Thursday, October 1, 2009

Health Department Defends Citation of St. Vincent dePaul

The mayor's office and Common Council members have received dozens of letters, emails and phone calls concerning the enforcement by Middletown's Health Department of a statute which prohibits the distribution of food not prepared in licensed kitchens, to the public.

The statute was initially cited as the reason for arresting members of Food Not Bombs for distributing food in a shared meal each Sunday on the corner of Main and Liberty Streets.

In defending the Health Department actions Health Department official Sal Nesci wrote a letter to Middletown official making the timeline of actions of his department clear, defending an accusation that the health department cited St. Vincent dePaul Soup Kitchen because its director, Ron Krom, spoke in defense of Food Not Bombs at a state Health Department hearing.

Nesci also states that the city, meaning the Common Council, does not have the ability to create a statute that would supersede state law.

Additionally, Nesci emphasizes the importance of food safety in light of "our national security post-911" indicating that allowing to be served to the needy from unlicensed kitchens could be linked to "agro terrorism" and would minimize efforts to maintain "homeland safety and security."

Nesci also notes that "the entire situation has been blown way out of proportion" and that the issues is "small in comparison what the media and blogs have turned it into."

The entire letter can be read below:

Gerry/Tim/Mayor/Council...

I do understand that you all have been getting lots of calls and emails about the alleged cease and desist order issued to St. Vincent DePaul Place. First of all, I want to make it clear that it is with the most heavy of hearts that I, as well as Dr. Havlicek and Manfred Rehm of the Health Department, had to put our signature on a legal notice to St. Vincent DePaul. A legal notice is not a cease and desist order. It is a written notification following an inspection or investigation resulting in the discovery of a violation. It allows the individual two weeks to seek a modification of the said practice in order to assure state compliance. Failure to comply usually results in the issuance of a legal order...for food service its usually 30 days. Failure to comply with the legal order usually results in the revocation of the license or abatement of the violation.

For the record:

  • The health department was never aware that the soup kitchen was open on Sunday's until about a month ago. In fact Inspector Rehm was told on numerous occasions that the soup kitchen is only open Monday through Friday. He has been told that by Ron Krom for several months.
  • The health department was never aware that the one meal that was served on Sunday nights was provided by area churches under the supervision of a soup kitchen staff member.
  • The health department was never aware that a portion of this Sunday night meal was prepared in private homes and transported to the soup kitchen.
  • When we were made aware that this activity was possibly happening, we approached Ron Krom to ask if it is true and he stated to us that he has a criteria he uses to assure food coming in on Sunday night meets state code requirements and to the best of his knowledge it does. I stated to him that if that is the case than he is to continue his current practice and we as a health department will work with the area churches to educate them on proper donation procedures.
  • The health department then sent a memo to all area churches reminding them that all charitable contributions made in the name of their organization should be that of non perishable food or food prepared in their licensed kitchens.
  • At a recent hearing at DPH regarding Food Not Bombs, Mr. Krom was called as a witness and gave sworn testimony that he does in fact receive a portion of his Sunday night meal from private home kitchens which is in violation of the state health code. In fact he gave very specific examples of certain foods he receives from private kitchens on a regular basis.
  • Because of the statement he made, we were required by virtue of the professional licenses we hold to confirm this and take appropriate steps to assist in the modification of the current practice. The very next day, Inspector Rehm visited Mr. Krom and Mr. Krom re-affirmed the statements he made in his sworn testimony the day before.
  • The notice sent does not pertain to the general operations of the facility Monday-Friday. It is only relative to a small percentage of the food distributed on Sunday night.

