"They're losing a lot on their investments"

By David Riley/Daily News Staff

GHS

Posted Dec 29, 2008 @ 10:57 PM

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Winter weather is causing a soggy new headache for towns and cities working to keep foreclosed homes from becoming safety hazards: water pipes that freeze and burst in empty houses.

In Franklin, burst pipes damaged two foreclosed condominiums in the Forge Hill area, Building Commissioner David Roche said.

"This house had about six inches of water in the basement," Roche said. "Unless you get that stuff out of there - the wet sheet rock, the wet rugs and everything - mold will start growing."

Municipal officials say when these problems spring up, they usually happen in homes partway through the foreclosure process, or taken over by far-away or financially troubled mortgage companies.

The residents have left, and power and heat are shut off. But the water is still on, and pipes and water heaters have not been drained. They freeze when temperatures drop, sometimes bursting the pipes as the ice expands, and the water flows out freely when they thaw.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Mercury Thermometer Exchange

Did you know that you could use the Mercury Thermometer Exchange at Town Hall?

The program takes place daily in the Board of Health office. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Wednesday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Your glass mercury fever thermometer will be exchanged for a new digital thermometer.

Mercury is a metallic element commonly found in glass fever thermometers. Mercury is a neurotoxin in low doses and is released into the environment can potentially cause harm to the environment and to human health.

You can confirm this on the Town Board of Health web page here

Board of Health facts - part 2

Amongst the statistics provided in the 2008 Annual Report is the communicable diseases that the Board of Health is required to track. In the two dozen odd listed in the Annual Report the top three were:

• Lyme disease -> 61
• Chicken pox - > 44
• Dog bites - 17

If you have not picked up your hard copy of the report at Town Hall, you can try to view it online here: http://www.town.franklin.ma.us/pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/2008arpt.pdf

Coverage of the Board of Health begins on Page 89.

Board of Health facts

Local Boards of Health are required by State Statutes and regulations to perform many important and crucial duties relative to the protection of public health. The following is a small list of duties the local Board of Health has concerning sanitation and environment problems.


A. Record Keeping. Administrative: Permits, Licenses, Plan review maintain records for the minimum time period, process death certificates.

B. Health and Disease control communicable disease tracking and reporting 105 CMR 300.100. Report listed diseases to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Receive track, inspect and report to the state DPH cases of food poisoning.

C. Housing and dwellings: Enforce chapter II of the State Sanitary Code. 105 CMR 410.000 (Minimum Standards For Human Habitation). Inspections, Condemnation and demolition orders. Hearings on associated issues.

D. Hazardous Waste controls 310 CMR. Hazardous waste management. Oil and hazardous material spills Permits for waste haulers. Contact DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) for approved waste sites and spill incidences. Approve waste sites and transfer stations.

E. Solid waste: landfills 310 CMR. Approve sanitary landfills and transfer stations.

F. Sewage and garbage: Enforce Title V of the State Environmental Code 310 CMR( Minimum Requirements For The Subsurface Disposal of Sewage). Inspections of new and existing systems. Review of engineered septic plans. Investigate complaints. Process permits

G. Nuisances: Judged a public health risk.

H. Food Establishment Inspections: 105 CMR 590. Inspection. Follow up on complaints. Investigate food borne illness. Address deficiencies and bring food establishments up to code. Assure the proper/sanitary preparation of foods (temperature and storage conditions). Monitor labeling requirements for food products.

I. Pool and Beaches Inspections: Chapter V of the State sanitary Code.

J. Camps, Motels and Mobile Home Parks: 105 CMR 440.000.

K. Miscellaneous Health Complaints: Day care, Pesticides etc.

L. Permitting and inspecting. This includes biotechnology facilities with rDNA and or Infectious agents classification under Town Bylaw Ch. 198-1.

You can find this information on the Franklin Town page here

The top level Board of Health page can be found here

Franklin History - percolator patent

1865 - James H. Mason of Franklin, MA patented the coffee percolator that makes coffee good to the last drop!

Fire Dept - Reports

In addition to the statistics provided in the 2008 Annual Report, the Fire Department publishes their performance statistics monthly to their section of the Town web site.

You can find the Fire Department page here

You can find the report section here

You can find the monthly response statistics here




If you have not picked up your hard copy of the report at Town Hall, you can try to view it online here: http://www.town.franklin.ma.us/pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/2008arpt.pdf

Coverage of the Fire Department begins on Page 82.

Merry Christmas to all!