In his final meeting as chairman, Dr. Ed Hoffer told the Marion Board of Health that only a month ago Massachusetts was seeing 22,000 Covid cases per day. By the beginning of February, that number had dwindled to approximately 5,000.
Hoffer intends to remain on the board as clerk during his announced run for a seat on the Select Board. He also serves on the Zoning Board of Appeals. In a reorganization of the board on February 3, Dot Brown volunteered to serve as chairperson, and Dr. John Howard will serve as vice chair.
The Covid positivity rate in Marion was at 11.21 percent in January as 380 people tested positive, estimated by Public Health Director/Nurse Lori Desmarais to be an all-time town high. Three days into February, the count was at 11.
In her update to the board, Desmarais said that Marion has had 1,088 total positive cases. As of the board’s February 3 meeting, there were 55 active cases, down from 185 in the prior week.
As of February 2, Sippican Elementary School had two personnel in the test-and-stay program, no one in quarantine but six positive tests in isolation. There have been 132 positives at Sippican since the start of the 2021-22 academic year.
At Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, one person was in test-and-stay, no one was in quarantine but six were positive and in isolation. As of February 2, the ORRJH total for the 2021-22 academic year was 93.
At ORRHS, no one was in test-and-stay or quarantine and only one positive test in isolation. Since the start of the 2021-22 academic year, there have been 208 positive tests.
Desmarais said that ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson told her that the state agencies have moved on to a different testing strategy. Effective February 7, test-and-stay and contact tracing will no longer be practiced but replaced by at-home antigen (rapid) testing. Symptomatic testing will remain part of the ORR School District strategy.
Tabor Academy has had 153 positive Covid tests since the start of school.
On February 1, the Town of Marion received antigen tests, and a drive-up distribution to residents was scheduled for Monday.
The Board of Health voted to approve the FY23 Health Department budget as presented by Desmarais.
While telling the board that the annual budget figure is the same as FY22, Desmarais noted some tweaks. She increased the budget to pay for training and certifications for herself and Health Agent Ana Wimmer, along with funds to contract a registered sanitarian and for soil-evaluation services. Compensatory cuts will come out of travel, among other areas.
“I also decreased a little bit in the health services because we do have a revolving fund. We’ve been using some of that money to pay for the some of the clinics. The staff, they’re helping out with that,” said Desmarais.
In her January report to the board, Wimmer said the department held one perc test and one food inspection.
Along with updates on ongoing septic projects, Wimmer noted two new septic applications received in the final week of January at 91A Allen’s Point Road and at 498B Point Road and two new plans during the first week of February at the Edwards Bridge Road subdivision and Deer Run No. 4. All are in “a state of waiting” according to Wimmer.
Wimmer reported on correspondence with Congressman Keating’s office regarding 514 Front Street, where the occupant received a 30-day order to correct on January 10.
“There seems to be a little bit of a discrepancy between what I’m hearing from the occupant and what I’m hearing from the management company and,” said Wimmer, who told the board that the management company says it is trying to address the violations but is hitting some roadblocks. “Obviously, I don’t know either super well so I don’t know who’s telling the truth, and we’ll see what happens next week.
Wimmer said she accompanied Animal Control Officer Sue Connor on a visit to 464 Front Street. The visit revealed no violations of the housing code indoors, but Wimmer said safety issues outside needed attention including broken glass strewn about on the lawn.
With “several children living in the house,” Wimmer gave the occupant 30 days to repair that situation. Cats were found in two trailers on the property, and Wimmer described it as an environment where pests and rodents can get in.
Hoffer said the property has been a sore spot in the community for years.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health is scheduled for Thursday, February 17, at 4:00 pm.
Marion Board of Health
By Mick Colageo