Notes from the Tri-Town Board of Health, January 6, Hybrid meeting

Present:

• Charles Kenny, Chair
• Jim Wilusz, Executive Director

Members of the Boards of Health of Lee, Lenox, and Hank Schwerner and Rae Williams from Stockbridge

1. Minutes approved as written
2. Chair announced a complaint was filed claiming the Tri-Town Board of Health violated an Open Meeting Law (OML).
   1. Chair took the complaint to Town Counsel (TC) who said OML was not violated
   2. At issue was whether the Chair had invited/allowed public comment at last meeting
   3. TC said Chair was not required to invite public comment
   4. However, Wilusz and Kenny agreed they would prefer to have public comment and would include time for it at upcoming meetings
   5. Chair asked that public comments be relevant to items on the agenda
3. In addition, the Chair explained the reason he did not invite public comment at the last meeting was that they were addressing the scheduling of a Public Hearin not the issue itself — mandating proof of vaccine to enter a restaurant.
   1. Tri-Town Board members, Dianne Romeo, Noel Flagg, Joanne Sullivan also spoke to the issue.
   2. A Board member asked if owners and representatives of restaurants could send in written comments if unable to the public hearing? Wilusz said yes – send to his office.
4. A member of the public, Jim Castagnaro from Lee spoke and was not pleased to have public comment limited to agenda items – he wanted to discuss whatever subject concerned him — for example the PCB Dump proposed for Lee.
5. Chair said he hoped to guide discussions to "stay on track".
6. Wilusz will schedule and advertise public hearing on vaccine mandate

Meeting adjourned

Photo: Joan Gallos