The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-11-20
Tenement HouseLaw
Enforcement Asked
Health Officer DR.. Godfrey Points Out Disregard for
Sanitation Standards; Recommends Action

ed an utter disregard for santa.
ton standards in many instances"
the report continues, there were
others who because Of the war
emergency we're hopeless In their at
tempt to correct existing condi-
tons"
DR.. Godfrey further states that 1t
Is the departments sincere hope
that in due time the tenement house
laws may be rigidly enforced. He
points out that his department Is
cognizant Of the fact that 1t is dif1-
cult today to obtain materials be-
cause of inaedquate priorities on the
part of property owners and for
that reason the local health on
Gals have been more than generous
in their considerations for those
responsible for maintaining dwell
ings in need Of repair. However, he
adds, I'VE are not contents to allow
adverse housing conditions to con-
tinue to exist" Postwar planning
for the conversion of all sub-stand-
ard dwellings should be started nows
the report recommends.
The phase Of the annual report,
as submitted by the local health
officer, pertaining 10 the need for
suitable quarters is in reference to
the fact that the Vital Statistics
bureau of the health department Is
located in the Town Clerks Office
on the first floor of the city hall
while the departments main Office
is located on the third floor, a con-
dition which in itself is obviously
not feasible one.
Need Space for Records
OF greater Importance, pertinent
to this phase of the recommended
tons, is that citing the inadequate
housing space for records as pro-
vided within the Town Clerks Of
flee. These records, which are made
up of those pertaining to marriages,
births, deaths and the like, are kept
on the gallery floor" of the Town
Clerks office vault, where also are
stored all the city's land records
dating back more than a hundred
years.
AS result of this the clerks of the
bureau are constantly required to
climb up and down a full flight of
stairs to check records pertaining
to their duties and report back to
the downstairs public window to
issue the information. Further, the
report states, "the affairs Of the
department, particularly the vital
statistics division, are in a state of
continue disruption, oftentimeS to
the annoyance Of those making re-
quests, yet through no fault of the
personnel serving the applicants"
The fact that this division is sit
uated within the Town Clerks Of
flee has oftentimes resulted in un-
avoidable croSs-interference be-
tween the personnel of both depart
mentS, thus penalizing both in the
full performances of their respec-
tive duties.
Enumeration
Citing the need for incarceration
plans to handle the city's refuse,
this issue" the report states, has
been an annual recommendation of
the health department for many
years" The report recommends that
consideration should be given to it,
probably in the postwar planning
operations of the city.
A further city health welfare rec
ommendation cites the need for &C
ton being taken to insure the re-
moval of fruit and vegetable stands
from sidewalks where they are not
only means of blockade but the
stock is readily contaminated by
being exposed to all the dirt and
dust in the streets and the sidewalk.