Great Barrington Board of Health Meeting - February 5, 2026

The Great Barrington Board of Health met on February 5, 2026, at 6:38 PM via remote participation. Members present included Dr. Ruby Chang, Michael Lenew, and later Peter Stanton. The session covered special permits for local facilities, a public hearing on fee schedule updates, a correction order extension, and department updates.

Consent Calendar / Minutes

• The Board approved the minutes from the January 8th meeting. Motion by Ruby Chang, seconded by Michael Lenew. Vote: unanimous.

Discussion Items: Fairview Hospital Special Permit

• Brian Sider of Foresight Land Services presented a special permit request for a two-story, 50,000 square foot addition on the east side of Fairview Hospital. The addition will relocate the emergency department, radiology, imaging, and surgical services from cramped existing spaces into a new building. The project does not increase the number of beds (25) or the volume of water and sewer usage. It includes a new flat parking lot, geothermal wells, and a stormwater infiltration system. Solar panels were explored but deemed unfeasible. No incinerator will be added; medical waste will continue to be handled by a third party.
• Vicky Donahue of Fairview Hospital stated the project will also allow for the expansion of patient rooms to all private rooms and improve service vehicle access by repurposing the old emergency department for loading.
• Board members expressed strong support for the project, noting its long-awaited nature and benefits for emergency and critical care services. Questions were asked about construction noise (no blasting, normal hours), the timeline (18-month build, groundbreaking expected April 2026), and medical waste disposal.
• Vote: Motion to pass the special permit on to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) without comment. Made by Ruby Chang, seconded by Peter Stanton. Unanimous.

Discussion Items: 263 Long Pond Road Special Permit

• Brian Sider presented a special permit for renovating a house built in 1760 at 263 Long Pond Road. The house is a pre-existing non-conforming structure due to a three-foot encroachment into the front setback. The proposed addition includes a mudroom and screened porch expansion. The project also requires a separate septic system upgrade. Board members noted that the special permit is before them solely due to the non-conforming setback.
• Public Comment: Jan Mojik, a neighbor at 253 Long Pond Road, expressed concerns that the proposed septic system and its reserve area were too close to his well, which had to be drilled over 600 feet and fracked. He urged moving the system further north on the 32-acre property.
• Brian Sider responded that the location was chosen for suitable soil and gravity flow, but he was not initially aware the well was within 100 feet. He agreed to confirm the distance and adjust the design if necessary to meet Title 5 setback requirements.
• The Board noted that the septic plan is a separate approval process handled by the health department.
• Vote: Motion to pass the special permit on to the ZBA with the comment that the proposed septic system must meet proper setback requirements. Made by Peter Stanton, seconded by Ruby Chang. Unanimous.

Public Hearing: Proposed Fee Schedule Update

• The Board opened a public hearing to discuss the first update to the fee schedule since 2016. Health Agent Rebecca proposed increases to align permitting fees with an approximate $30 per hour health inspector rate, based on estimated inspection time.
• Board members Ruby Chang, Peter Stanton, and Michael Lenew discussed the need to set rates higher (e.g., $40 per hour) to better cover costs and support hiring a qualified health inspector. They also debated moving from a seating-capacity-based system to a risk-based or inspection-frequency-based model, citing Amherst's simpler flat-fee system ($300 per restaurant) as a potential model.
• It was agreed that the fee structure should be forward-looking and that seasonal vendors and tenant-landlord situations should be approached carefully.
• Vote: The public hearing was continued to the March 5, 2026 meeting. Rebecca will bring back additional columns showing comparables (Pittsfield, Amherst) and projections based on different hourly rates. Motion by Peter Stanton, seconded by Ruby Chang. Unanimous.

Public Hearing: 610 Manville Street, LLC Correction Order

• The Board held a public hearing regarding a correction order issued to 610 Manville Street, LLC for violations at a multi-family building at the corner of Manville and Main Street. Violations included cracked and uneven concrete walkways and steps, missing graspable handrails, and lack of illumination.
• The owner requested an extension to May 1st, 2026, to complete the concrete repairs due to weather constraints.
• The Board granted the extension with the added condition that the owner post warning signage (e.g., "Uneven Pavement") in the affected areas during the extension period.
• Vote: Motion to approve the extension to May 1st with warning signage. Unanimous.

Department Updates

• Rabies Clinic: The annual rabies clinic will be moved to May or June 2026 to align with warmer weather and improve attendance, despite not matching the April 1st dog licensing deadline.
• Homelessness/Pittsfield Collaboration: Rebecca reported a conversation with a Pittsfield Board of Health member about establishing a regional public health approach to homelessness. Great Barrington has not yet faced this as a pressing public health issue but may review Pittsfield's action plan for potential local application.

Adjournment

• The meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote.