By Journal Staff
The Revere Board of Health held its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, March 27, in the City Council Chambers. On hand for the session were chair Dr. Drew Bunker, Kathleen Savage, and Viviana Catano, as well as Director of Public Health Lauren Buck,
Health Agent/Director of Inspectional Services Dept. (ISD) Michael Wells, and Bd. of Health Clerk Paula Sepulveda.
Buck presented the Communicable Disease monthly report. which covered the month of March.
“We had a pretty low burden of diseases,” said Buck. However, Buck cited a state report that stated that most of the state is in a critical drought condition, including the northeastern part of the state, but that the MWRA (which supplies Revere’s water) is not affected.
Buck also noted that the U.S. Dept. of Public Health issued a clinical advisory regarding the spread of measles across the country. She said that 90% of the cases occurred in children who had not been vaccinated (or whose vaccination history was not known).
She briefly mentioned the recent measles outbreak in Texas in which 97% of those affected (primarily children) had not been vaccinated. She said there has been one known case in Massachusetts involving an adult who’d had close contact with a confirmed measles patient abroad.
Wells presented the ISD report for March. Wells said that ISD issued 77 certificates of fitness for housing units; performed 29 reinspections; investigated 14 in-process interior complaints; two new interior complaints; and two pool and spa reinspections.
In the food department, ISD performed 36 routine food inspections, six reinspections, nine complaint inspections, one pre-opening inspection, and three temporary food inspections.
In the exterior sanitation division, ISD agents issued 35 citations for accumulation of trash, litter or debris; two for rodent harborage; 52 for overflowing dumpsters; 369 for improper placement of trash and bulky items; six for multiple unregistered vehicles on a property; six for unclean or unsanitary land; and one for sump pump violations.
Attorney Anthony Brunco, who is outside counsel for the city, spoke to the board regarding the condemnation proceedings for the home at 70 Highland Street.
“This is a property that is a legal four acting as en eight, with two illegal units in the basement,” said Brunco. “We had a full inspection with all of the city’s various inspectors. As to the two basement units, there were not enough egresses, there was no fire protection, and the ceilings were too low. In the first floor’s two legal units, there also were violations. On the second floor, there was a room that housed four or five large truck tires. There was a steel fire escape for which the city had no records.”
After Wells noted, “The property owner and the family representative have been cooperative,” Brunco further stated that “all of these are violations of the building and health codes and are deemed to be conditions that endanger the health, safety, and well-being of those occupying the premises. The board therefore has no choice but to issue a condemnation order.
“However,” Brunco continued, “I can report that all of the tenants have been removed from those illegal units, permits are being obtained, and a remediation plan will be discussed between the owners and the city officials.
“We are asking for a condemnation order specifically for the two illegal units in the basement and units six and eight on the third floor,” concluded Brunco, who noted that the proposed order essentially represented only a partial condemnation of the building.
A general contractor, who is a nephew of the owners (who are both in their 80s), addressed the board. informing them that the owners paid for the moving costs of the tenants who had to be relocated. He also said that the owners have hired a structural engineer to examine the property and that they are committed to ensuring that the building becomes compliant with the health, safety, and building codes.
The board then voted unanimously to approve the Order of Condemnation that had been presented by Atty. Brunco.
The last items on the agenda were requests for the renewal of two Chicken Keeping licenses (by Iphigenie Victorin on High St. and Carmela and Luigi DiChiara on Haumann St.) and for the renewal of two Beekeeping licenses (by Damian DeMarco on Prospect Ave. and Aldo G. DeOliveira on Reservoir Ave.).
Buck explained to the board that her department had performed inspections of the premises of the applicants and all of them were in compliance with the local ordinances. Buck recommended that all four licenses be approved, and the members unanimously voted to issue the licenses for the coming year.
