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Record of Proceedings

Great Barrington Board of Health Meeting - October 1, 2026

Selectboard & Town Boards — Thursday, October 1, 2026
BodyGreat Barrington, Massachusetts
SessionSelectboard & Town Boards
DateThursday, October 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:05:47

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:01

So again, it's the introductory paragraph pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12th, 2020 order.

0:07

Suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law and Governor Healy's March 29th, 2023 revised order.

0:13

Extending remote participation by all members and any meeting of public body, this meeting of the Great Maries of Board of Health will be conducted by a remote participation to the greatest extent possible.

0:23

Specific information in the general guidelines for remote participation by the members of the public andor parties, right?

0:30

And our requirement to attend this meeting can be found on the town's website at town og this meeting.

0:37

Members of the public who wish to listen to the meeting may do so in the following manner.

0:41

See instructions at the top of the agenda.

0:44

No inversive attendance of members of the public open commitment.

0:47

But every effort we made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time by technological means.

Unassigned speaker

1:02

Dr.

Speaker 1

1:02

Ruby Chen.

1:04

Here.

1:06

And I'm here well, Michael and New First Order of Business.

1:11

Our approval of the minutes from September 3rd.

1:16

I was not present, so I will excuse myself for this vote.

Speaker 2

1:22

I make a motion to approve of the minutes from September 3rd.

1:30

September

Unassigned speaker

1:32

Yes,

Speaker 1

1:32

September, yeah.

Speaker 2

1:33

Okay.

1:34

For September 3rd.

Unassigned speaker

1:37

All

Speaker 1

1:37

right.

1:37

So the roll call will be Peter.

Speaker 2

1:40

All right.

Speaker 1

1:42

Ruby.

Speaker 2

1:43

I

Speaker 1

1:45

abstain due to

Speaker 2

1:48

I just want I just want to um remind that we still have the August six minutes that we did not approve because of uh attendance uh because you were not there.

2:04

You are not, you are not at the last meeting.

Unassigned speaker

2:08

Oh

Speaker 2

2:09

so we will we will need to do that at our next meeting.

2:13

Sure.

2:14

Unless unless you've read through it and you can approve it, you feel comfortable approving

Unassigned speaker

2:20

it.

Speaker 1

2:22

I did read through the uh August minutes.

Unassigned speaker

2:30

Well

Speaker 1

2:31

I can't remember seeing them, but I don't we don't have it posted.

2:34

So we'll just we'll just throw it on there for next meeting.

2:37

Okay.

2:37

And then I can look back at

Unassigned speaker

2:39

it

Speaker 1

2:40

since I can't remember specifically that I

Unassigned speaker

2:42

did.

Unassigned speaker

2:44

All

Speaker 1

2:44

right, thanks for reminding it.

2:45

We'll get that on the agenda for the next time.

2:49

Uh Board of Health Questions and Updates.

2:53

Any questions or updates from the board.

Speaker 2

2:58

Um, I I have two updates.

3:00

Number one is that the West Now virus uh uh uh people that have caught have come down with West Nile virus now number around 11.

3:13

They are predominantly elderly and male.

3:18

There's only one female, and most of the human cases involve meningitis encephalitis.

3:26

They're all along the um Boston outside suburbs area.

3:34

So we do not have any cases locally, however, we still need to remind people to protect themselves from mosquitoes due to the excessive rain we've

Unassigned speaker

3:45

had

Speaker 2

3:46

and to make sure that your screens are fixed, that there are no holes, um, and dump out all of you know water that is accumulated in your tires in any containers outdoors.

4:01

Uh, but we are getting toward the end of it.

4:04

Number two, I would like to make a recommendation that uh as the Board of Health member that I would like to support our health agent to make sure that the town is actively looking for some support for our one health agent that came on board in August.

4:30

Um the amount of work that's involved is more than can be managed with one health agent.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety████████████████████20%
Environmental Protection███████████████████19%
Public Health████████████████16%
Procedural██████████10%
Personnel Matters██████████10%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Waste Management Regulations████████8%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Great Barrington Board of Health Meeting - October 1, 2026

The Great Barrington Board of Health met remotely on October 1, 2026. The meeting included discussion of West Nile virus cases, a proposal to hire additional health department staff, updates on the manganese filtration system at the water plant, concerns about groundwater contamination from an auto wrecking facility, and a review of solid waste hauler regulations. The board also heard public comment regarding vaccine education.

Approval of Minutes

  • The board approved minutes from September 3, 2026, with Dr. Ruby Chen abstaining due to absence. The August 6, 2026 minutes remain unapproved and will be revisited at the next meeting.

Board Health Updates & Discussion

West Nile Virus Update

  • Dr. Ruby Chen reported 11 human cases of West Nile virus in the Boston suburbs, predominantly elderly males, with one female. Most cases involved meningitis or encephalitis. No local cases in Great Barrington, but she urged residents to protect against mosquitoes due to recent heavy rain.

