Conway

  • Town of Conway Massachusetts
  • 32 Main Street
  • 413-369-4235
  • Contact Us

Board of Health Meeting

Monday, December 9, 2024, 5:00 pm until 6:30 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: Kathy Llamas, Chair, at 5:00 PM
  • Present: Regina McNeely, Member, at 5:00 PM
  • Remote: Daniel Sheff, Member, at 5:00 PM
  • Remote: Hanna Sherman, Member, at 5:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Randy Crochier
  • FRCOG

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 5:05 PM

Meeting closed: 5:55 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. Mail and invoices

    • General Discussion...
      16 system pumping record reports
      Invoice Pioneer Women’s Health, Part of opioid settlement
      $60 dues Mass Health Officers Association - renewed membership

  3. Title V Agent report

    • General Discussion...
      No report, Agent not present

  4. Meetings / Trainings attended by board members

    • General Discussion...
      Kat - DPH meeting

      Gina - Mass Health Officers Association meeting
      Laurie will scan and email report, notes

      Daniel - CPHS Oversight Board highlights
      After Action Report on Mosquito Palooza
      Approved recommendations:
      Organizational changes - who is in the organization
      Closer connection with emerg management directors EMDs
      Each town ask for a meeting with EMD by April 15th - FRCOG can come
      We may dedicate one CPHS oversight board meeting to meet with EMDs

      *Budget
      Overview - FRCOG collects fees from towns
      Primarily from:
      $163K from town assessments
      $95,000 resident permit fees
      FRCOG then leverages these to obtain grants, which provide services to towns at no added cost
      Town fees pay for (only) 27% of the budget
      $290K out of around $1M is paid by towns
      The rest (73%) is grant-funded
      FY26, starting July 2025
      Conway assessment - FY25 assessment was $11,500
      FY26: an inc of $300 to 11,800 (2.5% inc)
      Primary driver of inc’d cost is health insurance costs (11% inc)

      *Nursing Report
      Vaccinating for Flu and COVID, not yet for RSV
      COVID: Franklin county 22% vaccinated, much better than 16% state-wide
      Flu: state and county both around 33%
      Trend: fewer vaccines are being provided at clinics
      Reasons:
      less interest overall, esp in COVID
      More people are getting vax at pharmacy
      Mix of other factors
      Getting only one at a time
      Last year, vax were not available before clinics - a lot of demand at clinics
      This year, planned vax clinics in Oct, then vax’s were available in Sept
      So less demand for clinics
      FRCOG nurses aggressively getting to vulnerable homebound residents
      Do a lot of home visits - central part of the program often find another need to address once they are there
      Takes a lot of time, dollars, effort for each mobile vaccine clinic
      Is it worth it?
      FRCOG stands in support of public health measures
      A model of public health
      so continue

  5. Health and wellness report

    • General Discussion...
      Infectious Diseases:

      Bird flu (Avian flu) - risk is increasing - NY Times article 11.26.24
      Concern for next pandemic
      Pertussis/Whooping cough - increasing in adolescents in MA, not locally
      Walking Pneumonia, Mycoplasma bacteria - being seen locally, tho rates unknown bc not required to report
      Clade 1 mpox - 1st case in CA in November

      COVID: rates are very low, expected to rise in January
      Vaccine rate for town 30.4%, higher than state-wide

      Flu: rates rising slowly
      Vaccine rate 36.2%, higher than state-wide

      RSV:
      Vaccine rate 31.6%

      Tick-borne diseases:
      2024 so far: 149 cases in CPHS areas (Lyme, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, other)
      Lower rate than last year

      Drought: still at critical level

      Upcoming programs/trainings: (to be posted on BOH website)

      Tuesday, December 10: Public Health Nurse Meg Ryan will represent the Cooperative Public Health Service at the Senior Resource Fair, hosted at Greenfield Community College from 12 - 2pm. The Fair will host local organizations that enhance the quality of life of older adults through engagement or support.

      Thursday, December 12: At 6pm (online) there's a Tobacco Control Workshop for Boards of Health. Learn more about emerging nicotine products, the role of the local board of health, and what services are available to your town through the Mass Health Officers Association and the Pioneer Valley Tobacco Control Coalition. Info and RSVP at this link.

