[0:00] Thanks.
[0:03] >> Okay, I'd like to call the meeting to
[0:04] order for August 10th, 2026 for the
[0:07] Situate uh board of health. Um uh we'll
[0:10] take roll call first. So Karen Connley
[0:13] present. Allison,
[0:17] » you're muted. Allison
[0:23] Pierce, we're
[0:28] just ask her to unmute. M
[0:30] >> I'm sorry about that. I um I'm here. I'm
[0:33] present.
[0:33] >> Okay. Alison, can I get a motion to
[0:35] accept the agenda for today's meeting?
[0:38] >> You have a motion to accept the agenda
[0:40] for today.
[0:41] >> I'll second and say yes. And Allison,
[0:43] how do you vote?
[0:44] >> Yes.
[0:45] >> Okay. All right. Well, let's start with
[0:47] the first uh item on the agenda, and
[0:50] that is seven Garfield Street. So, Morse
[0:52] Engineering. So, Greg, we'll send it
[0:56] over to you to present.
[0:58] >> Great. Thank you. Um, for the record,
[1:00] Gregory Morse, registered engineer,
[1:02] Morse Engineering, representing the
[1:04] property owners, John and Joanne, uh,
[1:06] Connley at 7 Garfield Street. This is in
[1:09] the Hummer section of town. I'm going to
[1:12] do a share screen and put a copy of the
[1:14] plan up for you to take a look at. Um,
[1:18] bear with me one second.
[1:21] See
[1:22] there, you should see a copy of the
[1:24] plan.
[1:25] >> Yep, got it.
[1:26] >> Perfect. So down here where my cursor
[1:28] is, this is Garfield Street here. The
[1:31] property line itself is the black bold
[1:33] line. Uh it's a relatively small lot,
[1:36] approximately 3,200 square ft. Has an
[1:39] existing house on it. This is a
[1:41] three-bedroom
[1:42] uh house. It has a cesspool located in
[1:46] the backyard right here. That cesspool
[1:49] has failed. It's actually physically
[1:51] caved in at this point. So, it's in
[1:54] desperate need of a septic system
[1:56] upgrade. What we've proposed here is
[1:59] we've proposed a new septic tank, a
[2:01] 1500-gallon tank in the backyard, and
[2:04] then a crush stone leeching field again
[2:06] in the backyard. This is an area that's
[2:09] um pretty open uh and it's open sand.
[2:12] It's not lawn surface. There are no
[2:14] utilities in the way. So, that's where
[2:17] we've put the system. and we did two
[2:18] test pits to verify soils um with
[2:21] Barbara Rear and Barbara Thel uh on
[2:24] behalf of the board of health.
[2:26] What puts us in front of the board is
[2:28] we're seeking three local upgrade
[2:30] approvals as part of this. Um the first
[2:34] one is a reduction in the property line
[2:36] setback. You'll see that the soil
[2:38] absorption system to the rear lot line
[2:41] is 8 ft and to the side lot line is 6
[2:44] 1/2 ft. 10 feet is what's required per
[2:47] title five. Um the second reduction that
[2:52] we're asking for the local upgrade is
[2:54] for the soil absorption system to the
[2:57] seller wall. We'll see that we have a
[3:00] setback of 11.1 ft proposed. Um 20 ft is
[3:05] typically the requirement for title 5.
[3:09] And then the third one is a reduction in
[3:11] the separation from the soil absorption
[3:14] system to the groundwater table.
[3:16] Typically a 4ft separation is required
[3:19] from the groundwater to the bottom of
[3:21] the SAS. We've asked for a reduction to
[3:24] 3 ft from the groundwater to the SAS.
[3:27] Um, in regards to the first two
[3:29] requests, the setback to the lot lines
[3:31] and the setback to the foundation, um,
[3:34] there's nowhere on this lot where you
[3:36] could comply with foundation and
[3:39] property line setbacks due to the
[3:42] location of the existing structure, the
[3:44] location of utilities um, in the small
[3:47] size of this lot. So, where the existing
[3:50] system is in the backyard, that's where
[3:52] the plumbing is. We figured the new
[3:53] system would be best suited in the
[3:55] backyard. Um and we tried to kind of
[3:57] split the difference on those setbacks.
