By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant has asked Hudson officials to assist the city's Board of Health while the sanitarian/health director is on a medical leave. In a communication to the City Council, addressed at the July 7 meeting, Vigeant said his office has assumed administrative oversight of the office during the past month and worked with board personnel to ensure day-to-day operations have run but due to the workload of inspectional duties, plan reviews and permit requests during the summer months, he sees a need for an experienced manager in the public health field to assist on a temporary basis.
“I approached the town of Hudson in hopes that they may be able to assist us and they were quick to respond and answer our call for support,” he stated. “The Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) will allow Dr. Sam Wong, Hudson's director of public and community health services, to provide operational consulting and, if needed, emergency inspectional services to the community in the short term.”
Wong is expected to work six hours a week in the city's Board of Health office.
Under the terms Vigeant presented to the council, the project is scheduled from the date of council approval until Nov. 1. The city will pay the town of Hudson $1,250 per month for the services as outlined in the agreement. The city will also provide Wong travel expenses. The proposal was referred to the Operations and Overview Committee for review and recommendation to the full council.
In other related business councilors approved the continuance of the current IMA with the town of Sudbury Regional Veteran's District for the next two years. The Operations and Oversight Committee reviewed the mayor's request and reported to the full council:? “The current agreement with the town of Sudbury has gone well between the two communities and Mayor Vigeant and Director of Veterans” Services Gary Brown believe the agreement should continue. The Mass. Department of Veterans” Services endorsed the effort and encouraged the two-year agreement.”
During the past year, Brown has served as director of veterans” services for the district, with funding and administrative support provided by Sudbury. The city has received a 2.5-percent increase in the monthly fee established at the program's conception, $833.50, to assist with the director's salary and benefits of the position.