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Waste Management Strike Update and Future Planning (Link: 00:00:00 – 00:29:00)
Tom Massaro opened the Board of Health meeting at 7:30 PM on August 13th, noting that public health issues have become more prominent during his tenure as chair. He requested a strike update from the director.
Andrew Petty reported that the Republic Services strike for trash and recycling collection is now in its seventh week with no resolution in sight. The mayor recently held a meeting including Petty to discuss strike-related issues, and the governor has become more involved by sending a letter to Republic Services’ CEO expressing concern about the strike’s duration and requesting mediation. Twelve communities have signed onto a letter to the CEO requesting resolution, as Republic is not meeting contract obligations by failing to collect recycling.
Petty expressed concern about school reopening in a couple weeks, emphasizing the need for Republic to handle school waste collection when teachers return next Thursday. He has requested that Republic explain their plan for school collection and potentially begin every-other-week curbside recycling pickup starting Monday, contingent on their ability to handle school operations. Most schools use rear-loading dumpsters collected by curbside drivers either before 7 AM or after 3:30 PM to avoid student presence. School recycling collection involves different trucks than regular curbside recycling.
Looking ahead to the September 2026 contract expiration, Petty has begun collecting contracts and RFPs from other communities to explore different service options. He recommended updating recycling regulations to mirror trash requirements, mandating that all recycling be placed in barrels with tight-fitting lids rather than open-top containers to prevent material from blowing around town. The department is considering both traditional collection methods and automated trucks for newer areas like the Cliftons, while maintaining manual collection in the historic downtown district with narrow streets.
Tom McMahon asked about automated truck compatibility with schools, and Petty confirmed schools use the same rear-loading system as residential collection. McMahon inquired about different collection frequencies for different areas, suggesting weekly collection for historic areas with smaller barrels and every-other-week for areas with larger automated barrels. Petty confirmed this flexibility would be considered in the RFP process.
The town currently services approximately 8,000 homes including single-family through four-family condos. Petty explained they would seek proposals for standardized barrels purchased community-wide with financing options of 3, 5, 7, or 10 years. The barrels would include features like attached lids, wheels, and QR codes for tracking. Residents currently pay for recycling bins at wholesale cost through the town’s arrangement with Ringrig, which also provides replacement parts and repairs.
Regarding bringing collection in-house, Petty outlined significant challenges including needing 4-5 trucks total for trash and recycling, backup equipment and personnel, mechanics, and handling the logistics of transporting recycling to Greenworks facility rather than the local transfer station. McMahon noted this would essentially be starting from scratch with substantial upfront investment.
Massaro suggested exploring smaller, owner-operated companies like G Mello out of Georgetown as alternatives to large publicly-traded companies. Petty confirmed the RFP would be open to various contractors, with selection based on most qualified bid rather than lowest price, working with town attorneys on the process.
The board tentatively scheduled a public input meeting for the fourth Monday in September during their regular meeting, potentially starting earlier or extending later. They plan to distribute information through email lists, newspapers, electronic billboards, and potentially Code Red announcements to gather community feedback on collection options and concerns before finalizing RFP questions.
Petty provided transfer station updates, noting that their new employee Jason is leaving for a lineman position with the electric light department after being a valuable addition during the strike. Joanne Fortini from the finance department will begin as the new administrative person on Monday, August 18th, replacing Marty who moved to the waste department. Petty praised Nadine from the Council on Aging who has been helping in the office during the transition, working on various projects including the new town website.
During public comment, a resident suggested the town could offer additional barrels for purchase and mentioned other communities’ bag systems, though Petty noted concerns about bag durability. The resident also described Lynn’s system where residents pay annual fees per barrel with city-provided maintenance and replacement services, which Petty noted could be incorporated into contract terms.
Regarding the potential restart of recycling collection, Petty explained that Republic must first demonstrate their ability to handle school collection before announcing curbside recycling resumption through Code Red. He expressed concern about potential recycling overload given increased transfer station usage during the strike. A resident asked about access for those without transfer station stickers, and Petty noted nearly 7,000 stickers have been sold, representing most households. McMahon observed that approximately 70% of transfer station users have stickers, while many residents continue putting out recycling despite the strike, unaware it won’t be collected.
