we tell him like come back in Wednesday uh Tuesday or whatever whenever delivery days and pick it up and if if he say like just order for me because I'm buying this product from other stores and could you carry this product for me because I usually come down and grab the six bag beers or bread and anything I I just stop by only one cigar to other stores and And we say like okay we just add one box in there for him and we open up and we put on the shelf. If he buy for two or three or five or 10 whatever he likes then his choice.

Okay. So my question again is for this particular case if this customer for I don't know how many you ordered for this particular customer but hypothetically if he had asked for 15 or like five boxes do you generally buy exactly five boxes or in this case did you buy more than five that you had some up stock? No, no, no, no, no, no. So if like if especially like you know why would we take the chance like for example if the customer is like u doesn't want to come and we're stuck with that product why would you want to keep like we just start with like very low inventory for example in in further he want more and he buying a regularly and we keep the order like each boxes every week just depend on if he going for you know one box a week or like after two weeks one box or three weeks one box and that's how we like just where you say like go with the flow, you know.

Okay. So, was anything sold at that $5 rate?

No. So, it's a very interesting thing. It's like it's called white towel. That product white had a like three four different flavors. So, that only particular flavors we all the flavors which is silver, diamond or anything smooth. So, all that charging $5.84 84 550 plus tax which has come to $5.84 only this one product which is I I I'm sorry I pardon I forget that product name and uh it's only one product which is $5 because that I because the data transfer I think is that price is only coming in a computer $5. So we have to I admit that I'm not denying I admit that is five it's supposed to be $5.50 50 cent plus tax is only computer error because there's maybe my yeah you can call me my error because I'm late I supposed it's my job to on time and up to date but his only thing is the guy didn't know that he opened that that little like little toe and he grabbed that things he thought he's done he put on the shelf

okay so that you didn't sell any of that that's all that no no no no okay thank you all All right. Any other members of the board have questions? Uh would any members of the board might like to make a motion or any other discussion?

I think if I can just as a reminder the so the hearing for um before the board today is to consider whether or not this violation took place and whether or not you want to uphold the fine. That's really what's before the board to consider tonight. Um, and so I know I went through a little bit of the the inspector um their process, but if you have any other questions about the inspection, I'm happy to answer that. Thank you. Clarification. No. Uh, you ask me something. I'm sorry. No, no, no. Uh, that's that's for the members of the board. Um,

no, no, some uh one of one of them will will make a motion, but um Okay. It's helpful clarification from from Annette on sort of uh what we're really considering um and and what she's clarifying is is whether or not uh when the um the uh inspector came out um you know you've described a lot of different scenarios that were happening in the store which you know we've heard those types of things happening before and so the the um the question before the board is whether or not the violation happened.

Oh yes. So, so that's really what we have to to make our decision based upon. Um, so with that, um, I ask because I I as the chair cannot make any motion. So, I ask the members of the board if they'd like to make a motion and we can we can clarify what that is for you, um, thereafter once we once we hear that. Okay. Thank you,

members of the board. Um, this is Bill Mer. I'll I'll make a motion that I believe there uh was a violation. Um um I'm torn by whether we should uh apply the um fine to the violation. But um a strict constructionist would say um uh if you if you if the violation happened that the fine is appropriated. That's more discussion. Um and and I think that's um Annette, I think um I guess a question for you is is it within the authority of the board if a vi determine that a violation did in fact occur to um withhold the fine or must we uphold the fine if we determine that the violation occurred. the board could decide not to apply the fine even if you find that the violation did occur. Um, something the board may want to consider is how that would affect future finding if you want to, you know, clarify that a future violation would be considered a second violation and be fined as thus. Um, and also consider about how this might be applied to other cases that come before the board. Sorry, Jen, may I ask one last question?

Yeah, Mr. Chowry. Yes, sir. Seems to me that maybe the most relevant piece of information here is that is the the timeline um you know that this occurred the very next day after um the delivery.

