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Board of Health - Home Page

Current Board Members

Mr Gerald Picardi - Chair  Term Expires 2012
Mr. Jackson Macomber -  Board Member Term Expires 2013
Mr. Ralph Jensen-Clerk  Term Expires 2014

Staff

Health Agent:  Jeanmarie Kent Joyce
e-mail: jkjoyce@avonmass.org
Phone:  508-588-0414
Fax:  508-559-0209

Address:

Town Office
Buckley Center
65 East Main Street
Avon, MA  02322

About the Board of Health

The Board of Health was established by state statue before the turn of the twentieth century. The Board is made up of three (3) elected members who volunteer their time to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations. These regulations maintain the safety of public health and the environment through field work, inspections, approval and permitting of regulated activities, public education and policy setting. Board members are elected for a three year term with no limit to the number of terms that they may serve. The board and it's staff administer the rules and regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Federal Government as set forth by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the areas of wastewater disposal, solid waste, recycling , noise, odor, and hazardous waste regulations and the Department of Public Health (DPH) through its community sanitation program in the areas of food protection, lead abatement, camps, pools, housing, infectious waste, tanning, and infectious and contagious diseases and the  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through the food protection program. Through public meetings, a Board of Health can enact reasonable health regulations (pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 111§ 31) and the office has local regulations concerning, body art, septic, smoking, tobacco distribution, and infectious and hazardous waste. The Board sets fees and enacts policies and practices concerning not only human public health but also animal health.

Plans for new construction- septic, pools, camps, food establishments, housing and building additions- are submitted to the Health Agent. Any variances from the codes and regulations require approval by the Board. The time frames stipulated for approval is designated in the specific regulations but generally ranges from 30 days to 45 days.

The Board is also responsible for the investigation and control of infectious and contagious diseases in humans, animals and insects. Our office provides vaccine to the medical practices in Avon and partners with a local health care provider to offer adult immunizations clinics for flu, pneumonia and tetanus. The local VNA provides a public health nurse to provide follow-up to reports of infectious or contagious disease. We also partner with local pet retailers to provide Rabies Clinic for cats and dogs in the spring. We work closely with the Animal Control Officer to monitor the health of domestic animals, livestock and wildlife.
Norfolk County Mosquito Control has an active program to control for mosquitoes in the town of Avon. Larvaciding is done in the late winter and early spring.  Aerial spraying (fogging) is done in the summer and early fall. These insects are known carriers of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus

The Board is actively involved in Emergency Preparedness plans for the town. A key component of the plan is the creation and operation of an Emergency Dispensing site.  The Avon Board of Health has partnered with the Holbrook Board of Health to set up a joint site. Community volunteers to staff and assist at the site are being recruited and trained through the Medical Reserve Corp (MRC), another joint effort by the Avon, Holbrook Randolph and Stoughton Boards of Health.                      

The Board of Health administers an active solid waste and recycling program. Recent changes in DEP policies make recycling mandatory for most communities and the town is paid for its recyclables.  Residential trash is picked up weekly.  The street address determines the day of collection.  Recycled materials (paper, glass, metal and plastic) are picked up every other week.  Place these items in a bin and place curbside with your trash on the regular pick-up day.  Bulk pick-up is six times per year and a Hazardous Waste Day is held with Randolph the first Saturday in November.