Meeting Schedule and Chair’s Report (Link: 00:29:00 – 00:33:00)
Massaro asked for additional comments before moving to the chair’s report. He noted that given the ongoing strike and the board meeting on Wednesday instead of their usual schedule due to missing last week’s meeting because of an election, there was a question about scheduling a second August meeting. He explained there would be a conflict during the final fourth week of August, so any additional meeting would need to be next week. However, given that the strike is unlikely to end soon and major trash-related meetings are planned for September, the board discussed whether an additional August meeting was necessary.
Petty suggested they should postpone the additional meeting and schedule quickly if something urgent arose. McMahon agreed with this approach. Massaro confirmed their next meeting would be the second Tuesday of September unless something came up, noting that would not be the major trash discussion day, which would occur later in September.
Massaro reported on a productive meeting held the previous day to review sample questions for the upcoming health and wellness assessment. Seven people attended representing various community constituencies, including Kristen Arbetta and Susan Stel, both involved in child and maternal health issues. Massaro noted that Arbetta is a professor at Salem State who publishes in maternal health and holds an MPH degree.
The meeting also included Andrew Gillis, who runs the Mariner and represents senior interests, and their consultant from UMass Boston, Kaitlyn Coyle, who is a gerontologist, ensuring senior issues were covered. A pediatrician was also present. Massaro was particularly pleased that John Rebideau, the new school superintendent, joined the meeting, representing a new collaboration opportunity.
Massaro explained that he had previously attempted to establish connections with the school committee without success, but following the election of Al Williams as school committee chair, he reached out about potential partnerships between boards of health and school committees, which he had seen work effectively in other states. Williams responded rapidly and positively, with Kate Schmeckpeper also joining the discussion. They spent an hour and a half exploring how a partnership between the Board of Health and school committee might benefit children.
During their conversation, Massaro mentioned that Salem has applied for UNICEF recognition as a child-friendly town, with an announcement or press conference expected soon. He suggested this indicated Salem was likely successful in their application, as organizations typically don’t call press conferences for unsuccessful outcomes.
Community Health Assessment and School Partnership (Link: 00:33:00 – 00:44:00)
Massaro continued discussing the child-friendly town initiative, explaining that he and the school committee representatives explored how to build a child-friendly atmosphere in the town. Al Williams and Kate Schmeckpeper expressed interest in the concept. When Massaro asked if someone from the school committee or school administration would participate in the survey question review, Superintendent John Rebideau volunteered and demonstrated impressive preparation despite having only three to four days to review the survey questions.
The committee meeting achieved good balance with Andrew Gillis and Jack Attridge representing broader town interests, ensuring that pediatricians and gerontologists didn’t dominate discussion about their specific populations but focused on town-wide implications. The robust conversation was so productive that they only completed half the questions, surprising even Dr. Kaitlyn Coyle with the quality of contributions from all participants.
The original draft contained 50 questions, with Dr. Coyle indicating they should ideally reduce it to 40 questions. The group made good progress pruning questions in the first half and planned to meet again quickly to complete the review. Massaro and Dr. Coyle agreed it would be inappropriate to release the survey while the strike continues, despite 90% positive response to the town’s strike handling. They prefer to resolve the strike completely before launching the survey. Dr. Coyle wants everything completed in October for analysis by year’s end, providing some scheduling flexibility.
Massaro proposed bringing the completed survey back to a September board meeting and discussed plans for health literacy education presentations to help residents understand public health’s importance. He noted that many public health functions operate in the background, such as ensuring beach and restroom sanitation. After giving a well-received pilot presentation to Rotary, he arranged with the Council on Aging for presentation slots in September and October.
Drawing from his experience in Santa Fe, where he conducted four 80-minute sessions for 30-40 adults through an adult education institute, Massaro proposed holding similar educational meetings. He suggested posting these as Board of Health meetings so all three members could attend and participate. McMahon supported using the senior center, though Massaro noted they lose building access at 3:30 PM and would need to check with Parks and Recreation for alternative arrangements.
Petty emphasized considering the target audience’s preferred meeting times and ensuring meetings could be recorded and available on Zoom, while seeking feedback and questions to make sessions more engaging. Massaro planned to explore Parks and Recreation options and prepare a proposal for the second Tuesday of September, focusing his first presentation on healthcare funding and public health’s outsider status in the U.S. healthcare system.
