To the Residents of East Longmeadow:

We have had a very productive and busy year at the East Longmeadow Board of Health.

The Board of Health continues to be served by our Health Agent, Fred Kowal, who conducts all of our health investigations. We are also served by our new Public Health Nurses, Jo Ann Andrews and Carol Driscoll, who perform mandatory health assessments relative to certain communicable diseases that the Town must report to the Commonwealth. Our Animal Control/Dog Officer, Natalie Rice, continues to serve the community in this important role.

This past year we worked closely with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the spread of West Nile Virus. We worked to assist the Department of Public Health on their efforts to track the cases of the virus on a statewide basis and the town saw two recorded cases this year. We will continue to work with the state on this program, as well as our continued efforts on bioterrorism and the public health aspects of emergency management and have attended many meetings to further keep our Town aware of the latest policies and procedures in this emerging arena.

A very successful Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day was held on the grounds of Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham on September 13, 2003. This special event was held in conjunction with the Towns of Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Hampden and Ludlow and gave residents of those communities a place to dispose of items not able to be thrown out with their regular trash (e.g. oil based paints, pesticides, etc.). During 2003, the Town also received recycling grants from the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility for the purchase of recycled photocopy paper for the town. This award is very much appreciated by the Town Departments.

The Town continues to participate in the CRT recycling program with Goodwill Industries. Residents are reminded that recycling is mandatory in East Longmeadow. A listing of trash collection and recycling collection dates for the balance of 2004 is located in this Town Report and on our website. The Town is working with our new Solid Waste Advisory Team to formulate a bulk trash pickup program that is both cost effective as well as administratively feasible. The Board of Health would like to thank these dedicated citizens for their continued service to the Town.

Regarding recycling, the Board of Health announced a new cell phone recycling program this year. As you may know, the rules governing cell phone telephone numbers changed this year, which is expected to dramatically increase the number of cell phones ending up in landfills across the country. The Board recognizes this problem and looks to be part of a nationwide solution. As a result, if any residents have cell phones that they need to dispose of, please bring them by Town Hall or the Police Department and we will make sure they are properly disposed of.

In closing, the Board of Health appreciates the efforts of its support staff as well as elected and appointed officials in helping to make East Longmeadow a safe and healthy community in which to live. We encourage you to visit our website located at www.eastlongmeadow.org under Health to obtains updates on health matters in addition to the trash/recycling schedules. The Board would also like to remind the residents that if we can ever be of assistance to them in any way, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 525-5400x420.

Respectfully submitted,

Gary DeLisle, Chairman
Kimberly Wiezbicki
John M. Claffey