Health board mulls ban of psychoactive substances

Recreation and Parks Commission

DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 7

LOCATION: Jacobi Community Center Conference Room

LWVM OBSERVER: Kay

Rieper

The meeting was called to order by the chairman, Derek Norcross. All members were present. The minutes from the last meeting were approved.

Pickleball

Members of the pickleball community attended the meeting to question the closing of the courts at both Seaside and the Vets. After much discussion, it was decided to open the courts at Vets in two weeks with the approval of the School Department, as long as there isn’t ice or snow. The players will bring portable nets.

New business

The board approved installing two 18-by-18 numbers on the softball backstop to remember two longtime players. A request for a softball tournament (which has been held in the past) on Sept. 23 was approved pending insurance, etc.

» MOU with School

Department

The superintendent of schools and School Committee chairperson will be invited to the Feb. 28 meeting to discuss the commission’s questions about the memorandum of understanding.

Budget

The superintendent presented a proposed budget with a 7-percent increase to the members. They can email him with any questions. He will meet with the Finance Committee on March 27.

Parks — Peter James Peter questioned the $279 due to maintain the Sustainable Marblehead website, which was designed to raise money for landscaping projects on park properties. There has been no activity or donations in response to the site. They will discuss this with the Tree Committee.

The tennis nets at the high school have been lowered.

» Brush on the high school walkways has been cut back.

There is a new sign at Field 4 at Gatchell’s.

» The Rainbow Zone “carpet” needs repair and is under warranty. Work on the Stramski house is progressing.

Recreation — Jaime Bloch

» Registration for summer programs just opened, and the response has been huge.

There is one more week of February programs, and after vacation there will be more outside programs.

» The ski trip to Bradford was very successful.

The Daddy-Daughter

Dance is coming up the Friday before Easter.

» Five hires were approved. There was some discussion about the designated areas where floats can be worked on at Riverhead per order of the Conservation Commission. This will be made clearer in the Float Storage Agreement.

Correspondence

» A request from the Burlington School Department to bring first graders to Chandler Hovey on May 24, 25, 26 and June 8 was approved with a charge of $50 a day.

» A neighbor of the pickleball courts at the Vets sent a letter complaining of noise and thanking the Commission for closing the courts. The next meeting will be on Feb. 28.

Board of Health

DATE: Feb. 7 MEMBERS IN property with less than the required lot area rear yard setback and side yard setback located at 2 Charlotte Road in the single residence district The new construction will be in the rear yard and side yard setbacks and exceed the I 0% expansion limits for a nonconforming building. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, § 18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation

The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https:// us0 6w eb.z oo m. us/j /8787 83472 82?p wd =e nl wR Xd 3V2x mdHE 3c y92Sk1TU1BTUT09 Dial in+ 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record Alan Lipkind Secretar y

ATTENDANCE: Health Director Andrew Petty, Todd Belfbecker (chairperson), secretary Andrea Flaxer, Joanne Greer Miller, Helaine Hazlett

LWVM OBSERVER: Thomas Krueger Tobacco control update Joyce Redford, director, North Shore/Cape Ann Tobacco Prevention Program, came to give an update and some recommendations to the Board of Health. She noted that since 2016 numerous changes have happened at the state level.

But before discussing tobacco issues, she wanted to alert the board to two psychoactive substances that are currently being sold over the counter at convenience and adult-only stores. The first is called Delta 8, which is a synthetically processed derivative of hemp, a cannabinol. This compound can give a “high” and can also be addictive. It is ingested (gummies), inhaled, vaped, etc.

The other psychoactive substance is called Kratom, which is believed to act on opioid receptors. This is an extract from a species of evergreen trees. It can be a stimulant in low doses but at high doses gives euphoria and reduces pain. There can be significant side effects from this drug, including seizures, high blood pressure and even death.

Redford said there have been no restrictions on their sale in Massachusetts so far, but it is illegal. The police have the authority to confiscate these drugs. There is the option for local boards of health to ban these substances and attach fines to their sale.

(Redford noted parenthetically how actions at the local level lead to regional action, and finally state action. This was the route workplace smoking bans occurred. A critical mass of local actions was needed.)

Members of the BOH were all deeply concerned about these drugs. A discussion ensued about potentially banning these in Marblehead, and a regulation could be crafted and reviewed by town counsel. The town of Beverly is currently considering the same. Lynn already has a broad sweeping regulation that prohibits a wide variety of drugs.

Following this discussion, Redford read a list of possible tobacco control regulations for the board to consider. Some of the items on the list are already state regulations; others could be done at the local level.

Some of these items included no permit renewals if outstanding fines, if tobacco sold to minors, having permit caps per towns, etc.

