Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent
Fairhaven Board of Health member Michael Ristuccia said on 1/13 that the board had received nine applications for the health agent position, but his tone did not indicate optimism.
“We have not made any interviews yet … because we’ve notified several of the applicants that we don’t feel as though they have the qualifications that we’re looking for,” said Mr. Ristuccia. He said that leaves the board with just one, “maybe two” applicants to choose from.
“I don’t think the pool is large enough yet to actually start doing interviews yet,” yet.
Mr. Ristuccia added that several towns are now hiring health agents, competing from the same candidate pool.
“I’m not certain as to … where to go to advertise to try and get applications,” said Mr. Ristuccia. “I’m not sure what to do.”
Interim Health Agent Sarah Dupont quickly reminded the board that their advertising budget had been depleted, “So please keep that in mind.”
“I think it’s essential that we get the right person … with the right qualifications,” said BOH member Geoff Haworth. “If that means we have to extend our timeline … so be it.”
He said it should not be a “rushed process” to fill the position.
It has been six months since the BOH hired a temporary health agent to replace Mary Freire-Kellogg. Before he leaves the board at the end of his term in April, Mr. Haworth said his final contribution would be to find the right person.
“I’ll put my thinking cap on and come up with something because I always do,” he said. “Because I want to do what’s right.” He began to say something and then changed his mind, saying that now was not the time.
Mr. Ristuccia then announced one candidate is “very qualified” and wondered if he should act fast before that person takes a position with another town. Mr. Haworth suggested Mr. Ristuccia contact that person and move forward, and that he should also contact a second candidate he mentioned earlier. Mr. Haworth asked that the administrative assistant forward the candidates’ information to the board to avoid involving Ms. Dupont in the process.
“Sometimes, the best applicant you get is the first one,” said Mr. Ristuccia, his tone very different than before. “But if this person that we already have an application for, who I believe is qualified, if we were to look at her — or him — we may decide that it’s the perfect person.”
“Take the top three and then interview. See what happens,” said Chairperson Peter DeTerra.
“You’ll see that this person, on paper, looks fabulous — fabulous,” said Mr. Ristuccia.
Mr. Haworth said that Fairhaven should have a “platinum candidate.”
In other matters, for five years, the Health Department has apparently been undercharging for annual permits issued for keeping farm animals and livestock.
Ms. Dupont said that when she recently began issuing animal permit renewals, residents got upset that she was charging them $25 instead of the $5 they usually pay.
“I don’t know when miscommunication came along, but we were charging based on the posted fee schedule that was posted in the office and on the website,” said Ms. Dupont. She asked the board if it wanted to keep the fee schedule the BOH approved in January 2016 or revisit it.
Mr. DeTerra, who was chairperson of the BOH in January 2016 when it approved the $25 animal permit fee, commented that he feels $25 is “maybe a little harsh,” suggesting something more “realistic’ between $5 and $10.
“Fifteen might be a little high,” he said.
In a follow-up email with Ms. Dupont, she clarified that the annual $25 animal permit is per property, not per animal.
“How many people in Fairhaven have livestock?” asked Mr. Ristuccia.
“Oh, quite a few,” said Mr. DeTerra.
“So, Mr. Chair, you have livestock,” said Mr. Ristuccia.
“Yes,” said Mr. DeTerra.
“So, if you feel it’s a little high, then maybe it’s a little high,” said Mr. Ristuccia.
“Well, I don’t personally, my parents — my family does,” said Mr. DeTerra.
Mr. Haworth said the board was “glossing over the real problem here,” which is that former staff failed to follow the fee schedule.
“I’m sorry, I think accountability is important,” said, adding he wondered why some people were unfairly paying $5 and, perhaps, others might have been paying $25.
“These things keep popping up,” said Mr. Haworth. “It’s every week that something new just pops up that doesn’t make sense….”
Mr. Haworth said he thought the fee should be $25, but the board should look at the fees of surrounding towns and possibly modify it.
Ms. Dupont said most residents have already reapplied and paid the $25 renewal fee, although she sent out five renewal notices to some “stragglers.”
“We should hold it for $25 this year,” said Mr. Haworth. “The town was losing money; the town was losing $20….”