Amanda Ritvo noted that the planned second September meeting falls on Rosh Hashanah and requested moving it to Wednesday the 24th. After some confusion about dates, the board confirmed their next regular meeting would be the second Tuesday of September unless urgent issues arose.
Massaro mentioned someone criticized his title for McMahon as “vice chair for waste,” suggesting it sounded demeaning when McMahon actually ensures responsible spending. He proposed changing the title to “waste management” or “waste executive.” McMahon reported receiving fewer complaint emails recently and observing shorter lines at the transfer station. He praised the workers and noted positive community response, though they still encounter occasional difficult interactions.
McMahon supported the GoFundMe idea for transfer station workers, acknowledging municipal limitations on bonuses while recognizing the workers deserve recognition. He noted that residents are becoming accustomed to transfer station services and predicted continued usage even after the strike ends. He cautioned that when recycling collection resumes, people should lower expectations since accumulated recycling will likely fill trucks quickly.
Petty reported that the transfer station construction project for site work, scale relocation, trash trailer positioning, and new scale house construction is out to bid with responses expected in early September. Massaro concluded by noting they hadn’t changed McMahon’s title to “vice chair for community health.”
Riverhead Beach Water Quality Discussion (Link: 00:44:00 – 01:00:00)
Amanda Ritvo raised concerns about water quality at Riverhead Beach after receiving an email from a community member. She noted that the area hosts children’s and adult recreational programming through a stand-up paddleboard program and serves as a dog beach, making it a valuable town asset. After discussing the issue with Petty, she learned that designating the area as a bathing beach for testing purposes would require multiple steps, including likely banning dogs and addressing the boat ramp presence.
Petty confirmed that eliminating the boat ramp would not be feasible, though it would become a factor in any bathing beach designation. As an alternative, Ritvo suggested better public education that this is not a tested swimming or bathing beach. She discovered that Riverhead Beach is listed on the town website, which Petty noted appears on the Parks and Recreation section and needs correction. Petty explained they need to better identify the five official public bathing beaches on their website and link to the state website where testing data is posted.
The board discussed existing signage at Riverhead Beach. McMahon noted there is a sign warning against swimming near the culvert, specifically stating that water flowing from the drainage pipe may be unsafe for human contact and advising against playing or swimming near the outlet flow, which is located in the middle of the area. Petty explained that official public bathing beaches require signs posting sampling dates and would be used for closure notices if necessary.
Ritvo initially thought there was a floating dock that should have no-swimming signage, but McMahon clarified that the dock belongs to a private residence. Petty suggested that rather than posting “no swimming” signs, they should indicate that waters are not routinely sampled for bathing beach quality. Ritvo proposed consulting the town lawyer to determine whether water recreation sports fall under bathing beach guidelines and whether testing should be required.
Petty recommended first consulting with the state bathing beach program, which has extensive expertise and could potentially visit the site to provide guidance on mixed-use areas. Ritvo emphasized that her goal is not to interfere with the popular stand-up paddleboard program, but expressed concern that the program operates at 3:30 PM near the outflow area where young children might drink the water.
McMahon provided extensive background on Riverhead Beach, explaining that historically, harbor access required boat ownership, yacht club membership, or waterfront property ownership. He credited Leah Goodman, whom he grew up with, for transforming access through her stand-up paddleboard program, calling it the best development he has seen in Marblehead during his lifetime. The program works with Parks and Recreation, with Goodman handling both paddleboards and kayak rentals, making harbor access available to everyone.
McMahon observed that during his visit that day at high tide in 90-degree weather, no one was swimming at Riverhead Beach, with people understanding it is not a swimming beach. He noted that Devereux Beach is nearby for swimming. He emphasized that paddleboards and kayaks are classified as watercraft by the state, similar to boats, and that watercraft users typically enter knee-deep water rather than swimming.
McMahon expressed concern about potential negative impacts on Goodman’s program, noting it operates on thin financial margins according to public records and is not highly profitable. He explained that Goodman spends winters in Florida but returns seasonally out of passion for the community, employing local teenagers. He criticized the town administrator’s office for creating payment obstacles by requiring monthly rather than more frequent payments, making it difficult for Goodman to pay employees.