[4:00] Um you'll also note on the plan between
[4:03] the foundation and the SAS, this bold
[4:07] dotted line represents a barrier, a 40
[4:10] mil um breakout liner, if you will,
[4:14] between the foundation and the SAS as
[4:16] extra protection. Um, with regards to
[4:19] the groundwater separation setback, this
[4:22] property is not in a zone 2 or an
[4:25] aquifer protection area. Um, the
[4:28] reduction allows this to be a
[4:29] gravity-fed septic system versus
[4:32] necessitating a pumped septic system.
[4:34] So, we think this is maximum local
[4:37] upgrade approval. And, uh, I'm going to
[4:40] turn it over to you.
[4:42] >> Great. All right. Thanks for that. That
[4:43] was very helpful, Greg. The description.
[4:45] Um Joan, any concerns from a board of
[4:47] health perspective?
[4:48] >> Um nope. I just want to make a note that
[4:50] we did get the buttercards.
[4:53] >> And secondly, this is currently a two
[4:56] twobedroom house, but Title 5 says they
[4:59] have to have a three-bedroom septic. So
[5:02] that's why they're designing a
[5:03] three-bedroom. I just want to make that
[5:05] point.
[5:05] >> Got it. Okay. And
[5:07] >> if I could add one more thing, I
[5:09] apologize I didn't say this earlier. Uh,
[5:12] the Conservation Commission did approve
[5:13] this at their last meeting.
[5:15] >> Okay, great. So, that's taken care of,
[5:17] too. Great. Um, Allison, do you have any
[5:20] questions?
[5:22] >> I do not. No.
[5:23] >> All right. Are you in a position to make
[5:25] a motion or would you like me to do
[5:26] that?
[5:28] >> Um, I'd like for you to make the motion.
[5:31] Uh, I don't have it everything right in
[5:34] front of me. It's on my
[5:35] >> Yeah, I know you're at work that No, no
[5:36] worries. Okay. Um so let me make a
[5:39] motion to approve uh the local upgrades.
[5:42] And so that is um number one uh the
[5:45] request from required 10 foot setback to
[5:47] 6.5 ft from the SAS to the property
[5:50] line. The second is the request for a
[5:53] required 20ft setback to 11.1 ft from
[5:56] the foundation wall to the SAS. And the
[5:58] third is the request to allow for
[6:00] reduction in groundwater separation from
[6:02] 4T to 3 feet. Um Alison um how do you
[6:06] vote? I vote to approve
[6:09] >> and I do too. So, um, we're all set,
[6:12] Greg. So, it passes.
[6:14] >> Thank you very much. Have a good night.
[6:15] >> Okay. Thank you. Have a good night.
[6:17] >> Good night.
[6:19] >> Okay. Um, so our next um item is 102
[6:24] Hummer Beach Road and that's Grady
[6:26] Consulting.
[6:32] » I do believe Mr. Brady here. Mr. Brady,
[6:35] you two different ways. Just go. You
[6:37] should be able to uh speak.
[6:39] >> Yes. Thank you. I was forgetting how to
[6:41] unmute. Can everyone hear me? All right.
[6:42] >> Yep, we can.
[6:43] >> Yes.
[6:44] >> Great. Uh for the record, Dylan Brady
[6:46] with Grady Consulting here to present
[6:48] the applicant and owner Scott Peterson
[6:49] at 102 Hunter Rock Beach. Um I'm going
[6:52] to share my screen so you can see the
[6:54] plan.
[6:59] And can everyone see that? All right.
[7:01] >> Uh it's still loading.
[7:04] There we go. Got it.
[7:06] >> Great.
[7:07] Um so this is a very similar project to
[7:09] the one that was just heard. Um we are
[7:10] in the Hummer Rock area. Um the access
[7:13] to 102 Hummer Beach is actually off this
[7:16] um thing, this public area called a
[7:18] public green on the uh plan of record.