To the issue of discretion:

  • As we understand it, we are only talking about a percentage of the Sunday night meal in question. Relative to that, we believe that a viable solution would be to encourage donors continue using the licensed kitchens at their churches and to donate commercially prepared and prepackaged food that could be heated and served on the premises whereby eliminating the issue of cooking in their own homes. As we understand it, many churches already donate commercially prepared and prepackaged food to the soup kitchen. We are willing to work with any group that cannot readily comply and come to a code compliant resolution to anyone organizations concern and willingness to feed the hungry.
  • We are in no way intending on revoking the license of St. Vincent DePaul. If we are put in a position where further code enforcement is required, we would only be seeking to curtail the distribution of food during the Sunday night program in that we need to assure that home cooked food is not distributed.

Other:

  • The health department is not looking to shut down thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinners. We are willing to work with any organization to make sure that there is a way to cook all turkeys. Just off the top of my head, we could utilize fraternal organization kitchens, school kitchens, church kitchens and restaurant kitchens. We just need to know how many turkeys need to be cooked.
  • The Middletown health department values the security and safety of food distribution. It is our belief that the hungry and homeless of our community deserve the same rights and privileges in a free meal as paying customers at a restaurant do. All restaurants are inspected for compliance of their general practices regularly and that food is acquired from approved sources. Shouldn't the patrons of St. Vincent DePaul on Sunday nights receive the same consideration? That goes to the same position with Food Not Bombs?
  • Any resolution or change to current city ordinance regulating the distribution of food and beverage cannot supersede current state statute or health code.
  • Food safety and security has taken a front line position in our national security post 9/11 and much time, energy and money have been spent in the way of agro terrorism. To compromise our interpretation of code regulation, we are minimizing state and federal efforts of homeland security and safety.

***We had a very productive meeting this morning with Peter Harding, who as you know is the former director of St. Vincent DePaul. He is willing to work with us to achieve compliance. It is his understanding, as it is ours, that the entire situation has been blown way out of proportion and the issue we are dealing with in this legal notice is small in comparison to what the media and blogs have turned it into. He has assured me that together we will come to and understanding where we will be able to put this issue to rest without compromising the mission of the soup kitchen as well as our professional integrity. My spirit is strong in this regard and we will work to do what ever we can to make this happen. I will keep you posted.


12 comments:

Rick said...

The old "National Security" ploy....the all purpose excuse to get away with anything.

DJ Cheshire Cat said...

Seriously? The local Health Department goes to 9-11 and "agro terrorism" and then claims that "the entire situation has been blown out of proportion"?

When the hell did I end up in a Doonesbury strip?

Pink Fist said...

Wow. I can't believe how much more ridiculous they've gotten here now. They're citing 9/11 (!!!!!) in defense of their stupid policies and over-management of kindness?!?!?! I mean, REALLY???

Just when I thought this business couldn't get more disgusting.

Meg said...

What wikipedia says about agri-terrorism:

Agroterrorism, also known as Agriterrorism, is "the malicious use of plant or animal pathogens to cause devastating disease in the agricultural sector. It may also take the form of hoaxes and threats intended to create public fear of such events".

So, I think that means the Health Department is the real agroterrorist here, right?

Anonymous said...

When will the Mayor take some leadership on this issue? Especially during an election year we should expect that our Mayor would try to resolve this issue that has put Middletown on the map in a negative manner. He first needs reign in his department heads and let them know that using 'national security' concerns is not helping the situation.

Anonymous said...

It's been said enough already, but really, "agro terrorism"? invoking 9/11? Seriously, I snorted soy milk out of my nose when I first read that.

The Health Dept. is really getting desperate. They over stepped their bounds by singling out one group and then got caught for it. They should just admit it and get over it.

Also, the good folks in Middletown should not feel embarrassed or that their town is held in a negative light based on the actions of a few misguided individuals in the Health Dept.

Anonymous said...

I can see the need for the law to be enforced and an unlicensed kitchen to be cited. However, I think the politicians in Middletown could come up with a better solution other than saying "it's a state law and we can not make a law to overwrite it". What about using their position, power and connections to get the kitchen the proper licensing. This just shows how the apathy, which applies to the populating as a whole, has now reached the political fat cats. Way to go Middletow!

Anonymous said...

