[0:01] Um, we’re going to call to order the Board of Health meeting for Tuesday, September 8th, 2026. Uh, it’s just about 7 p.m.. Um, the board is in person in the meeting room. And then we also have the zoom link active. Um, we have a few things on the agenda tonight.

[0:21] Um, the first is a discussion and vote to approve meeting minutes from our last meeting in August, which was August 11th, 2026. I have the meeting. You have them. Okay. Thank you. I saw them in my email to thank you. So. Since this meeting is, uh, not that long ago, it’s kind of fresh.

[0:48] So it’s easy to review and be like, oh, yeah. Yeah, I remember that. Uh, last. We go, if you guys want to review you. I did skim it in my email, but I will skim it again. Now.

[1:14] Um, so regarding the meeting minutes there, um, is just one more set of minutes. That is outstanding in terms of the backlog I inherited when I started this position. So I just have that month. Um, so next month there will be two minutes and then we’re all caught up. Amazing. Thank you so much. That is great. It’s a lot easier to approve them when they’re fresh.

[1:35] As they go. Yeah. So it’s appreciated. Um, I don’t have any revisions. To those. Uh, after. We vote, I just. Need a, um, a motion. If somebody is willing to make one. Yeah, I make a motion to approve the meeting. Minutes from August 11th. Excuse me. 2026, a second. Okay. Excuse me. Christina. Yes. Yes. Allison. Yes.

[2:28] Perfect. Those are approved. Thank you. I appreciate. It. Um, moving on to our next agenda item. We have health director updates, so I will pass it over to Brittany for anything we need to know for the month. Great. Um, okay, so a few dates to keep in mind.

[2:43] We have our household hazardous Waste day coming up next Saturday or two. Yeah, next Saturday, the 19th, September 19th, 9 to 12. Right here at the town Hall with Trident again. Um, we have the list of acceptable items posted on the town website.

[3:03] We have the road sign out, um, alerting residents of the date and if anybody has any questions about acceptable or not acceptable items, they can call us. And the health department will be able to answer their questions. Is there what time was that one? 9 to 12. Yep. Uh, the next date to keep in mind is our annual flu vaccine clinic.

[3:29] So that is going to be here at the town Hall on Tuesday, October 6th for at 11 to 1230 for residents and town hall employees. Um, it will be at the Public Safety building before that for public safety employees. And then it will open up to residents and town hall employees. At 11:00, we’ll be here in the Heritage Room. Tuesday, October 6th.

[3:49] Um, the nursing staff does ask people pre-register, just makes check in and all of that a lot easier. So we have the QR code posted, different places. If residents would like to register, they need help. They can come by the office. We’d help them register if they need it.

[4:05] Um, we’d love to get the word spread on that and see a good turnout for the flu clinic this year. So. Uh, the next thing you’ll see in your packet is we did receive one resume for our public health nurse. Um, based on my initial review, it seemed like one that I wanted to bring to you all to take a look at.

[4:26] And I could move forward with conducting an interview, if that’s the process that the board wants to go through. If they’d like myself to do an interview at first and then bring them to the board for a second interview, I could also see if one of the public health nurses, a part of the Randolph

[4:42] team, would be open to interviewing with me as well. Um, so those are just some options, but figured I’d print that resume off for you to take a look at and see how you want me to move forward. Yeah, there are some things that I. That I like about this resume. Yes, it.

[5:04] Is great. Um. Have you have you been in contact with the applicant? Yes. Yep. We’ve emailed back and forth a few times. I let them know I was going to be bringing it to the Board of Health meeting tonight, and I would give them a call tomorrow to let them know the next step.

[5:20] Um, are they’re aware that it’s like a per diem, part time stipend? Yes. Correct. Correct. Okay, great. Um. What do Chris and Christina. What do either of you think about having Brittany do. The first? Christina. Yeah, I was going to say that I would, uh, probably prefer that just because you would have, um.

[5:49] More pertinent questions to ask that and, uh, have more knowledge, and I would. Then I think if any of us had, um, questions, we wanted to make sure Brittany asked me. I’m sure we could just send them over to you, too. But, um. Yeah, I don’t I think my my preference is to have you kind of filter through. Right.

