Written by Barbara Smith,
Blogger and social justice advocate
https://www.facebook.com/HWdemocrats/
Concerned Hamilton Citizen and Activist Blogger for transparency in government.
The suburban town of Hamilton, Massachusetts suffered the confusion and consequences of the state allotted Covid Test Kits disappearing. I wrote about this mystery on December 25th, 2021 as residents desperately searched for test kits so that they can safely leave for holiday travels.
In summary, the state sent Covid test kits to Hamilton because the town met the requirement of having an adequate percentage of low income residents. However, the 5 members of the Board of Selectmen are ultimately responsible to decide how the kits are distributed. Our Board of Select and David Smith, Chair of the Board of Health did a wonderful job in following up on the mystery and town manager Joe Domelowicz Jr. explains that he takes full responsibility for the confusion and consequences. Please watch the full video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXYgmYmJub0 beginning at 2:00:31
I also took the liberty of taping off the Youtube video with my phone and share it here. relevant section of this 1-3-22 Board of Select meeting
The question remains….
Although many Hamilton residents, including myself are relieved to have the confusion cleared up and accountability take place, there remains the question of how did a non-elected Hamilton resident get access to information pertaining to the arrival and distribution of the test kits. In addition, she/he provided misinformation on the Hamilton Wenham Community Facebook page, as though he/she were an authority, which he/she is not. I believe that the public should be aware that non-elected officials appear to be applying undue influence on our elected and hired employees and volunteers to do her/his bidding.
In addition, a Hamilton select person shared at last Monday’s meeting (on the video) that someone without authority, but acting as a town official had important information about the test kit distributions. The tests were distributed to Essex, Topsfield and Wenham with no explanation why…… VERY INTERESTING!
This is not how Democracy works!
Here is the video transcript
I realize that this is hard to read since I simply copied the transcript and it includes all the minutes and you don’t know who is speaking. But I’m leaving it here just in case it is helpful. ....
120:34all right uh alex the last of my agenda120:35is the board of health120:38updates um120:41so joe some of the liaison you want me120:43to um give you an update on when the120:45next meeting is and um what they’re120:48going to be working on uh i’ve been120:49invited to the 11 on the 11th um next120:52week120:53we’re going to be120:54discussing how to distribute the tests120:58that are going to be coming in the covid120:59tests and um121:02figuring out priorities and all that so121:04it should be very interesting and now i121:06think joe needs121:07to121:09speak up121:12sure thanks darcy i want to just read a121:14little brief statement that we put121:16together121:18in reviewing the decision-making process121:20and the rollout of the distribution the121:22process could have been more121:23collaborative than it was and the test121:24kits could have been made more widely121:26available at a critical time when people121:28were looking for kids to be able to feel121:29safe before and after gathering at the121:31holidays121:34missing from this timeline of events is121:36a comprehensive communications plan for121:37informing the both the board of121:38selectmen and the general public about121:40the tests how they would be made121:41available and to whom121:43this is an oversight that i take121:44responsibility for the lack of121:46information about the kits and the121:47process that was used to distribute the121:48kids in an environment where many121:50residents were searching for an121:51efficient convenient way to get tested121:52prior to the holidays121:53created an opportunity for speculation121:55and led to a spread of misinformation121:57mostly via social media122:00going forward we will be sure to share122:01this kind of information directly with122:02the select board in real time122:04and create a system for quickly and122:05accurately updating the general public122:07about opportunities to access to access122:09resources that are made available122:11throughout the state122:13on wednesday december 29th the state122:15notified us that it has negotiated122:17contracts with rapid test manufacturers122:19that will enable us to purchase these122:20important health care tools at a122:22reasonable cost going forward so we can122:24assist in making them more widely122:25available our health department staff is122:27already working to make such purchase122:29purchase as quickly as122:30possible um122:33thanks uh may i add one little quick122:36thing this is not um going off script122:38there was just a bit of a opportunity122:40earlier today um town the bibs which did122:43reach out um offered that uh you know be122:46the lead on a purchase of a very large122:48number of kits that would allow us to122:50potentially purchase them at a lower122:51cost um danvers has also