Yes. Would you, I if we uh were to uh hold over the hearing or whatever the the correct terminology might be until next month, between now and then, would you be able to produce an invoice showing that the delivery of the cigars in question occurred within 24 hours of the the tobacco control agents visit and the issuance of the the violation. So, you're talking about like um that old

be able to give us a piece of paper showing that the um you know the the cigars were delivered on October 7th. Well, yes, it would have been October 6th uh because the inspection was October 7th at 35. Okay. So, you could give us an invoice uh for our next board of health meeting. Uh yes, I I tried to find that out for you. Yes. So what what Andrew is proposing is that we uh would not make a decision today. Um and that between now and our next meeting, which is scheduled for December 8th,

that you would be able to produce an invoice that that has the name of this product. And that invoice would have need to have been um shown as your re receipt of delivery of October 6th.

Okay. Okay. Um and and then um you know essentially what he's saying is is you know uh if you're saying that it was so close and it was sort of like all these things coming together that just shows the board that it really was within that close timeline and perhaps mitigates some of the risk that um you know this was maybe sitting on the shelf for several days and to Radika's point anybody else could have come in and said I'd like to purchase this um you know and then it sits on the shelf and is getting sold. to people um at the lower price. So um I think we'd still need a motion for that, but if you'd like that opportunity to try and produce that um invoice or delivery receipt with the product's name and that date, um yes,

we can. Would you like that um ability to try and furnish that for next month? Yes, I can. I can try and try to find that out and I can talk to my uh sales rep and u and I ask him like give me like email or something like delivery date and everything stuff and and I can take I I don't want anything that has been generated after the fact. I assume you you have a bill of lighting or something that you receive with each delivery showing what you received in that delivery. I mean that's what we would need not something that a sales rep

right sorry to cut you but the thing is that

we had a we had it's called it's called CED which is a distribution sell send us all the products and some products we had like mass wholesale which is a like they send him is a it's like a it's third party they are legally sell like a game, cigars and all that stuff. They do sell that too. So I'm going to I'm going to take a look is going to come from the J pulp is come come from that mass hole or with which product they deliver that day. So we had like seven different people like Massole and second is called uh uh Mayflower

and uh it's called J Paul. So there three people they delivers our stores. So we order from the different three people. Sometime we order like if we don't find anything product from J Paulop so we order from Massole and if we don't find that product from Mass and then we can go for Mayflower. That's how they work. How do you I'm I'm confused. So are you saying you're not sure which of the three it came from? That's that's what I like I just want to make sure. Then how can you know how how do you know it was delivered the day before? I guess that's what I No. No. No. So, so if you don't know who it came from, how do you know what day it was delivered?

No, the thing is that look is sometime is coming from J Paul and J Paul's delivery is a Wednesday every every week Wednesday we got delivery Monday order and Wednesday delivery but and the two other distribution if you order tonight today they deliver you tomorrow because they are local. Yeah. So, it it sounds like I think to to Andrew's point, it's not clear off the top of your head which which person delivered this. I think what our point is is we when you furnish um you know your delivery receipt, it

it needs to be on some sort of invoice that it's clear that other items were delivered on this date with that with the name of that. We're not looking for an email from distributor or something like that. We just want to be clear that's a very clear bill of sale with your delivery date on there from whichever distributor it came from. Um and then you know we may have questions about about that. But um I think we're just we're not looking for you know the person that sells them to you to say yes we delivered them on this date and this is when you ordered them because as you can imagine that can be altered. Um so you know we we just want to do our due diligence here. Again, we want to be uh fair and reasonable, but we also, as as Annette said, you know, have lots of folks that come with sort of these one-off situations that come and ask for this type of consideration. And so, to do our due diligence, we'll need that level of detail if you're able to provide it. If you're not able to provide it, that's certainly fine. Let Nancy know beforehand. Um, and then we'll we'll we'll make our um our decision at the next meeting, but we'll we'll give you until um the ETH to try and furnish that to to be part of our consideration of our decision. Um, so would somebody like to in light of that and that where you say you'd like to like to try and go back and see if you can find that. Um, would somebody like to make a motion uh on this?

This is Andrew Chalupa. I'd like to make a motion that the current public hearing be continued uh at the December 8th board of health meeting. Is there a second? This is Bill Mer. I second that. Roll call. Andrew Chaluka I. Bill Mhler. I prau I. Den Maynard. I Okay. Thank you for your time this evening. Uh Mr. Shadri, we'll see you uh in December. And um as we said, if you can provide that before our meeting, it'll give us an opportunity to to review in advance so that uh hopefully we don't keep you for so long next time.