[6:19] Because there’s, we know there’s going to be some applicants where, um, either they’re just not the right fit or they don’t have the qualifications we’re looking for or what have you. So, um, I think for the just the sake of being efficient with people’s time, don’t have a problem with with you doing that. Great.

[6:34] All right. Sounds good. All right. Um, next update. Just wanted to let you all know that Zena is getting ready to take her serve safe exam so she will be able to conduct inspections.

[6:53] She’s been coming out with me and doing a great job training and learning, so the serve Safe exam will be the last thing on the agenda. And, um, I’ll be able to send her out on her own if, when, as soon as she feels comfortable. So I haven’t taken that test six times myself. Yeah. You’ll be fine. Good luck. Yep. All right. And then my last update was.

[7:10] I just wanted to let you all know I did conduct one perc test last week. Um, with Charlie Woodward. It was out at 109 ah, Woodlawn Road. And it’s for new construction. Um, it will have to go before the other boards. Planning, conservation, all of that.

[7:27] But the Perc test is always the first start, just to make sure the soil is okay. And it did have two good perks that day, so just wanted to mention it. And it might be on our agenda sometime in the foreseeable future. Might be a little ways away, because they do have to go before other boards first, but just, you.

[7:43] Know that you said that was Woodlawn. Woodlawn? Yes. Road or ave? Road. Mhm. Randall. Yeah. That’s what’s coming up. Yeah. That’s what that’s what comes up on Google. It’s yeah it’s very close to the line of the. Yeah. The Randolph. I thought it was but I was like then I confused myself. Yeah okay.

[8:13] And it’s another situation where they are able to connect to water with Randolph. But they would not be able to connect to Sewer or Randolph. So. Understood. Yep. Okay. And other than the agenda items, that’s my last health director update. Okay. Any questions for Brittany? No.

[8:42] Okay. Um, the next agenda item we have is a discussion on the, um, state order. Um, which is scheduling kratom as a schedule one substance in the Commonwealth. Um, so Brittany and I have had a couple conversations about this just because it was, um, something that came up really quickly.

[9:01] But I’m going to let Brittany, um, fill in the board and the public about what is going on with that. Great. All right. So, um, we were notified from the state that they were doing an immediate action on a one year order to ban the the sale of kratom and kratom containing

[9:23] products. So the letter that was hand delivered to the retailers is in your packet here, and it lists all of the products that that typically go by the name of kratom. So those would be the products that would be banned. Um, the state did alert us of this.

[9:41] They gave us about a two week time frame, um, before they were issuing the the effective date, which is, which was August 28th of 2026. Um, so I got this letter together, provided a little informational packet for our retailers as well, which is included.

[10:02] They’re just talking about what kratom is and how it acts and attaches to the opioid receptors in the brain. Um, so that is found in there helping take steps to avoid overdose risk. And then also, um, a link for risk community resources that links to our new community resource pages on the website just for people to have access to those.

[10:23] So these were all hand delivered to our retailers. Um, and each retailer received them at some retailer there was for, I believe, retailers that were currently selling the product. One of the retailers immediately removed it from their shelf. They’re like, we’re not waiting till Friday. Um, the other ones ensured that they understood the order and that they would comply.

[10:40] Starting effective August 28th and would pull the very. There was only a few products on the shelves. Um, on most of the in the those for retailers. So. Um, the state has said that the local boards of health are responsible for ensuring that this, um, is complied with. So we’ll add it to our inspection list. So.

[11:08] I think probably the couple of important things to know or keep in mind that have come up that Brittany and I have talked about. One, I think, is that, um, it’s like a weird intersection of people that are licensed as like a tobacco retailer, but also the way they’re enforcing this is actually through the food code.

[11:29] So the food retailers, I think, like I also received notice from the health department about it because theoretically you could also sell it as a food product. So it’s a weird like overlap, I think.

[11:50] Um, and then, um, the other thing that Brittany and I talked about, and I think is part of the reason we included the community resources, too, is that, um, I think there’s probably two things that come to mind. So, you know, the governor ended up taking action on this, um, and, um, it did.

[12:16] So from the thought process that it was removing the product from the potential for youth to buy it from the stores. Um, but I think also in doing that, um. Has probably also created the opportunity where people who have either in a, uh, problematic or non problematic way have been buying and using kratom supplements are not going to have access to treatment resources because a lot of programs that provide substance use treatment are not, um, very

[12:42] well versed in, uh, in kratom and helping folks either stop or manage the use that that looks like. Um, so I do I know some communications went out to some of the state licensed programs.