Others were more specific: minimum pricing for cigarettes (not less than $2.50 for a single; two or more, not less than $5); banning blunt wrap tobacco; suspension periods for sales to minors (three days for first, seven days for second, 30 days for third). The board discussed these recommendations and will draft regulations to be reviewed by town counsel. These will hopefully be ready by the next scheduled BOH meeting March 14.

In conclusion, Redford said that the smoking rate in Marblehead is low, but vaping has increased.

FY24 budget

Petty said that the Health Department was currently putting together the FY24 budget for the Health Department and waste management. He is actually working on three iterations of this budget: one if it is level funded; a second if there would be cuts needed; thirdly, a budget if an override passed.

The steps will be to meet with the liaison for the Finance Committee, then the town administrator, etc.

He then gave some specifics about the

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS

The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday February 28, 2023 at 8:30 PM on the request of Janet and Adam Sogoloff to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to construct an addition to an existing single-family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area, lot width, near and side yard setback, open and parking located at 10 Orne Street in the Central Residence District. The new construction will be in the side yard setback, further reduce open area and exceed the 10% expansion limits for a nonconforming building. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker ’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law G.L. c. 30.A, §18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https:// us06web.zoorn.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92Sk1TU1BTUT09. Dial in + 1 646 558 8656

Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

Alan Lipkind, Secretary revolving accounts — vaccines and waste disposal. There are a number of cost drivers that increase each year — waste disposal, recycling, compost. He stated there was a lot of work needed ahead.

Mental Health Task Force update

Miller gave an update on the Mental Health Task Force. The last meeting was on Jan. 30, and two new members were added, Susan Stelk and Mark Lomand, bringing additional energy and experience to the group. Stelk is a social worker and has been very active in school education and the Marblehead Female Humane Society. Lomand is a professor at Salem State University, a health professional, and has already participated in MHTF speaker series.

Previously, Dan Bauer, principal of the high school, was part of the task force, but he will be leaving. Ali Carey, a special ed teacher, will fill his spot for the schools.

(There was brief discussion about the procedure for adding new members to the MHTF since it is a subcommittee of the Board of Health.)

Gina Rabbitt, a mental health clinician who works with the Marblehead Police Department, and whose role is de-escalate mental health situations, attends the meetings also but is not a member.

Miller has sat with each of the task force members individually for feedback and ideas, etc. Ideas include: meeting in person every other meeting; having a column in the newspaper regarding mental health and reducing the stigma surrounding it, etc.

Future programming might include programs for opioid prevention; hope and resilience; scams for the elderly who are often victims; postpartum depression; NAMI for suicide prevention, etc.

Miller spoke to having Marblehead move to where we care for each other and build support structures.

In regards to applying for ARPA funds, the requests are as follows: $10,000 for high school programs, $2,000 for the Council on Aging, $2,000 for “MHD CARES” branding (banners, tents, flyers, etc.), and $3,000 for website maintenance and design. Much of this funding would cover more than just this year. Miller will write this up for consideration at the next meeting.

Service animals discussion

Petty read some of the specifics of the definitions, laws, rights and responsibilities of service animals and emotional support animals in places of accommodation, housing, transport, etc.

These are available on mass.gov, specifically the Massachusetts Office of Disability.

For example, if a person with a disability is accompanied by a service animal, they cannot be asked for documentation of the disability. Only when a disability is not obvious can the following two questions be asked:

1) Is the animal a service animal required because of the disability?

2) What task or service is the animal able to provide?

Service animals can go into restaurants, groceries stores, etc.

Director’s report Transfer Station update: Still waiting for the architect who is talking to subcontractors, etc.

When a schedule is available, the Transfer Station committee will talk with the group. Bidding could perhaps start by spring.

» Investigating motorizing fencing at the Transfer Station so it would be automatic, allowing for less idling of trucks.

» — Surveying needed to establish Transfer Station property boundaries.

» Surveillance cameras at the Transfer Station: Most have been installed.

Household Hazardous Waste program: No curbside pickup this March as the firm ACV will no longer be doing this. There are no other firms to go to. Could go back to the previous method at the transfer station, but there would be a $7,000-10,000 set-up cost.

» COVID: still in the community. Test kits are available at the Health Department and have been offered to establishments.

There is no limit to the number you can take.

Public comment period

One resident who lives on Broughton Road brought in two completely filled trash bags to emphasize her point that this is the amount of trash that ends up on their street every day. It is destroying the quality of life for her and her neighbors. She is reaching out to every department for help. She would like people to come over and see.

» Another resident in a follow up to the regulation about the size of the trucks that can dump at the transfer station (see Board of Health, Jan. 10), stated how he contacted a number of individuals at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection who did not interpret the law in the same way.