AUGUST 28, 2006:

The Town of Blackstone is seeking volunteers to serve on an ad-hoc committee to study the Town Charter.

This committee will advise the Board of Selectmen and the citizens of Blackstone of what, if any, changes should be considered in the Town Charter.

Interested persons may contact Ken Bianchi, Town Administrator, at (508) 883-1500, Ext. 101.

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AUGUST 28, 2006: A vacancy exists on the Board of Assessors. This position will be filled by a joint meeting of the Board of Assessors and the Board of Selectmen, and the individual chosen will serve until the next Town election in April, 2007.

Any interested persons should provide their name and a letter of intent to Ken Bianchi, Town Administrator, at (508) 883-1500, Ext. 101 or at Blackstone Town Hall.

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AUGUST 10, 2006:

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

Donations are being gratefully accepted to send packages to our troops overseas. Some suggested donations are: aspirin, large zip lock bags; toilet paper; granola and/or energy bars; coffee; lotion; powder; eye drops; beef jerky; cans of pudding or fruit with pull tab tops; powdered drinks; stationery; razors; gum; candy; black cotton socks; lozenges; puzzle books; phone calling cards; etc.

If you know of an area soldier serving overseas please provide his address so we can surprise them with a package.

Donations can be dropped off at Blackstone Town Hall, Blackstone Public Library, or St.

Theresa¡¯s Church. Any questions can be directed to Ken Bianchi, Town Administrator, at

(508) 883-1500, ext. 101.

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JULY 26, 2006: Senator Richard T. Moore today announced the Town of Blackstone has received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $586,312.?This money will be used to provide assistance and affordable housing along the High Rocks and Main Street areas of Town, along with the general area of Rathbun Street.

Further information can be had to contacting the Town Administrator's Office at (508) 883-1500, Ext. 101

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The Town is seeking volunteers to serve on the Veteran's Park Study Committee.?The Board of Selectmen will appoint three members of the general public to this important committee.?Interested citizens should submit a written request to the Town Administrator's Office outlining their background and experience.?The public has until August 24 to submit a request.

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Town Administrator

The Town Administrator of Blackstone is appointed for a three-year period by the Board of Selectmen.

My name is Ken Bianchi, and I am proud and privileged to be your Town Administrator.?My duties are outlined in the Town Charter and in various by-laws. Among them are to make appointments of certain department heads, serve as Public Safety Director and as Procurement and Personnel Officer for the Town.

In addition, my duties require budget preparation, inventory of all town equipment, and oversee town departments.

More than this, however, is that I try to coordinate and operate all departments in a manner that will serve you, the citizens of Blackstone, in the most efficient and proper way I can. I try to maintain open communications with all citizens and help solve their problems.

I invite all residents to feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.?Nobody can solve all problems, but we can at least explain and help in any way we can.

A GUIDE FOR BLACKSTONE RESIDENTS TO PREPARE FOR AN IMPENDING AVIAN INFLUENZA

PLEASE READ THIS VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? International, National and State health officials have warned all local communities that there is a very real possibility a VERY serious flu epidemic will occur in the United States. While nobody knows for sure, this is expected any time from this fall to winter. This is being called a Pandemic Flu?

WHAT IS PANDEMIC FLU? Every 20 to 40 years a new strain of the flu virus appears which is very different from the ordinary seasonal flu virus. Because most people do not have immunity to this new strain of flu virus, it can spread to many people across the world over a short period of time. Existing types of vaccines will not prevent people from getting this new type of flu, and a vaccine to prevent illness from the new strain typically takes from 5 to 6 months to develop, long after a pandemic begins.?The most recent flu pandemics occurred in 1889-1890, 1918, 1957 and 1968. The 1918-1919 epidemics was the most severe, causing over 500,000 deaths in the United States and over 40,000,000 deaths worldwide.?The 1968-1969 pandemic was called the Hong Kong Flu. This was the least severe, causing over 34,000 deaths in the United States and 700,000 deaths worldwide. Another pandemic may occur at any time during the year, not just the typical Winter flu season.

WHAT IS BLACKSTONE DOING ABOUT THIS??Blackstone has formed a committee made up of key town departments and Boards and Commissions to prepare our town for the worst. We meet regularly with state officials to discuss a preparedness plan, how do distribute vaccine when it is available, how to quarantine our town, take care of ill residents, distribute public information and do whatever we can to make sure our citizens are informed and protected.

WHAT ELSE IS THE TOWN DOING? We are purchasing protective masks for health personnel and citizens who may require protection to help others. We are working with school officials to set up clinics where necessary. We have established a command post that will be isolated from the rest of the community. We have put into place a plan to use Town Hall as our command post and the middle school or the high school for emergency care and to provide meals and health care needs for citizens.?We are also working with the Senior Center to develop plans to protect our most vulnerable citizens.

