Council On Aging Still At Town Hall

The Council on Aging continued operating out of Town Hall last week while waiting for a thorough cleaning of the Wellesley Community Center and the plugging of possible access points to ward against mice.

The building's managers have been arranging for cleaners to go through the Community Center, and have been working to plug up holes animals might use to get into the property after the Health Department shut down food service there Aug. 23. 

The Health Department issued the order after finding evidence that mice had been in the building. An Aug. 20 memo sent to Deputy Director Chris Ketchen from Lenny Izzo, the Health Department's environmental health specialist, reports: "Rodent activity (rodent droppings) was found in all areas we looked at and on all levels of the building. Some activity is from past problems and some new droppings were found. Today I found new droppings under kitchen equipment and in supply closets in the main kitchen. I found heavy activity in the areas used by the daycare operation and in the supply closet for the daycares snacks and equipment." 

Health Director Mary Suresh said the evidence is only indicative of mice, not rats, at the property.

After receiving word of the Health Department's order the following Monday, the COA staff made a temporary move to Town Hall Aug. 27 to wait for the problem to be resolved.

Once the management of the 219 Washington St. building is finished with the work, said Suresh, she will have to send inspectors back to the building to ensure the spot is ready for food service again. Throughout the last few weeks, "The Community Center has been very cooperative,"she said.

Last week, Suresh said, the building was given a thorough scrub by a cleaning service, and it also recieved a visit from Waltham Services, a pest control company, to address the issues that caused the food service shutdown. "That process is nearly complete," Suresh said.

Deputy Director Chris Ketchen said the town asked the Health Department to check out the site after COA staff members complained about the building's cleanliness. He said he also asked that the town's facility workers go with them. "The needs of our staff and the participants of our programs that we run were apparent," Ketchen said. He said the building required work on its ventilation and general cleanliness. 

David Walsh, Chairman of the Wellesley Community Center, returned a phone call to report he could not comment on the matter at this time.  Steve Peretti, president of the Community Center, has not yet responded to questions e-mailed to him Sept. 3. During a visit to the property, an employee at the Community Center referred questions to Walsh. The chairman was also unavailable for comment during a second visit to the property.