      Reducing Harm, Promoting Safety: A Public Health Perspective on Firearms
      12/19 Virtual Quarterly Meeting Registration now open!
      Title: Reducing Harm, Promoting Safety: A Public Health Perspective on Firearms

      Date and Time: December 19, 10 am - 11:30 am, virtual

      Speakers:
      Kathleen Berry, MA Public Education Lead, Grassroots for Gun Violence Prevention
      Heidi Porter, MPH, REHS/RS, Director of Health and Human Services, Town of Bedford

      Learning Objectives: At the end of this training program, participants will be able to:
      Explain facts and trends from gun violence research
      Describe prevention strategies and community engagement programs
      Identify resources to support harm reduction

      Model Tobacco Sales Regulation Information Training
      Registration is now open for three available dates
      Description: This program will provide an overview of the new model tobacco sales regulations with technical assistance providers. It will also go over policy and strategy recommendations for improving local tobacco control. The most recent model regulations will be provided to attendees following the course.

      This information is being provided for legal educational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice. Legal advice can only be provided by your municipal attorney.

      Date and Time:
      Friday, December 13th, 2024 at 10 am
      Monday, December 16, 2024 at 9:30am
      Monday, January 6, 2025 at 1pm

      Learning Objectives:

      Review of tobacco control model regulation with technical assistance providers
      Education on how to work with your board of health on adopting or updating your tobacco sales regulations
      New policy recommendations and strategies.

  6. Food services and inspections

    • General Discussion...
      Randy - renewal season; Baker’s to be renewed

      Shelburne Falls Rd - Randy sent letter, never heard back from her

      Anecdotally, she has not had food out for sale recently

  7. Septic and well permit applications

    • General Discussion...
      None

  8. Septic hauler and installer permit applications

    • General Discussion...
      Three applications ready for signature. Signed by Kathy and Gina, Emily can sign soon (by Dec. 31st)

  9. Opioid fund expenditures - current and future

    • General Discussion...
      11/25 balance $34,156.11
      After 7413.99 payment for defibrillators
      Invoice outstanding for Pioneer Women’s Health
      Ending balance of $27,997.11
      That will be available for Conway to spend
      Hanna will look into further programs and bring recommendations to the Board

  10. 1354 Ashfield Road

    • General Discussion...
      Chief Bates - report of couple living at Earthworks camp
      No heat, electricity, potable water
      FRCOG to visit the site - Randy will follow up
      Can’t have temp housing without approval from BOH

  11. Tobacco regulations

    • General Discussion...
      Tabled to next meeting
      Randy - DEP regs in newspaper
      Give them advance notice of public hearing
      Could do with BOH meeting - post it as a 5:30 hearing
      Randy or Ilana will be present - will affirm it was advertised and that Baker’s was advised
      Also advise how to open, conduct and close the meeting

  12. Emergency shelter management planning

    • General Discussion...
      Tabled - waiting to hear back from EMD/Amanda

  13. Monthly article for the Conway Currents / website

    • General Discussion...
      Hanna and Daniel to submit and share with the Board
      Kat has resigned from Conway Currents

  14. Unanticipated items of concern that arises after posting

    • General Discussion...
      Carl submitted his resignation to the Board - moving to Buckland - Effective 12/31/2024

      Kat proposes that we turn permitting services to FRCOG
      May reduce our assessment further

      Discussion

      FRCOG lead time for plan review, perc tests, soil tests currently about 3 weeks, down from about a month, Less for emergencies
      Final inspections: 48 hrs
      Title V - FRCOG witnesses them - Gina offering to review them as they arrive

      Local upgrade approvals
      Gina recommends they come before the Board to comply with code

      Private wells
      Consider if Conway should have our own regs or adopt FRCOG
      FRCOG will proceed with ours or theirs as we choose
      Gina to discuss with Randy

      If not FRCOG, Conway would have to search for another agent
      Hard to find, likely to cause significant delays
      Single agent - delays if they are away
      FRCOG - multiple agents available

      Motion to expand contract with FRCOG, seconded by Hanna
      Approved unanimously

      FRCOG will take over effective 01/01/2025

      MOTION, moved by Kathy Llamas, seconded by Hanna Sherman: to expand contract with FRCOG.

      Pass: Aye: Kathy Llamas, Hanna Sherman, Regina McNeely, Daniel Sheff. Not Present: Emily Sweet.

  15. Public comments

    • General Discussion...
      None

  16. Meeting Wrap-up

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

Minutes approved on Wednesday, Jan 8, 2025

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