Staffing Support for Health Agent

  • Dr. Chen proposed sending a letter to the Select Board and Town Manager requesting the hiring of a part-time administrative/inspector to support the health agent, noting the heavy workload and upcoming permitting season. Board members agreed but first will consult with Health Agent Liz by email to gather her input before drafting the letter.

Manganese Filtration System – Water Works

  • Dr. Chen reported ongoing contact with Solo Dennis of Mass DEP regarding the manganese filtration plant. Recent media reports indicate a lack of funds to complete the system. The board will follow up.

Auto Wrecking Company – Groundwater Concerns

  • A board member raised concerns about potential groundwater contamination from the All-Star auto wrecking site, referencing a 2022 fire, an oil spill, a dry well, and DEP fines for non-compliance. The board discussed the need to identify which town agency is responsible for monitoring wells and groundwater quality in the area. Dr. Chen will start conversations with relevant departments.

Solid Waste Hauler Regulations

  • The board discussed updating the town’s hauler regulations using a new Mass DEP template. Key issues include whether to cover residential only or both residential and commercial haulers, and how to enforce compliance for haulers that take waste out of state. The first step will be to circulate the draft to current permit holders and the Town Manager for feedback before scheduling a public hearing.

Permit Fee Schedule

  • The board reviewed the fee schedule, which was updated earlier in 2026. They decided to take up a comprehensive review again next year at the same time.

Pool Barrier at Lantern Motel

  • Health Agent James reported coordination with the Building Department on pool barrier fencing at the Lantern Motel. The board is flexible about the fence type as long as it meets safety requirements. The building department is managing the permitting process.

COVID-19/Flu Test Kits and Lipton Mart Fine

  • James noted that new COVID/influenza test kits have arrived and are being distributed. The Lipton Mart fine remains unpaid; a second notice was sent, and a hearing may be scheduled if payment is not received within 21 days.

Seasonal Inspections

  • The permitting season for wells is beginning, and approximately 23–25 barn and animal inspections are pending. Restaurant inspections are going well with the help of Rebecca.

Future Regulations

  • The board prioritized updating hauler regulations before taking up other regulations such as mobile body art and noise.

Public Comments & Testimony

Dina Fisher (84 Cottage Street)

  • Ms. Fisher requested that the board develop an educational program about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 and flu vaccines, citing community fear due to federal changes. She argued the board has an obligation to educate the public. Dr. Ruby Chen responded with a detailed explanation of Massachusetts’ vaccine regulatory process, noting that state oversight remains robust. The board thanked her for her comment and stated they would take it under advisement, with a response possible at the November meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • The September 3 minutes were approved (Dr. Ruby Chen abstained).
  • The board will consult with the health agent and then draft a letter to the Select Board/Town Manager requesting part-time staff support.
  • The board will follow up with Mass DEP on the manganese filtration system funding issue.
  • The board will begin investigating groundwater monitoring responsibility for the area near the auto wrecking site.
  • The board will circulate the draft hauler regulations to permit holders and the Town Manager for feedback.
  • The next meeting is scheduled for November 5, 2026, at 7:00 PM, with a hybrid format.

Meeting Transcript

So again, it's the introductory paragraph pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12th, 2020 order. Suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law and Governor Healy's March 29th, 2023 revised order. Extending remote participation by all members and any meeting of public body, this meeting of the Great Maries of Board of Health will be conducted by a remote participation to the greatest extent possible. Specific information in the general guidelines for remote participation by the members of the public andor parties, right? And our requirement to attend this meeting can be found on the town's website at town og this meeting. Members of the public who wish to listen to the meeting may do so in the following manner. See instructions at the top of the agenda. No inversive attendance of members of the public open commitment. But every effort we made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time by technological means. Dr. Ruby Chen. Here. And I'm here well, Michael and New First Order of Business. Our approval of the minutes from September 3rd. I was not present, so I will excuse myself for this vote. I make a motion to approve of the minutes from September 3rd. September Yes, September, yeah. Okay. For September 3rd. All right. So the roll call will be Peter. All right. Ruby. I abstain due to I just want I just want to um remind that we still have the August six minutes that we did not approve because of uh attendance uh because you were not there. You are not, you are not at the last meeting. Oh so we will we will need to do that at our next meeting. Sure. Unless unless you've read through it and you can approve it, you feel comfortable approving it. I did read through the uh August minutes. Well I can't remember seeing them, but I don't we don't have it posted. So we'll just we'll just throw it on there for next meeting. Okay. And then I can look back at it since I can't remember specifically that I did. All right, thanks for reminding it. We'll get that on the agenda for the next time. Uh Board of Health Questions and Updates. Any questions or updates from the board. Um, I I have two updates.

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