Board of Health Meeting

Monday, October 28, 2024, 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm
Town Hall Office Meeting Space
A meeting of the Board of Health

Meeting of Board of Health

Members: (Quorum)

• Absent: Emily Sweet, Member
• Present: Daniel Sheff, Member, at 5:00 PM
• Present: Hanna Sherman, Member, at 5:00 PM
• Present: Regina McNeely, Member, at 5:00 PM
• Present: Kathy Llamas, Chair, at 5:00 PM

Also Present:

• Ilana Gerjouy
• FRCOG Prevention Strategies Coordinator
• Carl Nelke

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 5:00 PM

Meeting closed: 6:45 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Minutes Approved: Tue, Oct 15 - Board of Health Meeting

1. Mail and invoices

   • General Discussion...
     None

2. Title V Agent report

   • General Discussion...
     10/15 - 50 Upper Baptist Hill Rd - perc test
     10/17 - 1165 Shelburne Falls Rd - Title V
     10/21 - 59 Hoosac Rd - Title V
     10/22 - 155 Sabans Rd - Title V

3. Meetings / Trainings attended by board members

   • General Discussion...
     - CPHS - Kat and Daniel
     -- 1. Opioid settlement - now matching grant is available. Because we spend $33,000 together, we
     leverage $33,000 in matching funds. To allocate, listened to people with lived experience, expert
     guidance - allocating accordingly.
     -- 2. Follow up from Mosquito-Palooza
     -- 3. Randy requested we post a suggestion on our website that events with food apply at least three
     weeks in advance for summer camps, and two weeks in advance of the event. If there is less time,
     contact FRCOG directly. Laurie - post of the website, linked to FRCOG.
     -- 4. Battery storage facilities - Kat will contact Randy to see if FRCOG is drafting regulations we can
     adopt.
     
     - Kat, Hanna, and Gina to meet re well regs

4. Health and wellness report

   • General Discussion...
     - Mosquito season is over
     - Respiratory illness season - DPH dashboard has percent vaccination for COVID, flu, RSV.
     -- CDC recommends that 65+ and immunocompromised get COVID vax every six months
     - Bird flu - cases are increasing. Concern for potential pandemic
     - Lead poisoning prevention week - posted to website. Hanna contacted school nurse about this, and will continue to support health and wellbeing at the school
     - Emergency preparedness data - state has health data tool with a lot of information. Hanna will review in more detail about possible ways to prepare

5. Food services and inspections

   • General Discussion...
     None

6. Septic and well permit applications

   • General Discussion...
     None

7. Family Burial Plots

   • General Discussion...
     Report from Gina. We have generally good regulations. Awaiting reply from lawyer regarding tombs, if they are exempt. Gina will report back

8. Tobacco Regs

   • General Discussion...
     Ilana Gerjuoy, FRCOG
     - Reviewed draft tobacco regulations
     - Goal - review document, choose which version to vote on
     - Conway previously voted to adopt CPHS regs
     - Document review:
     -- BOH can petition legislators about connecting fines to volume of sales because Baker's is our only store and does a small volume of tobacco sales. Or reduce the fine if the business is undergone training
     -- Section T - Option 1 or 2
     -- -- 1. Option 2, 1a - can say 0 days suspension for first, 4 days for second violation, 7 days for a third violation
     -- -- 2. Can cap number of licenses at 1 or 2
     -- -- 3. Retiring cap - the number reduces when on is sold or expires
     -- -- 4. Could eliminate tobacco licenses and be a tobacco-free town
     -- Section G - Nicotine Pouch - see link in email. Synthetic nicotine, so not technically tobacco. Can be flavored and sold. Not FDA approved for cessation. No good research on using pouches for cessation.
     -- -- 1. Town can ban sale of nicotine patches, other than in adult-only tobacco stores. Greenfield and many other towns have done that
     - Process for a hearing - printed script given to Kat, Randy can be present to guide the meeting. FRCOG can run ads in local paper, assure retailer has a hard copy, support the process.
     - Later - Cannabis retailer/grower policy pamphlet. Can be put in store (Conway has no store). FRCOG can edit and reprint.
     - Plan - 1.5 hour meeting with Ilana, Daniel, and Hanna. We will then report back to the Board.

9. Monthly article for the Conway Currents / website

   • General Discussion...
     No discussion

10. Unanticipated items of concern that arises after posting

    • General Discussion...
      None

11. Public comments

    • General Discussion...
      None

12. Meeting Wrap-up

    • Next Meetings:
      1. Tue, Nov 12, at 4:30 PM "Board of Health Meeting" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      2. Mon, Nov 25, at 5:00 PM "Board of Health Meeting" -- CANCELLED -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      3. Mon, Dec 9, at 5:00 PM "Board of Health Meeting" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes prepared by Daniel Sheff and Laurie Lucier

Minutes approved on Thursday, Nov 14, 2024