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Town Meeting Approves New Associate Health Director Position

The Burlington Board of Health will have a new position. 

After some lengthy discussion on Monday night, Town Meeting voted to approve the transfer of $40,000 to cover roughly half a year of salary for a proposed Associate Health Director to help ease some of the burden on the department and its staff. 

The article was promoted by Board of Health Chair Dr. Ed Weiner, Vice Chair Dave McSweeney and Health Director Susan Lumenello who said that even before the pandemic the staff was stretched thin but since March has been going full out. They said this new position would help the Health Director by taking some of the day-to-day management responsibilities and by helping with tasks like emergency planning and working with incoming and existing biotech companies. 

“As on-going demands continue to be placed on the Board of Health and the Director of Public Health, it has become very clear that there is a need for an additional management/supervisory professional,” a letter in the backup materials reads. “This position will not only provide leadership and support our additional development, redevelopment and new technology workloads, but also, assist in emergency planning and execution. This professional will also support the Town of Burlington Medical Reserve Corps/Burlington Volunteer Reserves Corps, a group of two hundred and fifty-six volunteers who train and assist in manyt Town programs and emergencies.”

Dr. Weiner emphasized that even though the department was busy before COVID-19 with its myriad of responsibilities, it has been worse since it started. He said Lumenello has been working seven days a week for roughly 12 hours a day in response to the health emergency. 

“Our Health Director Susan Lumnelloi is a true hero and hasn’t had a day off in months,” he said. 

They also noted that while it has been difficult the department has responded to the situation. 

“Since its onset, the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, a profound impact on all aspects of local public health,” the letter states. “Our Board of Health has met the challenge of responding to this pandemic while, at the same time, continuing to carry out its mandated responsibilities.”

The proponents also said the pandemic has shown that work in emergency planning is essential for the town.  

“The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly shown that local emergency planning, coordination and drill has to be ongoing, as public health organizations must ready to respond to new priorities, as well as emergencies within our every changing community,” the letter states “We must be prepared to provide the services, resources and guidance that our residents, businesses and Town departments require and need.”

There was some opposition to the proposal, mostly from people worried that the economic downturn due to the pandemic will have an impact on town finances. Town Administrator Paul Sagarino said the pandemic had “decimated” local receipts such as meals and hotel taxes and the fees for building permits.  

“I think we should take a little bit more time,” he said. 

Ways & Means was also split, with nine members voting in favor of the article and five against. 

“The majority of the committee was in favor of the new position but five members thought additional analysis should be done and it should be taken up in May when we know more about what the budget will look like and what impact the pandemic will have on it,” said Chairman Steve Morin. 

Ways & Means member Doug Davidson said he was one of the members who voted against the new position. He said he believed the Board of Health’s points were valid and he did not doubt the need but said he was of the opinion that more information was needed. He pointed out that Town Meeting had also recently approved a new director level position in the School Department and that if they approved this position as well they would include them both into the FY22 budget. 

“We will have to absorb both positions before we have an idea of what the budget will like,” he said. 

In the end Town Meeting voted 72 to 14 to approve the new position.