[13:01] Um, but I think we wanted to make sure that people knew of some different places they could go to if they were looking for resources. And then the other was making sure we included the information about access to naloxone.

[13:20] Um, because I think the other concern is that, um, as the products become less available, there is probably a group of people who will shift to buying, um, unregulated street drugs that provide a similar effect, which are much, much riskier for overdose. And so, um, I think just wanted people to make sure, um, that they knew where some of those other resources were as well.

[13:37] So I think it definitely put the boards of health in a, uh, very interesting situation very quickly where, um, you know, I don’t some, some towns have already passed their own form of a ban on this, and now the state is superseding it and it looks different. And so it is a very odd, um, very odd situation for us to be. Yeah.

[14:06] Um, any questions? Um, for Brittany or I on the kratom ban? Uh, any of the stores selling it right around here? Uh, I think Brittany said there were four. Four of our 16 retailers had three of them had one product that was visible that they were selling, and then one of them had quite, quite a few products.

[14:24] Um, all of them received the packet and understood. So we’ll be doing a follow up inspection to ensure that they took those products off the shelf. One of them removed it right away. So. Mhm. Yep. Yeah.

[14:40] And I do I just want to say thank you to Brittany and Zona for making sure that um, that communication went out in person to the retailers as well, because that was something that they had requested when we spoke with them last time. Um, so I appreciate you doing that. Um, thank you. Uh, other questions. No, I had sent some to Brittany. Okay. Awesome. Email should. We don’t have.

[15:03] No. Nope. There’s nothing for us to vote on. It has been decided for us. Yes. So you. Don’t have state made the decision. Regulation at all? We just enforce it. Um. It’s possible. Then. Possibly then. Write it. Depending on. What the state is going to do. Yeah. Um, I do know some other.

[15:22] I think that the, the handful of municipalities that have passed a regulation on it have gone a few different ways, and I do think my own personal opinion is that, um, like, intelligent and strategic regulation is better than a straight out ban, which is what some municipalities have done.

[15:41] Where there is there’s an age limit, there’s some packaging requirements. It has to be behind the count. Like there’s a whole list of of things. Um, rather than outright banning it. Um, but I don’t think we’ll know until closer to a year from now what the state is.

[15:57] There’s also federal some federal stuff coming down the pike to where the feds are looking at scheduling this. So if the federal government does it, then it will fall in line, I think, with other things that are scheduled. So. Time will tell. For the next. Not for me. Okay.

[16:23] Um, so we have a discussion and vote, um, for the moa tobacco MoU for fiscal year 27. Uh, Brittany, tell us what we need to know. Yes. Yep. Um, I, I just have one copy to pass down because it will require a signature. Um, so I’ve just printed one copy for you all.

[16:41] It’s very, if not word for word, similar to the one that you had signed last year with the with MOA. And this is just to request that we enter in the MoU for a tobacco inspector. So they will do tobacco inspections for us and also youth compliance checks. So, um, it’s just the the MOU with that. I’ll just pass it down. Thank you.

[17:06] Um, is there any discussion? Did you say there were changes from last year? No, no. Um, it’s the only they had. They have an assigned us and inspect. Once they receive that, then they’ll assign us an inspector. So there’s a chance it’s Casey again. Or maybe a different inspector. So. Yeah. Um. Yep.

[17:24] I mean, my thoughts would just be that it was helpful to have, you know, an expert. Yeah, to be able to do that. So I thought it. Was in the. State. Beneficial. Yeah. Right. Right. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I think any little support. You have enough of things to do? Yeah.

[17:42] Especially the youth compliance checks, because they all know me and they all know Zona. So I don’t think we could pass for a no. Yes. For an. Unknown like. Underaged fire. Yeah. Thank you. Walk in with a Groucho Marx. Maybe I just showed my age. I knew I knew what you meant. There you go.

[19:13] Does anybody want to make a motion on the MOU? Uh, yes. I would like to make a motion to approve the, um hoa tobacco MoU for fiscal year 27. I second Christina. Yes, Chris. Yes. Allison. Yes. Great. I will sign that and return it to you. Great. Sounds good. Thanks. Um, our next agenda item is a discussion.