No, no, no, no. Thank thank you so much. I I have a just little question before we go. Is then December 8th which is on Zoom or should be in in the prison or there? We we can accommodate Zoom. Uh that'll be fine because even if even if we have in person, we always have a Zoom link as well. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. this I'm gonna put on here. Um Annette, is there anything about the due date that to do for nine or is it okay he won't be in any any risk of anything if we extend till the 8th? Um no, that should be fine because the the only thing would be the permit renewal before December 31st. So extending to the 8th is okay. Okay, great. All right. Thank you so much.

See you again on the ETH. Thank you for coming. Thank you. Okay. And uh may I have a motion to close this hearing for this evening? This is Andrew Chuka. I make a motion to close the public hearing. Second. This is Bill Muller. I second that. Roll call. Andrew Chalooka. I Bill Muller. I Jen and I. Thank you everyone. Thank you. Could you imagine if we left that open until that wouldn't have been good from a procedural perspective. Uh all right. On to other business. Um we'll try and move us along as quickly as we can. Uh Annette and the alliance team updates for us this evening. What you been up to?

Yeah, definitely. Um so we are in the final stages of um writing the intermunicipal agreement for the public health excellence grant. So we got final legal approval on it. Worked with all of your town councils and town administrators. Um so at the December meeting, we're going to be presenting that before you as the board of health um to kind of discuss what it entails, how it sets up our um advisory board structure and our governance structure um and then be seeking your approval on that. So just kind of a heads up of you know that's our our big legal piece for really establishing this collaborative under the public health excellence grant. Um so that's coming down the line. Um I'll let McKenzie if you want to give some updates on the numbers of inspections.

Yes. Um okay. So it's been a little while since we met. So, um, since the last meeting that we had, we've had, um, for food inspections, there have been, um, 24 routine inspections, two reinspections for previous violations. Um, 11 temporary inspections, so preop temporary event inspections, and then one inspection related to a complaint. Um, for housing, we had one routine inspection for U, Inc. um a complaints, so an inspection for a complaint and then a reinspection for that complaint. Um and then for nuisances, we've had um 10 inspections and then one reinspection for a previous complaint that has been resolved.

Great. And Mackenzie's been busy. Grafton is all up to date on inspections for their routine inspections. So, um have been really good about g getting through all of that backlog that we kind of had. um later in the summer. So, that's been excellent to see. Um and then Bridget, if you have any nurses updates.

Yeah. So, as far as a nursing perspective goes, we're continue to monitor the respiratory illnesses, flu, and COVID, which remain low at this time. Um they're low within our district, but also across the state. There has been a few cases of neurovirus that I've tracked. Um between the three communities, I'm not seeing more in one compared to another. and speaking to some of the infection preventionists at the hospital. They're also seeing an increase of neurovirus which is a little bit early compared to previous years. So just stressing the fact of good hand hygiene using soap and water um trying to avoid the hand sanitizer when you're sick doesn't kill the neuro virus. So continue with the hand hygiene using soap and water for that one. Um, I held my first blood pressure clinic at the senior center on October 16th and we will do the next one is next week. Uh, it was great to meet everyone there. It was a good turnout. So, I'm happy to continue doing those. And then, uh, Annette and the collaborative, we created a food resource guide. Um, it's on the website, so anyone can access it by going to the town website and going to the health department section. and it just helps residents identify federal, state, local food support programs and assistance.

Thank you, Bridget. Um, for some of the longer term kind of outlook of our collaborative, we are working we have posted a public health specialist position. Um, so this is going to be part 50% of that position is going to be what's called the shared service coordinator. This is a grant required position to handle all the administration of the public health excellence grant. So, by contract, we have to hire this position. However, to best utilize that staff time, we've combined it with um some responsibilities related to outreach and capacity building. So, we're really looking for this new position to help be a liaison between the health department and our community partners to expand the type of programming we're able to offer for our communities. Um, so thinking about um, working groups for homelessness individuals, being present in all of the opioid recovery work groups um, and helping make those connections. So I think it's going to be a great asset to our team and is going to be really able to expand the type of programs we're able to offer residents. So um, I think interviews are going to happen probably the end of October and then ideally in my realistic my, you know, utopia world, we'll have somebody started in the new year. So, we'll see if we can stick to that schedule. Um, but that's I think most of the updates, but happy to answer any questions.

