Monroe Board of Health hears staff update, hires sanitarian and braces for state septic rule changes

Chris Thornneley, chairman of the Board of Health of Monroe, opened the electronically held meeting and moved to accept the minutes from the board’s Dec. 10 meeting; Michael seconded and members present agreed to approve them.

Laurel, a health department staff member who presented the department’s operations report, said seasonal work is increasing with warmer weather. “We’ve obviously gotten a little busier with the warmer weather,” she said, noting more septic repair plans and B100A applications for additions, decks and pools are arriving and that the farmers market season and temporary events will generate additional permit work starting in June.

Laurel said routine food inspections and salon relicensing were completed this cycle and that nail-salon inspections remain on a six-month schedule. The department estimates it has about 40 salon licenses on file and reported several new nail salons and a few massage businesses opening in town; some of the new massage shops currently fall outside local licensing but staff provides technical standards and performs inspections before they open.

The department has seen a recent uptick in nuisance complaints — “smells, rodents,” Laurel said — and has handled most food-service complaints promptly. On infectious disease monitoring, Laurel reported 12 influenza cases in April and that the department has been taking tick samples since March; she said roughly four Lyme cases have already been recorded this season and that the lab has been quick to return test results.

Laurel reviewed community-outreach work and emergency-preparedness activity, including a health fair at Jockey Hollow, naloxone events, hands-only CPR training with the EMS head Craig, and a Region One functional exercise. She said an external contractor has been helping update preparedness plans and that staff will submit updated plans to the state on June 1.

On finance and permitting, board members noted septic-related revenue looked weak despite operational signs of increased activity. Laurel said several reviewed plans are awaiting state or other approvals and applicants have not yet pulled permits, which can delay revenue timing even when workload is up.

The board discussed whether to create a local ordinance to bring massage businesses under local licensing. Thornneley asked Laurel and Barbara to collect ordinance language from neighboring towns for consideration and potential fee-schedule adjustments that would grandfather existing businesses as appropriate.

Laurel said the department has workforce-development grant funds to spend (with a Nov. 27 deadline) and is exploring a collaborative, larger-scale field training for environmental-health staff with neighboring departments. She also reported the emergency-preparedness grant is in budget period 2, quarter 3, that required materials have been submitted and paid, and that the department is on track for quarter 4 deliverables by July 1.

Laurel announced the department has filled a Sanitarian/Program Planner I position. “Her name is Alex Yoga,” Laurel said, and she plans to start May 26. Laurel said the new hire will help with community health outreach, inspections and program support.

She closed by warning the board about imminent state-level regulatory changes. “If you feel like looking it up, it’s Public Act 26-13,” Laurel said, describing changes to subsurface sewage and drinking-water rules that will roll out July 1 and that could increase responsibilities for local health departments. She said staff is awaiting technical guidance and training information.

With no further questions, the chair moved to adjourn the meeting, a member seconded, and the recording was stopped.

Next steps: staff will compile neighboring municipalities’ ordinance language on salon/massage licensing, finalize updated emergency-preparedness plan submissions and prepare to implement guidance stemming from Public Act 26-13.