Board of Health Meeting

Monday, November 10, 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)

• Absent: Daniel Sheff, Member
• Present: Regina McNeely, Member, at 5:00 PM
• Present: Hazel Goleman, at 5:00 PM
• Present: Kathy Llamas, Chair, at 5:00 PM
• Remote: Hanna Sherman, Member, at 5:00 PM

Also Present:

• Laurie Lucier

See original Agenda Draft Minutes * * *

Meeting opened: 5:00 PM

Meeting closed: 5:25 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Minutes Approved: Mon, Oct 27 - Board of Health Meeting

1. Mail and invoices

   • General Discussion...
     the usual sludge transport tickets and one Title V Inspection report

2. FRCOG inspections / report

   • General Discussion...
     Tabled - no rep from FRCOG present

3. Meetings / Trainings attended by board members

   • General Discussion...
     Gina - MDEP housing and homelessness data standards / first module of 'Train'
     Hazel - read up on maphco (she can be a rep for this)

4. Health and wellness report

   • General Discussion...
     MDPH News - email today from ORLH regarding the current status of SNAP benefits:
     “The Trump Administration has told states to stop issuing full benefits for November. We strongly disagree with their claim that we lacked authority to issue full benefits and are working closely with the Attorney General’s Office. We took steps to issue those benefits pursuant to the lower court order and USDA’s own November 7th guidance prior to any action by the Supreme Court.”
     
     Viral illnesses
     COVID-19, influenza, and RSV all remain low
     Covid wastewater testing by the state remains relatively low
     PopHIVE - pulls Google trends and healthcare records
     Confirms low levels - may be starting to show a very small uptick in flu
     Caitlin Rivers (epidemiologist) - review of state-level data also shows scattered areas starting to show an increase in flu, especially in youngsters, which is typical at the start of the season
     
     Now is a good time to get vaccinated for Covid and flu! Meg Ryan and Lisa White are available to help folks who may have trouble getting to a pharmacy for vaccination.
     
     CDC national data - The federal shutdown is in its fifth week, leading to five weeks without the CDC’s respiratory virus surveillance dashboards right as we are heading towards winter.
     
     Norovirus - data continue to be stalled by the federal shutdown
     
     Arboviruses - generally lower with colder temps but EEE risk is still moderate in some parts of the state and WNV is moderate in much of the state. In Conway, both are at the lowest ratings.
     
     Tick-borne illnesses
     Waiting on Oct data from the state. Reminder that while the majority of cases of tick-borne disease occur in June through August, there is a second peak in October-November. Still warrants precautions.
     
     Powassan virus human disease - a rare tick-borne neurologic disease with encephalitis and meningitis. Ranges from asymptomatic to severe neurologic effects. MA is one of 10 states with reported cases. All MA cases are in the eastern parts of the state - Essex and Bristol counties.
     
     Measles - cases are stable at 20-30 per week, with no clear trend up or down.
     Total national cases to date: 1686.
     Active outbreaks in Arizona/Utah at the border and in South Carolina.
     92% of cases have occurred in people who are not vaccinated, or whose vaccination status is unknown.
     Most cases are in those aged 5-19 years of age (40%),
     with 33% in aged 20 years and older,
     and 26% in those under 5.
     12% were hospitalized, and more than half of those hospitalized were children under 5.
     Three people have died from a measles infection so far this year.
     
     Avian flu
     No new human cases since mid October.
     
     Pertussis/Whooping Cough
     Vaccination rates have been lower, causing increased cases, especially in Louisiana - worst outbreak there in 35 years. Florida has had a 202% increase in cases this year compared to last year. Outbreaks in Oregon and Washington state are slowing though YTD cases are higher than last year.

5. CPHS Oversight Board meeting update

   • General Discussion...
     Meeting was postponed

6. Chairperson update

   • General Discussion...
     Contacted Phoebe Walker re extra opioid funds to the organizations we currently support. She suggested a program that assists people in obtaining their ID's or driver's license OR Mom's Do Care is hoping to expand their program.

7. Clerk update

   • General Discussion...
     Meeting documents will all be sent electronically to members prior to the meeting. Reminder that I will be out of the office November 21st through the 28th; I will be working remotely.

8. Unanticipated items of concern that arises after posting

   • General Discussion...
     None

9. Public comments

   • General Discussion...
     None

10. Meeting Wrap-up

    • Next Meetings:
      1. Mon, Nov 24, at 5:00 PM "Board of Health Meeting" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      2. Mon, Dec 8, at 5:00 PM "Board of Health Meeting" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      3. Mon, Dec 22, 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 Laurie Lucier