[7:20] Um which has access to then to Central
[7:22] A. Um so this is a um a property that's
[7:25] set back um right next to Hrock Beach.
[7:28] um the existing house. It is a four
[7:30] bedroomedroom house um with the existing
[7:32] system being a cess poolool um in the
[7:35] front and we're proposing to uh pump and
[7:38] remove that cess pit and install a
[7:40] 1500galon septic tank um and then a
[7:43] concrete chamber leeching system. Um we
[7:46] in front of you today for similar
[7:48] reasons um as previous um this is a
[7:50] small lot um with the centered house. Um
[7:53] so we're looking at reduction in um soil
[7:55] absorption system setbacks from the
[7:57] property line from 10 feet to 5 feet
[8:00] which is in this area here. Uh we are
[8:03] looking for reduction in um to the
[8:05] seller wall from 20 ft to 11 ft from the
[8:08] dual soil absorption system here. Um
[8:11] we're looking a reduction from 10 feet
[8:13] to 5.5 ft for the septic tank um in
[8:16] front of the building here. Um we're
[8:18] looking at reduction um from setbacks
[8:20] from 50 to zero feet to a wetland
[8:22] considering this is all a coastal dune
[8:24] area. Um it is technically zero foot
[8:27] separation because we're installing it
[8:28] within the coastal dune. Um and then the
[8:31] lastly just the uh the one deep hole per
[8:33] disposal area as um the utilities in
[8:36] this area are also in the front yard.
[8:38] Um, so we just did the 1D pole here, um,
[8:41] in order not to risk, um, damaging or or
[8:43] rupturing any, uh, underground utilities
[8:45] that run through the, uh, front here.
[8:48] Um, and that's the overview of the
[8:51] project general. Let's turn it over to
[8:52] the board. Any questions you may have
[8:53] about it.
[8:55] >> Okay. Thank you. Um, Joan, anything from
[8:58] your perspective on this?
[8:59] >> Um, no. It's another tight space.
[9:04] » I mean, at this point, anything's better
[9:05] than a cesspool, I think. So
[9:07] >> exactly exactly.
[9:09] >> U Conservation Commission,
[9:12] >> we are being heard next week.
[9:13] >> Next week. Okay. Okay. Um Alison, any
[9:16] questions from you?
[9:18] >> No, no questions.
[9:20] >> Okay. All right. Well, let me let me
[9:23] make a motion then. Let me find it. Here
[9:25] we go. Okay. So, um I'm going to move to
[9:28] approve um and this is um pending
[9:30] conservation commission approval um but
[9:32] the following upgrades. So number one to
[9:35] the request to required 10T setback to
[9:37] 5T from the SAS to the property line.
[9:40] The request from the required 20ft
[9:42] setback to 11 ft from the seller wall to
[9:44] the SAS. Uh the request uh from the
[9:48] required 10T to 5.5 from the seller wall
[9:50] to the septic tank. The request from the
[9:53] required 50T setback to 0 feet from the
[9:55] wetland to the SAS. And the request for
[9:57] one deep hole per disposable disposal
[10:00] area. Um Allison, how do you vote?
[10:04] >> I approve um with the same stipulations.
[10:08] >> Great. And I do as well. So, we're all
[10:11] set with this, too. Totally approved.
[10:14] >> Thank you very much, everyone. Have a
[10:15] great night.
[10:15] >> Thank you.
[10:16] You, too.
[10:17] >> Thank you.
