Ticks—still under our skin
Board of Health member Lorin Johnson recently attended a meeting of the Sudbury Valley Trustees, where a presentation was given on the problem of overpopulation of deer in the suburbs and the corresponding increased risk of Lyme disease. Some towns, he learned, have allowed hunting on their conservation land using bows and arrows, to help reduce the deer population. Johnson said he plans to contact Boxborough and other neighboring towns to see how they are dealing with, or planning to deal with, the problem.
Meanwhile, two board members recently received e-mails from Kurt Hayes, a recent candidate for state representative and cofounder of LymeLITE, an organization advocating Lyme disease prevention and education. Hayes, who presented the documentary Under Your Skin in Harvard a few years ago, asked for permission to show the film again. The board agreed to show it on the local access cable channel.
Of septic tanks and Title V
The board determined there was no need for a deed restriction for the addition Robert and Anne McWaters are planning for their Blanchard Road home. The current septic system is approved for a four-bedroom dwelling, and the plans do not exceed that capacity.
The board granted Gary Watjus permission to increase the seating capacity at Pizza Bella to 19. Even though the building’s septic system more than handles the current flow, Title V requires a 3,000-gallon tank, which Watjus has promised to install within 15 months.
—Fred Karotkin