That's awesome. You've only been a little busy, it sounds like. Great job getting everything up to date and on track. That's great to hear. Uh, members of the board, any questions for the team. Exciting work. Great. Well, we just love motions tonight. Um it looks like we need to make an appointment um to as an agent of the board of health if folks have that on their agenda. Yeah. So Michael Sager, he's our second inspector. He started October 6th. He wasn't able to make it tonight. Um but we're just looking to have him appointed so he can help conduct inspections in Grafton.

Excellent. Would anybody like to make a motion? This is Andrew Chalupa. I'd like to make a motion to appoint Michael Sager as an agent of the Grafton Board of Health. Mr. Mer, I second that motion. Roll call. Andrew Chuka I. Bill Muller. I probably. Yay. That's awesome. Um Oh, is it PEP? It's PEP, right? Not FEP. Pep. Yes. PEP. Tabletop exercise. I have a few things to update people on. Um, we can start with PEP. Okay. That I

um this is an acronym um um you know festival I guess. Um PEP stands for public health emergency preparedness. Um and um I have been to two of their meetings. The last was in an apple orchard somewhere north of Worcester. It was it was a pleasant place. Um they have required us or requested of us that we participate in a uh tabletop um disaster exercise. You know, I I think in a previous meeting I had put forth a proposition that the um Grafton Emergency Management Agency had done something which seemed to fit the bill, but it doesn't apparently um pass muster with PEP. So, um this table talk exercise is going to happen on the 20th. Uh it'll be in the morning from about 9 to 10:30. There's um a registration for it. Um I don't know what the disaster will be. Um but um I I do think it would be um to our benefit to participate in this. I do think it needs to involve um people from EMS and the fire department, police department as well. And um the emergency management agency does have a meeting um coming up I think in the next week and I was hoping to um get them to participate in this as well. Um

and I think you know basically everyone who's the regional members of PEPO will probably be participants and this will be a remote access um sort of activity. So are there any questions about that? Um, do you need any um support in getting all the people to the table or do you think everybody has the information on the 20th or do you need Nancy or somebody to help with that?

I think we probably need a um a motion to vote that we're going to participate and that we're going to recruit um appropriate uh partners to um join us in that participation. How's that? That makes sense. Um, and it's November 20th. Is that what you said? Yes. Yes. 9 to 10:30. 9 to 10:30. Okay.

Now, in other things, um, I did mention there is an emergency management agency, um, which I attended a meeting. uh having attended that meeting, I actually got invited to give uh one of their talks during their um course for the community emergency response training course, which is a um a federally um sanctioned course. Um the person who's in charge of that is Kathy Cedarberg here in in town. And so I think we need to reach out to Kathy to get her um to participate in the um the table talk uh exercise next week. Um other things that have happened uh the the Grafton opioid recovery community partnership the core ship um continues to meet. I think we've made some progress. We continue to work with the GAP organization. U took me a while to figure out what GAP stood for. It's a guided addiction access point organization. Um they um have been giving us reports about how they've used the funds that we've um um granted them. Uh we still have a substantial amount of money from the um settlements. um that um will continue to be augmented as we're going forward. Um but I do think we're making some progress there and and have made more progress than both other organizations have done. Finally, I attended my first

institutional biosafety committee meeting of the TUS uh veterinary school. Um, I didn't really know what to expect. Um and u it actually is it was it was online and um the uh person who was the coordinator of it actually was at the Cummings Veterinary School um and um he is actually somebody who's a PhD who studies um bird flu. So he um he's certainly dealing with a topical um um subject. Um but it it included all four campuses of TUS. So I heard about things that were at the medical school, things that were at the um the main campus, things that were on the other Boston campus as well. They obviously are very heavily regulated by the federal government. So most of the presentations were just saying that they were compliant with the uh the rules and regs that they were following. There was no mention of um cutbacks of funding or anything of that sort. So but this is uh biosafety. So I I guess I'll participate in another one sometime. The uh but it was it was interesting. So,

you've been busy too, Bill, huh? Yeah. Well, you know, I'm I'm living the retired life. I I agree, Jen. And I would just like to thank Bill for taking so much on his plate. Um, you know, because we would we'd be we'd be in trouble without him. So, thank you, Bill, for all you're doing. Yes. you. We were just talking earlier about how it's it's definitely tough to try and get all these things accomplished and yeah, absolutely. We appreciate all the Well, I think the other thing is a lot of these things happen during the normal workday hours. So, I mean, I don't know how it would be manageable really.

