Board of Health 2005 Annual Report

We respectfully submit the annual report of the Abington-Board of Health for the
calendar year 2005.

The Board of Health has the responsibility to protect the public health of citizens by
developing, implementing and enforcing health policies, pursuant to the
Massachusetts General Laws.

The Board of Health continues to manage the trash disposal contracts and has
renegotiated the existing trash disposal contract with SEMASS. A five year contract
with a five year option was negotiated which will save the Town over $45,000.00 for
FY2006. The Board of Health institutes and manages an array of recycling initiatives
including enforced mandatory recycling, recycling of CRT's, propane tanks, white
goods, and a town run compost site. Continued increased recycling could further
reduce trash disposal rates.

The Board of Health's major areas of responsibility are as follows:
1. Public Health/Environmental Sanitation
2. Health Officer Duties
3. P/T Administrative Assistant Duties
4. Health Promotional Services/Clinics
5. Trash/Solid Waste/Hazardous Waste/Recycling

Public Health/Environmental Sanitation

This category includes inquiries concerning the water supply and beach safety, food
establishments, mosquito control, vermin control, infectious disease reporting, illegal
dumping of refuse or hazardous materials, asbestos, lead, mercury, household trash
and recycling.

During 2005 the Board of Health responded to inquiries from residents seeking
information or reporting complaints with rubbish/recycling/leaf collection. Many of
these calls were regarding the disposal of televisions, computer monitors, propane
tanks and appliances. A majority of the calls were regarding trash, recycling,
hazardous waste, tires, car batteries and leaf collection. The remaining calls dealt with
housing complaints, mold complaints, food establishment complaints, septic/sewage,
dead animals, infectious diseases, flu clinics, rabies clinics, burial permits, geese
soiling the school playing fields, Well water installations and testing, mosquito
spraying, dead birds, EEE and West Nile Virus.

The Board of Health continues a drop off service at the Abington Compost Site on
Groveland Street for CRT's (televisions and computer monitors). Permits can be
purchased at the Board of Health office at the Town Hall. Propane tanks can be
dropped off at the compost site for a nominal fee. The compost is available to all
residents free of charge.

Five Flu Clinics were held in November, the visiting nurse, Gail Miller administered
778 doses of influenza vaccine to the Abington residents.

The Annual Rabies Clinic was conducted on April 30, 2005 at the Highway
Department. Dr. Curtin vaccinated 83 dogs and cats at a discounted cost of $10 per
animal.

In October of 2005 the Massachusetts Appeals Court upheld the decision of the   ,
Abington Board of Health to deny the construction of a trash transfer on Route 18
near the Abington/South Weymouth town line. The Abington Transfer Station would
have generated over 600 truck trips per day, adversely affecting the groundwater,
attracting vermin, and posing a health hazard to the nearby homes.

The Board of Health received a Bonus Grant of $ 1,000.00 from Walmart in        '.
December.

Our Senior Tax Rebate Program includes three seniors this year: Mrs. Joan Teal
works in the Board of Health office, filing, copying and answering the telephone. Mr. Al
Sebastyn and Mr. James Rapson work at the Groveland Street Compost Site from the
first Saturday in April to the last Saturday in November collecting CRT's, propane
tanks and providing residents with a leaf drop off service every other Saturday from
9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. The Board of Health wants to commend our volunteers for their
time, dependability and competency for the work they do for the community.

Health Officer Duties

The full-time Health Officer, Michelle Roberts carries out the day-to-day
responsibilities of the Board of Health. If an emergency arises at night or on
weekends the overseeing officials call out the health officer to respond to restaurant
or retail store fires, floods, oil spills, illegal dumping or septic failures.

Each food establishment in town is required by State Law to be inspected twice a year
with reinspections as needed. The Health Officer has inspected each food service
establishment twice with follow up inspections when receiving a complaint.

The Abington Board of Health hosted an Abington/Whitman Hazardous Waste Day on
September 10, 2005. Ninety-four Abington residents and forty-six Whitman residents
dropped off pesticides, oil based paint, wood stain, aerosols, pool chemicals, wood
preservatives, waste oil and gas. One hundred eighty one tires were collected. The
mercury collected included 57 thermometers, 14 thermostats, 18 lab thermometers
and 50 kg of liquid mercury. A total of 243 grams of mercury was taken out of the
waste stream that day. The cost of the hazardous materials collection was $4,620.00.

The Health Officer's duties include witnessing percolation tests, reviewing Title V
reports, reviewing plans for septic systems, conducting onsite inspections of septic
systems, pool and beach inspections, beach water testing, retail and restaurant
inspections, well inspections, housing code violations, burial permits, responding the
(sic) nuisance complaints, trash and recycling complaints, assisting the visiting nurse
with flu clincs and infectious disease reports and coordinating and attending the
annual rabies clinic. She also responds to day-to-day complaints while enforcing local
rules and regulations of the State Sanitary Code. The Health Officer attended a three
day Massachusetts Health Officers Association Annual Conference in Hyannis, DPH
Emergency Preparedness Region 5 meetings, Mercury training, Plymouth County
Mosquito Control open house, South Shore Recycling Legislative Breakfast,
Emergency Dispense Site Plan meeting with department heads and monthly
department head meetings. The Health Officer is a voting member of the South Shore
Recycling Collaborative and attends monthly meetings.

Part-time Administrative Assistant's Duties

The Administrative Assistant, Maureen Kilroy duties include answering and assisting
resident complaints and inquires. Preparation and issuance of burial, tattoo, CRT,
septic pumping, septic installers, trash haulers, food service, retail food, catering,
mobile food, massage, tobacco and well permits. The Administrative Assistant bills,
collects and processes these permit fees. She schedules compost site days,
schedules a work crew and advertises. Her record keeping includes tracking
trash/recycling tonnage,preparation of billing and payroll vouchers, preparing meeting
packets and agendas and annual budgets. She records and reports all communicable
diseases to the proper authorities. The Administrative Assistant attends all Board of
Health meetings and prepares and maintains these official records. The revenue
intake for the fiscal year 2005 was $32,090.80.

Health Promotion Services/Clinics

Through the diligent efforts of Gail Miller, the visiting nurse provides residents of the
Town of Abington a full range of public health services. Mrs. Miller submits her own
annual report, inclusive of flu clinics, school programs and communicable disease
follow-up. The Board of Health would like to thank our visiting nurse for her
organizational skills, professionalism and continued commitment to Town's residents.

The Board of Health wishes to acknowledge the excellent cooperation received from
town departments, boards, committees and organizations, as well as from the
residents of Abington, in maintaining compliance with the public health rules and
regulations of the Town and Commonwealth.

                                                             Respectfully submitted,

                                                             Anthony Pignone, Chairman
                                                             William Creighton, Vice-Chairman
                                                             Susan Brennan
                                                             Roger Atkinson
                                                             David Hall
                                                             Michelle Roberts, Health Officer
                                                             Maureen Kilroy, Adm. Assistant