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Conway

  • Town of Conway Massachusetts
  • 32 Main Street
  • 413-369-4235
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Board of Health Meeting

Monday, August 11, 2025, 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)

  • Present: Kathy Llamas, Chair, at 5:00 PM
  • 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: Hazel Goleman, at 5:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Randy Crochier
  • Laurie Lucier

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 5:00 PM

Meeting closed: 5:50 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. Mail and invoices

    • General Discussion...
      Nothing to report

  3. FRCOG inspections / report

    • General Discussion...
      Whately Rd. soil evaluation application

      MOTION, moved by Regina McNeely, seconded by Kathy Llamas: to approve the Local Upgrade Application for 104 Academy Hill Road, to change the separation from 5' to 3'.

      Pass: Aye: Hanna Sherman, Regina McNeely, Daniel Sheff, Hazel Goleman, Kathy Llamas.

  4. Meetings / Trainings attended by board members

    • General Discussion...
      None reported

  5. Health and wellness report

    • General Discussion...
      Viral illnesses
      COVID, flu and RSV activity all remain low in our area
      Wastewater surveillance is also low
      No summer surge - here at least
      Nationally, there are pockets of increased COVID cases
      West - CA, Nevada, Utah, Colorado
      South - Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, FL all “high” - Louisiana “very high”
      Across the Northeast - moderate

      Norovirus activity remains low

      Arboviruses - EEE, WNV
      MA-DPH Arbovirus page

      EEE - 7/23 - first EEE-positive mosquito detection - Belchertown
      Typical time of year for this to appear
      More commonly appears in the Plymouth area - this was a little unusual
      Risk is moderate around Belchertown - Pelham, Granby and Ware
      Also in the Plymouth area where several mosquitos tested positive
      Otherwise low risk across much of the state
      Remote in Conway and a broad surrounding area
      Total: 7 EEE+ mosquito samples, no human or animal cases
      Last year there were 4 human cases in MA, and four in horses (vector)
      Mosquito precautions

      WNV - 135 positive mosquitos across the state, one animal case, no human cases
      Most in Plymouth county, Middlesex, Suffolk, Worcester areas
      Also in Deerfield, Leyden, Rowe
      Northampton, West Springfield, Pittsfield, Great Barrington
      Risk level Low in Conway and much of the state
      Moderate in Deerfield, Greenfield, Leyden
      Pockets of Moderate risk - Middlesex, Bristol, Plymouth counties,
      Barnstable county/Cape

      Tick-borne illnesses
      Most recent data: July 8th
      Visits for tick exposure and for tick related diagnoses are tracking similarly to last year
      Historically, cases have risen during May and June, peaking in July. So we are in line with that.
      Translates into a significant number of cases here
      CPHS nurses: in July, 54 tick-borne illnesses - 7 Lyme, 13 Anaplasmosis, 4 Babesiosis

      DPH webinar on tick-borne diseases Aug 5th
      State-wide: Lyme Disease, Babesiosis, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, Borrelia and
      Powassan virus
      By age, rates/100K highest for 65-85 yr old
      This year, we’re seeing an increased rate ages 5-14
      Powassan virus - the least common tick-borne illness, though it is increasing
      Also the most severe
      Starts with fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness
      Can progress to severe disease, including encephalitis and meningitis.
      Symptoms: confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, and seizures.
      Over 90% hospitalized, 20% mortality

      Measles
      The apparent slow-down has not continued - 30 new cases over two weeks

      Avian flu
      Infections have declined in both birds and mammals - CDC shifted from weekly to monthly reporting.
      only three cases of H5N1 in humans this year—compared with 67 in 2024.
      Johns Hopkins: CDC is not tracking animal cases anymore. It used to be that on the same page, you’d see on a weekly basis the number of human cases along with how many cases have been reported in different animal species, and that was all linked to USDA databases. Now CDC is just linking to USDA sites and not putting that information together.

  6. CPHS Oversight Board meeting update

    • General Discussion...
      Tick-borne and mosquito-borne disease - as of 7/24:
      54 tick-borne illnesses since June - 7 Lyme, 13 Anaplasmosis, 4 Babesiosis
      EEE in Belchertown - usually in Plymouth area
      *CPHS nurses are available to help us with info, resources

      Pre-CPHS Town Hall Files
      FRCOG will email us asking about whom to contact for inquires about before FRCOG served Conway

      We have MOU from Phoebe re tobacco regs. - ?

      Home Burial
      Slides - Home and Green Burials - outlines the process involved
      Main point - it takes time, likely months
      CPHS will create a “So you want to have a home burial” document for our reference and for website

      Drowning - need BOH/FCOG review before reopening - site visit 7/24

      Northfield passed its first-ever tobacco regs

      “Broadening the Lens” - an introductory 3-hour virtual learning event that explores how to examine public health questions through the lens of racial and social justice, and how to approach existing inequities in practical ways. Wed Aug 27, 11-2, QR code to register.
      Broadening the Lens_August

  7. Updates on emergency coordination

    • General Discussion...
      There is a meeting scheduled at the school with the Board of Health chair, the Town Administrator, and the EMD director.

  8. Clerk update

    • General Discussion...
      The Cemetery Commission will be attending the next regular meeting

  9. Unanticipated items of concern that arises after posting

    • General Discussion...
      None

  10. Public comments

    • General Discussion...
      None

  11. 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 Laurie Lucier

Minutes approved on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025