Selectmens Minutes 08/01/2019
Board of Health August 1, 2019
Chairman Joseph Pacheco called the special meeting to order at 1:17 p.m. in the municipal meeting room at Veterans’ Memorial Town Hall, 558 South Main Street. In addition to Chairman Pacheco, Selectmen Marie Smith and Patricia Riley were in attendance in their capacity as the Board of Health. Also in attendance at the meeting were Interim Town Administrator Gordon Luciano, Raynham Health Agent Matthew Tanis and Park and Recreation Director Tim McRae. A news reporter for The Enterprise was also in attendance.
Chairman Pacheco said the reason for the meeting was to vote to declare a health emergency in the Town of Raynham due to the unexpected risk of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and to vote to order the immediate closure of Town fields and recreation areas from dusk to dawn. He asked Mr. Tanis to update the Board in his role as the Town’s Health Agent.
Mr. Tanis explained that in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 111, Section 7, if any contagious or infectious disease exists, or is likely to exist, and is deemed dangerous to the public health as declared by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Board of Health shall investigate and take measures to prevent the spread of the disease. He further explained, “All key predictors are present for a high risk season and signal EEE amplification. Large volumes of water have been and are present in the swamps. There was heavy spring precipitation. There has been early EEE activity in bird-biting mosquitos and a fast shift of the virus to the mammal-biting mosquitos. There is also a very large population of mosquitos present, two times more than prior outbreak years; EEE was noticed one week later than the last outbreak year in 2012, and high temperatures are projected to continue through August.”
Mr. Tanis reviewed the first symptoms of EEE, which show up three to 10 days after a bite from an infected mosquito, and include a fever, often 103 to 106 degrees, stiff neck, headache, and lack of energy. Inflammation and swelling of the brain, called encephalitis, is the most dangerous and frequent serious complication. The disease gets worse quickly and some patients may go into a coma within a week. He emphasized there are no vaccines and no treatment for EEE. The mortality rate is approximately 50%, and the majority of those who do survive are left with lifelong neurological disabilities. Prevention, therefore, is the only real defense..
Mr. Tanis reviewed the precautions that should be taken including wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors and applying insect repellent, being aware of mosquito hours , and taking steps to mosquito-proof your home. He further stated, “The Board of Health has the responsibility to put into effect measures to protect the public health. I feel the Board of Health has done an appropriate amount of notification to the public regarding the presence of EEE and the methods of protection. As the risk level has now been increased to high for EEE before August 1st, closing town fields and recreation areas from dusk to dawn is critical.”
Reviewing the mosquito activity that was first detected in Easton and New Bedford two weeks ago, Mr. Tanis reported that last week, additional positive samples were discovered from mosquito traps in Southeastern Massachusetts, but Raynham’s risk level remained low. Bristol County Mosquito Control was contacted by the Board of Health regarding ground spraying of Town fields. Park and Recreation fields were added to the spray list and will be sprayed weekly through the remainder of the season. Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School Superintendent Derek Swenson was notified and asked to provide information regarding student activity at the Raynham schools. On Monday, Mr. Swenson provided the required information and the elementary schools were scheduled to be sprayed on this date, August 1st.
Mr. Tanis further explained that Tuesday morning, the Raynham Board of Health was notified by MDPH that four positive mosquito samples had been found in the Raynham trap including three positive bird-biting species and one human-biting species. The trap is in the southeast quadrant of town in the Pine Swamp area. On Wednesday afternoon, MDPH called the Board of Health to report that the risk level for EEE in Raynham was increased to high. MDPH suggested curtailing evening outdoor activities at this time, and the decision was made to hold the emergency meeting, which was then posted.. MDPH also advised the Board of health that four additional positive EEE samples, three bird-biting and one mammal-biting were found in the Raynham pool.
Mr. Tanis concluded, “:To date, there have now been 114 EEE positive mosquitoes and 16 West Nile Virus positive mosquitos collected throughout the state with EEE positives concentrated primarily in Bristol and Plymouth counties.” Mr. Tanis presented the Board with a draft of a letter requesting the State Mosquito Control Board consider aerial spraying at this time. Mrs. Smith urged Mr. Tanis to contact the health agents in the other areas that are effected to see if they will join the urgent request to the State. Mr. Tanis replied that he has drafted a letter to send to them for that reason.
Park and Recreation Director Tim McRae told the Board that he has been working in cooperation with Mr. Tanis and keeping the leagues, parents, and players who use the town fields up to date on the latest developments and once the Board votes to declare the emergency and close the fields from dusk until dawn, he will e-mail another letter to all those concerned and put up signs at all of the locations and notify all of the leagues and others who use the fields.
Mr. Luciano stated that he has been in contact with School Committee Chairperson Dr. Susan Prewandowski in the hope that the same action will be taken for the school district’s fields in Bridgewater.
After additional discussion, Mr. Pacheco recommended the Board take the action of declaring the health emergency and closing the town fields and recreation areas from dusk until dawn. Ms. Riley made the motion and Mrs. Smith seconded the motion. Mr. Pacheco pointed out that in years past, the Board has also included in their vote a formal and urgent request to the State to conduct aerial spraying. Ms. Riley said she would include that in the motion due to the seriousness of the situation. Mr. Pacheco indicated his support for the motion, which was then approved unanimously.
With no other business before the Board, Mr. Pacheco stated that he would entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. At 1:32 p.m., Ms. Riley made the motion, Mrs. Smith seconded, and Mr. Pacheco made it unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Riley
Secretary / Clerk
Board of Selectmen / Health