Sadly our Mayor is afraid to lead on any issue, if by chance the Democratic Council wants to go in a different direction.

By the time that Giuliano gets his orders from his handlers, he always ends up looking like he is riding the horse's ass while he is telling us he's at the head, leading the way.

Anonymous said...

ADDING IT ALL UP!

Food Not Bombs = Wesleyan Students

Wesleyan Students = Socialist liberals

Wes Students + Liberals + Socialists = Anti Government

Anti Government = Terrorist

Terrorism + hunger = Potential for Argo Terrorism

Those who feed the Hungry = Argo Terrorists

Argo Terrorist + The hungry = A Threat to homeland safety and security
(though, not one example of this exist anywhere in our country)

Middletown CT Public Health Officials = Fear Mongers

Fear Mongering + Government = The American Way post 9/11

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 10:19 hit the nail right on the head, 'cause everybody knows Bush took out the towers
Mmm,Mmm,Mmm...

Anonymous said...

What bothers me most about the commenters here, is your ignorance. Fact is if the people who were given this food had all received food poisoning, you would have called for the Health Departments heads. The law is the law. No matter how foolish YOU may think it is. I'd love to see you mouths eat food from a restaurant that has been cited for the same violation. We would be able to hear your screams from Hartford! The Health Department is not hiding, like most of you are. They are in the forefront. At exactly what do you want the Mayor to do hear? Circumvent state law and risk his standing as Mayor and an Attorney? I cannot believe the ignorance of the liberals on this issue. You cannot serve meals unless they are cooked in a licensed kitchen. How hard is this to understand? I'm old enough to remember St. Sebastian's Church serving a meal in the 70's that nearly killed their own patrons because salmonella had gotten into their spaghetti sauce. Don't think this can happen, you really need to move away from OZ. Give it a rest and stop your stupididty.

Anonymous said...

A click to the land of OZ.

To Anonymous 12:13, I’m one of those liberals who you are calling ignorant. Here is my reply. First off, I think the point of many of the liberal commenter’s is to argue that the law the health department was enforcing was poorly written, and selectively enforced against only one organization in town, until it came to light that the same thing was happening in many other situations around the city, and the state for that matter. When that occurred the health department found they had backed themselves into a corner. They responded by enforcing the “law” in all situations. I would submit that if the health department had been doing their job in the first place, they would have written many more citations over the years, and the faith based communities, organizations, and PTA’s that are bake sale providers, and Sunday night meal providers, that cook at home in unlicensed food preparation “establishments” would have stepped up a long time ago to lobby for this law to be re-worded/rewritten.

I personally do not think the intent of this law was foolish. What was foolish was to enforce a law that was not written or intended to be enforced in such a manner in the first place, and to do so only to a targeted organization, without grasping to begin with the ramifications of a targeted enforcement and interpretation of this law.

I believe it is ignorant to assume that the enforcement of this law as it was written, will prevent salmonella. Don’t take me wrong, I believe salmonella is a serious threat to public health. You call attention what happened at St. Sabastians’s in the 70’s, but neglect to acknowledge how often salmonella poisoning has occurred in commercial kitchens that are licensed. The Law will not—in and of itself—prevent these occurrences. My concern about salmonella is so great that I would suggest that local Public Health officials are better spent inspecting commercial restaurants and licensed kitchens even more often than they do now, and in finding ways to reach out to the residents of the local community so as to educate them on the dangers of salmonella and more importantly how to prevent it’s occurrence in the home kitchen. Perhaps the law does not allow for this, but I would propose that our health department create a web site that lists the infractions and citations given to commercial providers of food so that the public can make informed choices regarding safe places to eat and purchase food in town.

I will take that thought a step further, and suggest a public health department web site that is a link from the cities own web site, one that provides all types of information about healthy living, and other public health concerns, as an educational—public health—service to the residents of Middletown. But with this suggestion, with a click of the key-pad, you anonymous 12:13 would be correct if you asserted that I had moved into the land of OZ, and beyond the topic at hand.