had a similar122:54overture so our staff122:56following procurement guidelines is122:57looking at one of those two ways to122:58hopefully have kits available123:01sometime in the next seven to ten123:02business days um123:04obviously we’ll be discussing that with123:05the wood health and the darcy as a123:07representative of uh divorce leichmann123:09to the port of health will123:10make sure everybody’s aware of what’s123:12what’s being discussed these would be123:14kits that would be available for all123:16residents in town so123:18wonderful123:19this is a little off topic but same123:22topic you’re talking about procurement123:23is it123:24five thousand or ten thousand you need123:26bit three bids for is it123:29we uh if we purchase them together123:30through the state contract we don’t need123:32to go through those things around the123:33state vendor list it’s fine okay perfect123:35yeah yeah so joe you you didn’t read123:38that you went to you you read a brief123:40part of the statement but but the entire123:42statement is a very123:44very thoughtful and methodical123:46process obviously it was done you know123:49with uh123:50we trusted the you know board of health123:51and and then they talked to the state123:54you know dph mass dph department so123:57we didn’t go through a process it was123:58distributed as we thought appropriately124:00into multiple organizations no no it124:02wasn’t that’s the problem and i think we124:03probably should just let it lie124:06i think124:08well124:08i just don’t want misinformation out124:10there darshan that was just keeping away124:11really there was a whole pro methodical124:13process that was done if people don’t124:15agree with the processes that’s a124:16different discussion but124:18well regular order wasn’t observed and124:20when that happens things go bad124:23so what happened was124:25our test kits didn’t stay in town they124:29actually went out of town the majority124:31of the test kits were not available to124:33people here and that’s what it was for124:36and it was up to the select board to124:38make the decision um so124:40we all know this now so124:43um you know it wasn’t up to the dph it124:46was up to the select board and the124:47communities and i and i think we are124:50past it and should probably move on124:53unless you want to start um124:55an accounting of where everyone where124:58all those tests went because i don’t125:00know125:01there is no accounting125:03it’s a problem125:06yeah i mean yeah i i i’m not going to125:08debate this with you right now and if we125:09need if we need to have a discussion125:11board but we’ve we’ve we’ve documented125:12everything we have every document we125:14know how many kits we got and we know125:16where the kits were distributed to and125:18it was distributed with the direction of125:20the mass dph as well as our our local125:23board of health so um125:25and and and there are have been a few125:27people who have that you know that have125:28reached out in125:30to you know to find out where they can125:32get their test kits but um but moving125:34forward like you said we’re going to uh125:36if we get additional kits we’re going to125:39do a different process but you know we125:41we’ve relied we’ve relied on our on our125:43board of health for the last 18 months125:45um without much interference from the125:47board selectmen to do the right thing to125:49our town to keep our town safe and125:51healthy i think they’ve done that quite125:52well so i’m not going to say anything125:54negative about our board of health and125:56how they have done word of health is125:57wonderful125:59the board of health is wonderful and126:00they’ve done a really good job126:03but we want to make sure that the kids126:04stay here126:07so one of the one of the things that i126:09wanted to mention as well is that um126:11there’s there’s such a126:13there’s such a um126:17need for for testing and stay and sites126:21throughout massachusetts just do not126:23have the capacity or the staff126:25to provide all that testing and as that126:29happens we in the medical field are126:32relying more and more on home antigen126:34tests so126:36i’m i’m especially excited that um126:39people will have this opportunity to to126:42know whether they are positive in a very126:45short amount of time so that’s going to126:47be a really big help in terms of slowing126:51the spread of of this strain of covet126:56all right so so joe during the original126:59testing phase127:00you know that we had at the high school127:02that we had funded yes originally the127:05concept was that if your health127:07insurance would would reimburse127:10you could127:11you would pay for it and we actually had127:12paperwork to fill out for people to127:13filter out by the end of the day you i127:15don’t think we ever charge people’s127:17health insurance because it became too127:18it became a whole different process127:20right that became two127:21yeah127:24yeah it was a couple different things127:25that led to it a lot you know we had the127:27kids available people were coming up and127:29saying that they had symptoms when they127:31didn’t have something to127:32found it kind of said that if you have127:35symptoms