[10:18] >> Okay. So, on to old business. So, on old
[10:21] business. Um and it really is like an
[10:23] ongoing discussion of the Kraton and
[10:25] Kraton derivative um products. I know
[10:27] I'm sure we have several folks on the on
[10:29] the call right now that um have interest
[10:32] in this and we appreciate you being
[10:33] here. We did hear quite a bit of
[10:35] testimony at our last meeting and have
[10:37] received a lot of written testimony as
[10:39] well. And just as a summary like from
[10:42] what uh we've heard and we've read um
[10:44] from concerned citizens was you know
[10:47] really concerned about the natural
[10:49] products being available and not banning
[10:51] Kraton overall um and but also you know
[10:54] I think you know concerned about
[10:56] regulation for those synthetic products
[10:57] or banning potentially of those
[10:59] synthetic products and age restrictions
[11:01] for purchasing and you know we've
[11:03] received a lot of information you know
[11:05] since that last meeting about you know
[11:07] the DEA is close to you scheduling
[11:10] Kraton and and really making some
[11:12] progress on that. And we also have um
[11:14] some state um a state bill that's in the
[11:17] House Ways and Means Committee now to
[11:19] really look at how the state overall is
[11:21] going to control this this product. So
[11:24] um so what we thought we'd do is just
[11:26] see, you know, from a board perspect
[11:28] perspective, um if we've missed anything
[11:30] there. Um, I I don't think that we're
[11:33] going to take any action tonight, but
[11:35] just wanted to kind of give Allison you know the opportunity to ask any
[11:39] other questions that you have or have
[11:40] any more discussion and and the board
[11:42] members as well. So Allison um thoughts
[11:46] from your end on this?
[11:48] >> Um you know I'd like to see what happens
[11:52] um at a state and a federal level. I
[11:55] know that it's a only a temporary um
[11:58] hold. Uh
[12:01] I'd like to see it also out of you know
[12:03] not I'd like to see it banned from
[12:05] Situit. That's just my opinion. But I
[12:08] did hear that there's very very few um
[12:11] places that it's available um in you
[12:15] know our town. So,
[12:18] um
[12:20] I'd like to take it I think under
[12:21] advisement and we can discuss it more.
[12:26] >> Yep. Thoughts?
[12:27] >> I think Nope. I think I think that's
[12:29] fair. Um I think the the um evaluation
[12:31] you did in town there are three
[12:33] locations that are selling it right now.
[12:35] So, um not as many as I think we thought
[12:38] uh were selling it. So, I think that's
[12:39] the good news. Um I'm with you as far as
[12:42] you know a ban as as far as the um you
[12:46] know the manufactured version of this
[12:49] and an age ban too. And I think it's
[12:51] just making that decision of do we go
[12:53] ahead and do something within the town
[12:55] >> while there's active legislation going
[12:57] on the state and the federal level right
[12:58] now. And I think you know I think I'm
[13:00] leaning towards let's hopefully see how
[13:03] this plays out and hopefully it's not
[13:04] going to take very long. But, you know,
[13:06] I'm I think I'm willing to wait to see
[13:08] how that plays out and just to go along
[13:09] with what the state and the federal
[13:11] legislation has to say about the
[13:14] substances. That's that's kind of where
[13:16] I'm leaning. So,
[13:18] >> I agree with you.
[13:20] >> Uh, Drew, any other comments from your
[13:23] perspective?
[13:24] >> No, I I mean, I do see a lot of people
[13:26] with their hands raised and I know we're
[13:29] not taking questions or comments
[13:31] tonight. We've already had a period of
[13:33] that way. Um, I kind of agree with you
[13:37] guys seeing what's going to happen with
[13:41] the state. I'd hate to do something and
[13:43] then six months all of a sudden it's
[13:47] something else.
[13:48] >> So, and I really like consistency.
[13:52] I'd love to see the state do something
[13:56] that way if we do something and two
[13:58] towns over doesn't,
[14:01] you know, they only have to go two towns
[14:03] over. I love, you know, consistency. Get
[14:07] it out of the entire state. So, I agree
[14:11] with you guys on it.
[14:12] >> I think, you know, my one concern would
[14:14] be is if this drags on for another year,
[14:16] I think that's a huge concern, you know.
[14:18] >> Yep. I I agree.
[14:19] >> Yeah. But I think that if um it sounds
[14:22] like these these um bills are moving
[14:24] along. So I'd like to at least give it a
[14:26] little more time to see if they play out
[14:28] because I agree with you Drew like we
[14:29] need to be consistent and I don't want
[14:31] to come up with something that's more
[14:32] stringent within Situit that the state
[14:34] maybe doesn't agree with or other towns
[14:36] don't agree with and you're right I mean
[14:37] people can easily drive other places and get it. So, um, so I think I'm I'm
[14:43] good in a holding pattern for now and,
[14:45] um, just to keep it on the agenda as we
[14:47] learn more about the how the
[14:48] legislaturator's doing.