WHAT AREAS MAY BE DISRUPTED DURING A PANDEMIC? We are preparing for the worst possible case. If this is so, we can expect that hospitals and health care facilities will not be able to accommodate all the sick. Stores, banks, restaurants and other commercial facilities may not be able to open. It is very possible that public gathering places will be closed. This would include churches, public meetings, volunteer groups, clubs and organizations.

It may be difficult or impossible to go to work. There is a real possibility Blackstone and other communities will be quarantined. You may wish to talk to your employer about medical benefits, the ability to work from home, and any other plans to make sure your employer is aware of this threat.

Schools may be closed for an extended period of time.?We are working with school officials from the Blackstone-Millville Regional School District to make certain we can help each other out in the event such a disaster occurs. If you have school-aged children, you can be assured the District is doing all it can to provide for educational needs during this potential medical crisis.

Transportation services will also be interrupted. You should be aware there is a real possibility you will not be able to travel from community to community.

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREPARE? The most important thing you can do is be an informed citizen. Stay tuned to local radio and television stations and follow local newspapers. In the event of any catastrophe, our local access cable will be activated to keep Blackstone citizens informed. These are Channels 8 and 11 on local access cable.

Start to stockpile non-perishable food items. In a serious epidemic you may not be able to get to a store, and if you can the store will more than likely not have any stock to service you. Think of food that can be used under difficult times.?Some things to keep in mind:

Stock non-perishable foods (or foods that will keep for a long time) and that don't require refrigeration.

Select foods that are easy to prepare in case you are unable to cook.

Select foods that require little or no water to prepare so you can conserve water for drinking.

Do everything you can for you and your family and friends to stay healthy. Take common-sense steps to limit the spread of germs and make good hygiene a habit. Some suggestions are:

Wash hands frequently with soap and water.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Put used tissues in a wastebasket.

Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve if you don't have a tissue.

Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.

Stay at home if you are sick.

WHAT ABOUT HEALTH HABITS? It's always a good idea to practice good health habits.?This couldn't be truer than it is now. Listed below are a few suggestions to follow in addition to ones you may already be in the habit of doing:

 Eat a balanced diet.?Be sure to eat a variety of foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. Also include low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish and beans. Drink lots of water and go easy on salt, sugar, alcohol, and saturated fat.

 Exercise on a regular basis and get plenty of rest.

IS IT SAFE TO EAT POULTRY? Avian influenza is a disease of wild and farm birds caused by influenza. Wild birds can carry bird flu viruses, but usually do not get sick from them. Domesticated birds usually die from this disease. However, it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry. Cooking destroys germs, including the bird flu virus. The United States government bans imports of poultry and poultry products from countries where bird flu has been found.

Some guidelines for the safe preparation of poultry include the following:

Wash hands before and after handling food.

Keep raw poultry and its juices away from other foods.

Keep hands, utensils, and surfaces, such as cutting boards, clean.

Use a food thermometer to ensure poultry has been fully cooked. For example, cook a whole chicken to 180 degreesF in an oven set to a minimum of 325 degreesF.

WHY ARE YOU TELLING ALL THIS INFORMATION TO THE CITIZENS OF BLACKSTONE NOW? As town officials and as citizens of Blackstone, we hope that some day we will be accused of over-reacting. However, the reality is that an Avian Flu is very possible and can be very serious. We would much rather have our citizens prepared than to be caught off-guard by such a tragedy.

There is nothing more powerful than an informed public. This is only the beginning of our information to you because this is the only information we have at this time. However, we will be providing more and more information to our citizens as soon as it is available and before it is necessary. You can expect to hear a lot more on this topic. World health organizations and public health associations such as the Center are watching it very carefully for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has assigned a representative to each geographic area to meet with local officials to make certain we have the latest information available on this topic.

WHY CAN'T I JUST GET A SEASONAL FLU SHOT TO PROTECT ME AGAINST PANDEMIC INFLUENZA? Although a regular flu shot won't protect you against pandemic influenza, a flu shot can help you to stay healthy.

We encourage all citizens to get a flu shot to protect yourself from seasonal flu.

Get a pneumonia shot to prevent secondary infection if you are over the ages of 65 or have a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma.?

Make sure that your family's immunizations are up-to-date.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? The Town Of Blackstone is continuing to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We urge all citizens of Blackstone to do the same. As further information is available, it will be distributed to our citizens. If you have any questions, we will try our very best to answer them and provide you with any information we have. You can direct any questions to the Town Administrator's Office or the Board of Health Office. Both phone numbers are (508) 883-1500. The Town Administrator is at Extension 101, and the Board of Health is at Extension 129.

Looking After the Public Health Today Gives Us a Better Hope for Tomorrow.

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Emergency Preparedness Committee

Blackstone Town Hall

15 St. Paul Street

Blackstone, MA 01504