then we won’t charge you or and127:37people will come up and saying that they127:38had symptoms if they even if they didn’t127:40we didn’t have the way to challenge them127:41on that the uh one of the things that127:43was that is being discussed by some of127:45the other towns and and i know that um i127:46know that the health department staff127:48talked to the chair of the health of the127:50board of health today um the the ideas127:52being that the uh the kits are two tests127:55in one kit they they’re we expect127:57they’re gonna cost us about ten dollars127:59each the thought was that um128:02we might128:03seek128:04a port having a portal a way for people128:06to pay for the 10 for the test kits to128:08take home uh in extreme circumstances if128:11somebody doesn’t have the ability to pay128:13we could um you know find a way to make128:15some tests uh available for free but ten128:17dollars isn’t really a large sum of128:19money and it would uh128:21it would help us not see all the tests128:23just leave you know the week that we get128:25them just because people think that they128:26can128:27get one for free and not um you know so128:31yeah right if you don’t need a test but128:33you just come down to get your free test128:34even though you don’t need it and kind128:36of128:37that kind of defeats the purpose a128:38little bit too so the idea being that if128:39the if we can just recoup what it costs128:42us um then the tests are available um128:46and you know as we get that money in if128:48we are running out of tests we can use128:50that those funds to turn around and buy128:51more tests so we’re not constantly just128:53using our money and having it go out the128:55door to buy more tests we could use some128:56of our money to purchase128:59a number of kits as we as that get129:02depleted129:03people are paying for them so we can go129:04out and buy them again again this is all129:06about accessibility and availability of129:08the availability of the tests so we’re129:10basically you know providing another129:12block in the supply chain so that if cvs129:15runs out there are some available town129:17if you can’t get them uh from you know129:19other locations the town has them129:21there’s a backstop for um a number of129:23tests but129:24we’d also be able to take advantage of129:26the state pricing which is much better129:27than some of those other outlets so129:30yeah i think the drug stores cause129:32charge anywhere from 25 to 35 dollars129:35for for two tests and that’s a lot of129:38money you’ve got two kids and two adults129:40who need to be tested so the fact that129:42the town would be charging ten dollars129:45makes it much more affordable so that’s129:48that’s a really good thing and i129:50wholeheartedly support that129:52is it129:53per kit so it would be five dollars per129:55test129:56well yeah but but each kit comes with129:58two tests in it you can’t break them up129:59okay130:02your memo joe your memo says130:05the previous contract had allowed for130:06five dollars per test kit that’s a130:08previous contract five yeah it was a130:10five dollar photos for five dollars per130:12test which the tests come in sets of two130:15so uh130:17it had kit so it’s a little confusing130:19but um but i130:20i mean i agree i think that having130:23testing130:24accessible yeah130:26will help because if people can’t get130:28tested they don’t get tested they just130:29say oh i don’t have it cause i couldn’t130:30get tested and they go out in the world130:32right where if they could get a test for130:33five bucks130:34they would probably test and they would130:36and i and i think it’s you know the130:38goals of this thing is gonna ramp up and130:40ramp down but i think over the next130:41month it’s important for us to have130:43these test kits available to our130:44community130:45and i think if they’re available at five130:47or ten dollars versus 2025 that’s that’s130:49a huge improvement130:51i do you need direction from us to be130:53able to go and do that i think that130:55you’ve already authorized uh some money130:57and from the opera funds to be used for130:59ongoing pandemic related expenses this131:00would certainly qualify in that arena131:02once we figure out the best municipality131:05to partner with we’re kind of leaning131:06toward zip switch just because we’re131:08already partnered with if switch in the131:10uh and the gcac uh uh kovit vaccination131:12program so um rachel lee and uh the131:15folks in upswitch are been a big part of131:17keeping that uh getting that going and131:18keeping it going so we already already131:20kind of have a natural um uh131:22relationship with them in that in that131:23regard when i was in in involved in that131:26as well so uh131:28and i know they’ve already committed to131:30buying us some tests which we told them131:31we’d be willing to buy uh a portion of131:34those tests at a certain cost i think we131:35were talking about 2000 to start131:38and i know that that was what um131:41the new health department director131:43dennis palazzo has had a discussion with131:45david smith about so that’s the131:47direction we’re leaning in131:48not there yet but i’m sure darcy will131:51have more