[14:51] >> Okay.
[14:52] >> Yeah, I I agree. I'm just wondering I
[14:55] just in my own mind like should we
[14:57] revisit this in another couple of
[14:59] months? H how much time should we you
[15:03] know
[15:03] >> I think I I I think we should revisit it
[15:07] after the first of the year when the new
[15:09] legislature is sworn in because those
[15:12] would be the ones that are going to be
[15:14] acting on it. I would imagine.
[15:16] >> Yeah. I think that uh July 31st um is
[15:20] the and then after the first of the
[15:22] year. So there's two two um I don't know
[15:26] if they went ahead um for the July 31st.
[15:29] I bet you it's already been in there. So
[15:31] >> I you know I think I would make a
[15:32] recommendation maybe keep an eye on his
[15:34] old business like for all future
[15:36] meetings just so in case there's an
[15:38] update in any of the legislature
[15:40] >> and if there is that we're making sure
[15:41] that we're talking about in the meetings
[15:43] if there's something happens before
[15:44] January 1st. I feel comfortable like not
[15:47] making a decision for Situit, you know,
[15:50] like I think that's long enough to wait
[15:51] to see if things happen in the
[15:53] legislature before we kind of, you know,
[15:55] write up our own um Sure.
[15:57] >> you know, bill around that.
[15:58] >> But let us Jonah, if we could just keep
[16:00] it on as like an old business and then
[16:03] if there's nothing to update around, you
[16:04] know, progress there isn't
[16:06] >> and if there is at least we we keep it
[16:08] in the front of front side.
[16:09] >> Okay. Okay. Leave it on there.
[16:12] >> Okay. All right. Okay.
[16:14] >> All right. Great. Thanks for that.
[16:17] >> Welcome.
[16:18] >> Okay. Um,
[16:21] any new business?
[16:23] >> No new business.
[16:24] >> Okay.
[16:25] >> But before I do the director's report, I
[16:28] do have um
[16:31] three purchase orders.
[16:33] >> Okay.
[16:34] >> That need to be approved. One is for
[16:39] uh septic betterment for $17,350.
[16:43] One is for a perk test for $490
[16:47] and one is for another perk test for
[16:50] $280.
[16:52] So I need a motion to approve the three
[16:55] invoices.
[16:56] >> Make a motion to approve.
[16:59] >> I'll sec I'll second that and uh vote
[17:01] yes. Allison, how do you vote?
[17:02] >> Yes.
[17:03] >> Okay. Thanks for that, Drew. All right.
[17:06] Director's report.
[17:07] >> The director's report.
[17:11] We have six septic plans under review
[17:15] right now. We have six waiting
[17:16] engineering revisions, 10 waiting concom
[17:21] uh comments. We have 16 asbuilts that
[17:25] we're waiting for, and we have 14 in
[17:28] failure right now.
[17:31] Plymouth County Mosquito Control is
[17:33] still spraying Situit. You can call
[17:36] 781-5855450.
[17:42] Currently, we have
[17:45] no positive mosquito pools in Situit. We
[17:49] have had one in a neighboring town. I
[17:53] believe it was Cohasset. I'm not 100%
[17:56] sure, but we have had many positive West
[18:01] Nile pools
[18:03] within uh Plymouth County. We haven't
[18:05] had any triple E in Plymouth County and
[18:09] we've had no human cases in Plymouth
[18:12] County. So, make sure that you get rid
[18:15] of any standing water. Not that we've
[18:17] had a lot with all the heat that we've
[18:19] had lately, but you know, get rid of any
[18:22] standing water and make sure you're when
[18:24] you're out at dusk or dawn that you have
[18:26] mosquito repellent on with DE.
