Board of Health Meeting

Monday, April 28, 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:

• Randy Crochier
• Laurie Lucier
• Hazel Goleman

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 5:05 PM

Meeting closed: 7:00 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Minutes Approved: Mon, Apr 14 - Board of Health Meeting

   • Minutes Approved: Tue, Apr 22 - Board of Health

1. Mail and invoices

   • General Discussion...
     Sludge transport tickets / one system inspection / MDAR appointments for two barn inspectors

2. FRCOG inspections / report

   • General Discussion...
     Randy says that inspections are picking up.
     Pending: food permit for the Town Hall, Title V Inspection for 543 Williamsburg Rd, and Septic Application for 10 Pine Hill Rd.
     Scheduled: Title V's for 39 Boyden Rd., 197 Shelburne Falls Rd., and 85 Dacey Rd.
     Title V Conditional Pass: 194 Upper Baptist Hill Rd

3. Meetings / Trainings attended by board members

   • General Discussion...
     Daniel and Kat attended the CPHS Oversight Committee meeting
     Kat, Gina and Laurie attended the MAHB Conference

4. Health and wellness report

   • General Discussion...
     Respiratory illnesses
     MA-DPH says:
     COVID - cases are now below the nadir of last fall
     Flu - now “minimal” in central and western MA
     The slow tailing off is down to baseline
     RSV has been and remains low
     
     Norovirus - national pooled data
     Via CDC - still very interrupted - a few more weeks are uploaded - how reliable?
     Last update now Apr 3rd
     Finally trending downward
     Typical year peaks with 90-100 outbreaks
     This year we peaked at over 200
     Now down to 30
     
     EEE/WNV risk -
     Still “Remote” in Conway - and still “Low” in Ashfield, Shelburne and Buckland
     More areas of “Moderate” risk in eastern MA, and now central MA - clearly increasing
     Mosquito season picking up
     
     Tick-borne illness:
     Ticks are now year-round
     DPH tracks number of cases per ED visits - last report through February
     Still low, and picking up
     Was April’s Conway Currents topic
     Most vulnerable are young and elderly
     
     Measles update
     DPH webinar tomorrow, April 28
     As of April 24, 2025: 884 confirmed cases in 30 states
     In New England: RI, VT
     In Northeast: NY, NJ

5. Body Art regulations

   • General Discussion...
     Reviewed final draft of regulations. Addressed some questions.
     Public hearing to be scheduled

     MOTION, moved by Hanna Sherman, seconded by Daniel Sheff: to accept the regulations reflecting changes discussed.

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

6. Septic regulations

   • General Discussion...
     Reviewed draft regulations with Randy Crochier, FRCOG Health Agent

     MOTION, moved by Regina McNeely, seconded by Hanna Sherman: to not accept the septic regulations as written.

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

7. Opioid fund expenditures - current and future

   • General Discussion...
     Hanna would like to look into a Youth Prevention Program next.

8. Clerk update

   • General Discussion...
     None

9. Unanticipated items of concern that arises after posting

   • General Discussion...
     None

10. Public comments

    • General Discussion...
      None

11. Meeting Wrap-up

    • Next Meetings:
      1. Wed, May 7, at 6:00 PM "BOH Public Hearing on Tobacco Control Regulations" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      2. Mon, May 12, at 5:00 PM "Board of Health Meeting" -- Town Hall Office Meeting Space
      3. Mon, May 26, at 5:00 PM "Board of Health Meeting" -- CANCELLED -- 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

Minutes approved on Tuesday, May 13, 2025