information after the uh131:53board of health meeting next week too so131:55but i think i yeah i think we think a a131:57straw poll here or a litmus test from131:59the board i would say that it would be132:01helpful but i would say i would be i132:02mean obviously we need to look at how132:04how many tests you have the 1890 tests132:07how many those how quickly did they go132:09um and so we could sort of make a you132:11know in and how many you know requests132:13have you had since then so we can make132:14it i don’t want to buy way too many that132:16we’re just sitting on and have132:18used money but if we like you said we132:20could buy incrementally i think that132:21makes sense um so i’m in favor of buying132:24them incrementally um if we can actually132:26cut the costs by for our community by132:29almost a third132:31joe could the communities that ended up132:33with our tests return um when they buy132:36theirs could they repay us back for the132:39ones that they132:40were getting they were not communities132:42they were individuals that were that132:43that got services in this community so132:46that would be hard to well we gave we132:48gave them to topsfield and we gave them132:50to essex and we gave them to wenham132:54we can certainly talk to uh all three132:56communities about that would be helpful132:58when they buy a test could they could132:59they share back and uh yes we’ve got133:01good relationships with all those133:02communities133:03i’ll definitely have the conversation133:05thank you133:07um so i i’m in favor we have you know so133:09you know sean and jamie just give you133:11your thoughts on if we think it’s we133:12want to authorize them to come up with a133:14program to buy kits and be able to sell133:16them to our community for five or ten133:18dollars versus the 25 to133:2030 that you see in the stores133:24yes133:26uh133:27yeah i mean i133:29i definitely would want to make sure133:31that they’re133:34i guess that133:35or i would at least voice my my133:37preference to manage it in such a way133:39where133:41uh133:43i mean they were distributed by the133:44state133:46uh based on or133:48i’m i guess i’m talking about the past133:49so133:54but133:55it is important that they be available133:58for133:59uh134:01the people who really need them not134:04those who134:06are savvy enough to see what a great134:08deal134:16and to have them available for those134:18that you know you know that aren’t able134:22to afford the ten dollars right those134:24underserved populations134:26well that’s always a goal that’s that’s134:28important absolutely134:32but i think one of the one of the things134:34that we need to134:35um134:37to base the future sale on is is medical134:40necessity rather than134:42[Music]134:44as as i don’t know which one of our134:46boards had this but just because they’re134:48free come down and get them that’s134:50that’s not a good use of the product134:54right i agree and i don’t think the134:55great portion of the134:58demand for the test kits was the134:59holidays people wanting to travel and135:01see family which is135:03yeah they’ll still be they’ll still be135:05needing those tests because they’re135:06coming back now and they might be at135:08five to ten day135:10lag so they’re going to need them now135:11for in the next several days yeah did135:14you know and i’ll tell you i i where135:16where i work of course there’s a high135:19a high volume of covered patients um135:23and um in in one clinic um there was a135:2741 percent positive rate in cold tests135:31last week so135:32i we did not even see that during during135:36the first surge of course we didn’t have135:39as many tests so we don’t really know135:41what the true number was but it’s just135:44astronomical and135:46[Music]135:47the more quick testing that we have135:49available for people who who need it for135:52for whatever reason medical need135:53financial need that’s that’s really good135:56but of course my my vote is there should135:59first and foremost be a medical need136:04yeah all right let us know what happened136:05to that meeting um but i think you have136:08boards of support to buy a limited136:11incremental amount um that we can136:13then to be able to discount back to the136:15community136:17all right thank you136:20any other updates any other updates from136:22the board of health uh darcy136:25well i i just said we’re going to be136:27meeting on tuesday the 11th at five136:29o’clock p.m and that we’ll be discussing136:33the information that we get from joe on136:35um the purchasing the tests136:39okay great136:40yeah136:42um136:43is it that time136:46i think i want to just let’s talk about136:48future136:50meetings we don’t know we did136:51particularly do that in smaller meetings136:52but i do want to talk about a few things136:54for136:55upcoming meetings obviously we have a136:56lot of136:57um136:58meetings regarding the budgets uh137:00between our budget and the school budget137:03so a lot of me is coming for that we137:04have um137:06we had on our agenda137:08the school agreement that we want that137:10we put a letter out to talk about that137:12that kind of137:13put an aside when we when the137:14superintendent left and and then the