Font ResizePEPPERELL -- The Board of Health has received its Environmental and Nursing Services Assessment for the coming fiscal year from the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health. The assessment of $36,218.52 is a significant reduction from the $54,000 of this year. The assessment includes $25,018.69 for Environmental and $11,199.83 for Nursing Services.
"We're saving a lot of money," said Chairman Alfred Buckley.
"There was a lot of work by the board members breaking Nashoba down to get this reduction," said board secretary Sandra Grogan.
The assessment is based on 2010 census figures, which show Pepperell with a population of 11,487.
The board approved a Title V waiver for Stephen Themelis of 4 Franklin St.
According to Themelis, his plan to purchase the property at 1 Franklin St. was contingent on the receipt of the waiver. Themelis expects to have the property converted from septic to town sewer at some point during the renovation.
"It may take as long as five years to renovate the property," said Themelis, who plans to convert the house into a two-family dwelling.
The board agreed to table a discussion on a request for two variances from the Pepperell Skydiving Center. Board members Buckley, Durno, and Marriner accompanied Nashoba Associated Boards of Health Director Jim Garreffi during a recent inspection of the facility and agreed that his report would be needed before taking action on the variances request.
Fran Strimenos, CEO of
"Fresh water for the trailers goes from a hose at the main building -- that we didn't like. We'd rather have a regular water pipe going to each one," said Commissioner Philip Durno.
Strimenos in her letter to the board explained that remedying the water distribution system would require installation of 900 feet of piping.
"The drains for the showers -- right now they drain into the ground," said Commissioner John Marriner describing the two outdoor showers he inspected.
"They should be connected to the sewerage system," said Durno.
The board expects to vote on the variances request at its next meeting in July.
Health Agent Kalene Gendron brought to the board's attention two homes recently listed for sale in town that have discrepancies in their listings relative to their recorded septic capacities. The first home at 37 Jewett St. was listed as having only three bedrooms. Town records indicate it has a septic system designed for four bedrooms. Gendron explained that the number of rooms in the house requires a six-bedroom compliant septic system.
The second home at 122-126 West St. is listed as a six bedroom dwelling, but only has a three bedroom septic system design. Title V inspections have not been requested by the owners of either property.
"I've notified the marketing Realtors for both properties," said Gendron.
"It's false advertising basically," she said.