Mr. Ristuccia said the board should waive the $25 renewal fee because of the pandemic.
“People need … a little something that they feel good about, and I don’t think that’s going to hurt this town or it’s going hurt this department….”
Mr. Haworth proposed charging the $25 this year and $0 for 2022.
“I’m good with that,” said Mr. Ristuccia. “It sends a message that —”
“We’re here to help,” said Mr. DeTerra, whose immediate family will be affected by the 3-0 vote in which Mr. DeTerra participated.
Also during the meeting, the president of a food safety and inspection software company reintroduced the FoodCode-Pro platform to the board and explained why Fairhaven should reactivate its subscription after canceling it several months ago.
Michael Hicks described the comprehensive yet convenient nature of the software, emphasizing how the Health Department already had roughly a year of valuable food establishment data stored in the system when it canceled.
“Everything [the Health Department and inspectors] need to meet your public health mandate is already in place … and you don’t want to lose that,” Mr. Hicks said.
The town obtained the software in June 2019 and has the history from 296 inspections of 157 food establishments stored on the platform. Reports are identical to the FDA’s model report: The data is stored in the cloud, and the inspector can send electronic copies of reports to the “PIC” (person in charge) at the site. Mr. Hicks said it helps the board keep track of whether it meets its state inspection mandate.
“You would hate to lose that [data] because there was an extraordinary amount of work that went into that,” said Mr. Hicks, adding that inspection details accumulate over time, and the software is “a very powerful analytic tool.”
DeTerra said several restaurant owners claim the former inspector did not provide them with a copy of their inspection reports. Mr. Hicks said the inspector can email or text a copy to the PIC from their iPad documenting the date, time, GPS location, and receipt of the report.
“It makes the inspection report legally defensible,” said Mr. Hicks.
Haworth advocated for having paper copies of the reports available for restaurant owners who prefer paper, which Mr. Hicks said could be done via a mobile printer; however, he said, other health departments that tried this method have “quickly ditched them” because they are cumbersome and redundant since the report is available electronically.
“We kind of stopped using it because of the funding and stuff, and we ran out of some grants, and … now we found a little bit more money to continue this,” said Mr. DeTerra.
The cost for one license to use the software is $2,400 annually, which includes unlimited training and support. The price drops to $1,800 per license when more than two are ordered.
“I’m excited about the whole venture,” said newly hired Health Inspector Tom Hemingway.
Earlier, the board voted to require that restaurants display a poster stating the maximum state-mandated 25% capacity at their entrances by Monday, 1/18.
In another matter, the board ordered the residents of 10 Charity Stevens Lane to get rid of their donkey that they acquired without a BOH permit and has been annoying some neighbors with its braying.
The discussion with Alison and Christopher Olson turned contentious, concluding with Mr. Olsen vowing that the board would be hearing from his lawyer.
The Olsons also admitted that they are keeping more sheep at their property than are allowed under their current permit, and the board issued a follow-up decision to have the Olsons promptly rectify the matter.
Director of Tourism Chris Richard asked the board to confirm whether vendors at the 2021 Huttleston Marketplace, a farmers’ market held outside the Academy Building during the summer, would be able to prepare and serve food this year. Mr. Hemingway said he was against allowing food other than prepared and pre-packaged due to the ongoing pandemic.
Mr. Richard pointed out that the governor deemed farmers’ markets “essential,” and the state’s guidelines have allowed food to be served throughout 2020, although Fairhaven did not allow it.
Ms. Dupont said she needed to revisit the farmers’ markets guidelines, and Mr. Ristuccia emphasized the word “guidelines.”
“They are ‘guidelines’.… We want to be a little bit safer than that,” Mr. Ristuccia said. “The people in … Fairhaven should be happy that we’re taking that decision because we’re really doing it for one reason … to try and protect the health of the people of Fairhaven. That’s our job.”
Right, said Mr. Richard, but if you look closely in the “Q&A’ section, one will read that, for example, if the state allows supermarkets to be open, a local authority cannot order supermarkets to close, Mr. Richard explained. If the state allows outside dining for restaurants, a town cannot say no to outdoor dining, he said.
Ms. Dupont then said the board was on a “time crunch” due to another meeting scheduled for the room, so the matter was continued until the next meeting.
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