Yeah. Yeah, that's certainly sometimes we have flexibility, but it's it's tough. Um, obviously having an alliance back has been super helpful, but Sure. Yeah. Absolutely. There's still tons of other things to happen. So, that we know that um Dan did a lot of that stuff as well. I do run into Annette and other people at some of these meetings. So yeah, that's good. Um Annette, did you have anything to add on the PEP stuff? I thought you I saw

Yeah. Well, I just wanted to say so I'm helping Shrewsbury with theirs kind of like in terms of the administrative of um a specific plan has to be written for this exercise. And so I'm happy to go through and write that for Grafton um so that it can be practiced in this uh exercise. And then I'm also happy to help coordinate getting all of those key partners together. Um I can't be in both of them, but I'm sure we can figure out where one of our team members can help support the Grafton exercise and somebody can be in Shrewbury and somebody can be in West Boilston. Um if you wanted to participate in this statewide one. So, um, you know, I'm happy to take on that and then coordinate Bill with you kind of on the the communications. Um, I have a little bit of background on what the exercise is going to be. So, the tabletop exercise is going to be based on an extreme heat event and then be touching on telecommunication failures. Um, so I think it's, you know, very timely. It's something that's impacting all of our communities, um, and kind of touches all the different, um, emergency management agencies. so I I can start working on um getting that plan together and and sending that invite out. Um I think the best format for this from what I've heard is if the town meets in one specific place. So all those key stakeholders meeting in Grafton in a single room and then essentially the state's going to be running the exercise. They'll mute everybody so that you can answer questions for your town specific plans in your little room. So, I'll communicate that with folks as we're um setting up a space.

Okay. And I'll think I think I'll try to get a hold of Kathy Cedarberg tomorrow. Okay. Yeah. Great. And we can touch base offline, Bill, to to coordinate that um to get all the ducks in the row for that. Okay. Perfect. Do we need a motion to participate in the 20th? Um probably not. Probably not. I don't think so. Just we'll just proceed. Great. Uh we said we had to do it. We're going to do it. We're going to do it. I love it. Compliance is a good thing

in important things like this and emergency preparedness. Excellent. And you covered um your opioid recovery community partnership update. Um very quick update on ambulance sub ambulance subcommittee. I can't talk anymore. Um, we have a date uh on our calendars for 12:17 uh 1 to3. We're going to be uh engaging with the housing stakeholders uh where we had seen some uptick in calls. Um Nancy and I will be putting together a letter to get that out to them as an invite and get some RSVPs with, you know, at least they should have about a month in advance notice to to make that happen. And we'll have um Greg and Todd come and join us. um and Eric and everything. So, um we'll have that engagement down and then in the midst of that um as we talked about in between our day jobs, uh I will be putting together a letter for Evan as well around um um you know requesting that we figure out how to again support the first aid and a we had some first aid and AED stuff for the schools already, but in particular um you know the public buildings. Todd had some, as I said, I think last time, uh, a really good sort of setup that exists already in in the municipal building and it looks like there is a vendor there. So, again, if we can sort of take that and just expand it to a few other locations in in Grafton um, and maybe even explore if um, the frequency doesn't have to be as as much as it is, but we want to make sure that we can get pads replaced and have uh, consistent first aid kits in those locations. So, we're making progress on those things that kind of got a little way laid this summer, but it will happen. Um, so good stuff. Um, we will have some older minutes to take care of in the coming uh months as Nancy um tucks those in for us. I did not have any old business. I don't think any new business.

We have enough business. Um, no mail and correspondence this time around. And I don't think right Nance although we certainly uh get a lot of things I don't think there's anything for us to review here. Um and then upcoming meetings as I mentioned we have through March scheduled um December 8th is our next meeting. As we said we'll do the public hearing first up on the docket and then go in through our regular updates. Does anybody have anything else? Aren't we an efficient group? Look at how how quickly we got through all those things. Great discussion as always. Would anybody like to make a motion?

This is Andrew Chalooka. I make a motion to close tonight's meeting. Second. This is Bill Muller. I second that. Roll call. Andrew Chaluka. I Bill Muller. I pro I. And Maynard. I thanks everyone. We'll see you one December 8th.