[18:29] and make sure all your screen doors and
[18:33] make sure you wear long sleeves and long
[18:36] pants during those early morning and
[18:38] late evening hours. We've also been
[18:41] testing our beaches. All of the beaches
[18:43] have been fine so far. We haven't had to
[18:46] close any. We did have one high test
[18:49] come in on Peggy and when it retested,
[18:52] it came back less than 10. So, because
[18:54] it was not two in a row, it did not
[18:56] require a closing. So, we were thrilled
[18:59] that all the beaches have been open,
[19:01] especially with this hot weather that
[19:02] we've had. I know they've all been
[19:04] mobbed, and I can't believe the number
[19:06] of people I've seen in the water this
[19:07] year.
[19:10] And uh also, we just finished up uh
[19:14] Heritage Day. Heritage Day went off very
[19:17] smoothly with all the food vendors. No
[19:20] issues at all, as did the KC Carnival,
[19:24] which was back on July 10th. They had a
[19:27] wonderful event. They had the big uh pig
[19:31] roast or the big uh roast that they have
[19:34] over there after their golf tournament
[19:36] last Friday. I drove by about 11 o'clock
[19:39] and you could still you see the smoke
[19:41] coming out of the two huge smokers they
[19:42] have, Joan. And it looked pretty
[19:44] impressive when they're down there doing
[19:46] it all. So, um, all of our swimming
[19:51] pools have been inspected that we
[19:54] inspect for the season, and they've all
[19:56] been submitting their water samples.
[20:00] Teresa is on vacation right now, but she
[20:04] will be scheduling flu clinics in the
[20:07] fall when she gets back. So, they'll get
[20:08] those underway. And that is all I have.
[20:13] >> I have one question for you. Have we had
[20:15] any reported cases of cycllo psoriasis?
[20:18] >> I imagine that we have.
[20:22] I have not heard directly from Teresa. I
[20:26] can't imagine that we haven't. And I was
[20:29] thinking the same, but the state's
[20:30] coming out with numbers. So I wasn't
[20:31] sure if you had to submit those or how
[20:33] that
[20:33] >> and those are those are numbers that
[20:36] just like any other those are from a
[20:38] doctor's office where they've actually
[20:41] how many haven't even gone to the doctor
[20:43] and
[20:44] >> have been
[20:46] >> you know come down with it. But um
[20:51] >> it's pretty scary how many you know
[20:55] >> how prevalent it is. Yeah, for sure.
[20:56] It's just unbelievable.
[20:58] >> Yeah.
[20:58] >> But then the jalapeno peppers they're
[21:00] talking about now,
[21:01] >> right? Right.
[21:02] >> That they're recalling and the
[21:05] >> It's just It's crazy time.
[21:08] >> It is. Yeah. Okay. All right. I wasn't
[21:10] sure how close we keep track of that,
[21:11] but
[21:11] >> when people ask me about the uh
[21:13] lettucees, I always say go to the local
[21:16] farmers market. They're all locally
[21:18] grown. You're not going to have to worry
[21:20] about any of the, you know, that's where
[21:22] you get the freshest stuff. It's right
[21:24] from here, right? So [laughter]
[21:27] that was my advice.
[21:29] >> Yeah, good, good advice. Okay. And so it
[21:32] looks like we also have one set of
[21:33] minutes to be approved and that's from
[21:35] May 18th. Um I have reviewed them. I
[21:38] don't I didn't have any suggested edits.
[21:40] Um Allison, um do you want to make a
[21:42] motion or do you have any edits for
[21:44] those minutes?
[21:44] >> I don't have any edits. I did read it
[21:46] and um u make a motion to approve.
[21:50] >> Okay. I'll second and say say yes. And
[21:52] Allison, how do you vote?
[21:54] >> Yes. Okay. All right. So, we're all set
[21:56] with the minutes.
[21:57] >> Thank you.
[21:59] >> Any other business that we're missing?
[22:01] >> No, we are good.
[22:03] >> Okay. I'll make a motion to adjurnn.
[22:07] >> Great.
[22:08] >> Can I have a second, Alison?
[22:09] >> Yeah. Second to adjurnn.
[22:11] >> Okay. And I vote yes. And I'm You vote?
[22:13] >> Yes. I vote yes.