McMahon warned that additional regulatory obstacles could force Goodman to discontinue the program, eliminating public harbor access. He noted that approximately 3,000 people use the area and emphasized the importance of not interrupting this valuable community resource. Ritvo clarified that she views the discussion as protective rather than adversarial, seeking to verify water safety.
The board discussed practical implications, with McMahon noting that three-and-a-half-year-olds might fall off paddleboards, while Ritvo suggested consulting Parks and Recreation about age requirements or liability waivers. McMahon pointed out that people can swim from boats anchored nearby, though Ritvo noted this would be farther from the culvert and dog waste areas.
Petty acknowledged uncertainty about water quality, explaining the dilemma of potential closures if testing revealed problems. He questioned whether watercraft operations would need to cease during closures, creating business uncertainty for Goodman. Ritvo suggested Parks and Recreation could implement waivers informing parents that this is not a tested beach with unknown water quality.
Massaro supported the open debate, referencing post-COVID literature that criticized lack of public discussion during the pandemic. He emphasized the importance of weighing both sides of issues to maintain public trust, noting that nothing would change during the current summer season. McMahon stressed the need for timely decisions since Goodman must plan her return from Florida, and uncertainty could lead her to discontinue the program permanently.
Petty explained that state bathing beach officials are too busy during the current season to consult but would be available after the bathing season ends in mid-September. Massaro noted that Devereux Beach across the street provides swimming access, making Riverhead’s primary function as watercraft access rather than swimming. Ritvo asked whether Riverhead Beach had ever been tested, and Petty confirmed it has never been designated as a public bathing beach during his tenure, though he would need to check state records for historical testing. He explained that official bathing beach sampling requires specific procedures, including waist-deep, elbow-deep collection using certified labs with prescribed testing methods and colony count standards.
School Vaccination Requirements and Surveillance (Link: 01:00:00 – 01:07:00)
As the meeting neared its end, Ritvo raised another topic regarding school vaccinations and surveillance, noting that August is National Immunization Awareness Month. With school approaching in a few weeks, she proposed discussing vaccination compliance with the school board and school committee. She clarified that her goal was not to implement new guidelines but to ensure adherence to Massachusetts state vaccination requirements, which mandate five vaccines: DTAP, polio, MMR, Hepatitis B, and varicella, with meningitis required for grade seven and above.
Ritvo emphasized the importance of maintaining vaccination rates above 95% for herd immunity, particularly given rising measles cases and outbreaks in areas without adequate immunization coverage. She noted that Massachusetts traditionally maintains high vaccination rates, but recent data from mass.gov showed only Brown Elementary submitted vaccination data, reporting 98% MMR vaccination rates, while Glover Elementary did not submit data.
Ritvo outlined her objectives for partnering with the school committee: understanding how they review vaccination records, how they inform parents of missing vaccines, establishing clear procedures, and ensuring unvaccinated students without proper exemptions are not allowed enrollment. She noted that Massachusetts currently allows medical exemptions and religious exemptions, though two bills in the state legislature are reviewing elimination of religious exemptions. She also wanted parents to understand that unvaccinated children would be excluded from school for at least 21 days during any outbreak or positive case.
Massaro suggested making a motion for the Board of Health to communicate with the school committee chair about partnering to ensure school safety. He proposed that the board express its commitment to vaccine policy and desire to collaborate with the school committee. The motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously. Massaro agreed to email the school committee chair and suggested the discussion might begin with the head nurse, who was not yet back from summer break, noting he was unsure whether the school system had a physician consultant.
Ritvo mentioned that local boards of health typically appoint physicians for schools, but Petty indicated he would need to research what actually applies in their situation. Ritvo clarified the vaccine requirements, explaining that DTAP or TDAP covers the same components depending on age, and that MMR stands for measles, mumps, and rubella, with meningitis required starting in grade seven.
The meeting concluded with brief administrative items. Petty confirmed that transfer station workers now have a mini refrigerator and provided an update on expanding the Board of Health from three to five members. He reported that the state representative has passed the measure and he would check on next requirements, noting that State Representative Jenny Armini has been sending updates and reminders about the process. Massaro noted they should have completed this expansion the previous year, thinking it was already done.
After confirming no online participants had questions, McMahon moved to adjourn, Ritvo seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Massaro adjourned the meeting until the second Tuesday of September, barring any emergencies requiring an earlier meeting.
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