[19:39] And vote for Lutz septic installer permit. Uh, Brittany, what do we need to know for this? Yep. Um, so this is just a renewal for, um, for Lutz landscaping and excavating with. For Brian Lutz. Um, he provided his application here, and payment is attached.

[19:56] He also provided a letter of another town he’s licensed in in Pembroke. So that’s. And there as well. Again, it’s just a renewal. Um. There’s no this. No, I think I have to sign it. Does he have one pending, like a septic system that he’s looking to do? So he is on the interested list for the 52 Quincy Street. Okay.

[20:30] Um, project. Gotcha. So I wanted to make sure his renewal. Was up to date. So he’s, like, right next door. Yeah. That’s right in his right in his front yard. So. Thank you. Sorry. Did you end up with the minutes? I have the minutes here. Yep. Thank you.

[22:00] Any other questions or comments on the septic installer permit? Nope. Okay. Um, what? I do one like to make a motion on that. I make a motion to approve the permit renewal for Lutz septic installer. I second Christina. Yes. Chris. Yes. Allison. Yes. Great. If you want to sign on, I’ll. I’ll pass it on down. Fabulous. All right. Moving along.

[22:26] We have a discussion. And vote for a body art establishment renewal for needle juice. Um, I know y’all are here. And then we have the item for the body art practitioner two. Do you want us to take them to together? Is that easier? What? I would. So she’s not here.

[22:42] Okay. She’s on zoom. So she’s a I think we’ll do it separately. Yeah, absolutely. That’s totally fine. Um, so this is a renewal for the establishment because it’s been a year. Wow. That’s crazy. Okay, great. Um, Brittany, tell us what you need. What we need to know. Have you been in for an inspection? What? Give.

[23:06] Give us the scoop. Yep. So I did receive the the renewal application, which was filled out. Um, also was included was the same information from last year, which was the the bloodborne pathogen exposure control plan and their emergency preparedness plan. Um, inspection report. Everything went well. Um, no. No concerns from that.

[23:26] That’s included in this as well. Um, they’re still using the same record keeping of keep the fees. They’re still using the same, um, sharps container waste disposal contract with advent waste. Um, yeah. Everything looked about the same as before. So the packets right here for you. I’ll send it down. Wonderful.

[23:48] Um, anything you wanted to share? Do you want to tell us how it’s going? You don’t have to. Just. Just offering. It’s going great. Great. Good. I think we changed for the hours. Yep. Make sure that now it’s mostly appointment only during the week. Just to. Make sure. Keep. You know, random people coming in. Yeah, absolutely. Yep. Yep. Okay.

[24:47] And currently, there is only one licensed practitioner at the establishment. Um, what I would probably do on the applicant, I see it in writing further in, um, on the front for right now, what I probably would do is take piercing off and then it doesn’t require an entire new application to then add it on. Yeah.

[25:37] Yeah. Okay. Yep. Yep. Yep. No, no. That’s okay. I don’t remember which way I did it. No no no. I’ll make a note. Thank you. Yep. I yeah, I saw it later in the packet. Uh. Okay. There you go, Chris. Sorry. Any questions? Discussion on the renewal. Nope. Okay.

[26:44] Um, does anyone want to make a motion on that agenda item? Sure thing. I make a motion to approve the body art establishment renewal for a needle Juice, Inc. at 21 North Franklin Street. Okay. I second. Christina. Yes. Yes. Yes. Allison. Yes. Great. So that renewal is approved. Awesome. Um. The piercing. Let me read the actual agenda item.

[27:09] Um, it was a discussion. And vote for a body art practitioner. Permit for piercing for Samantha Tartaglia. Um, so you said she’s not able to make it tonight? I don’t know. Okay. Thing is wrong. So I. Yeah, we spoke not even long ago. She was ready for the meeting, so I just haven’t heard from them today.

[27:28] Okay. Um, I only just had a couple of minutes to look through this with Brittany tonight. I can let Brittany also fill in the full board. I think that, um, probably a couple of things have to happen in order to. In order, at least for me to feel comfortable approving the permit.

[27:47] That mostly has to do with the autoclave and the testing of the light. Like there’s like a couple of boxes to get checked off there. So I don’t know. I’ll let Brittany speak. Um, and tell us what, um, what you guys have talked about, but.

[28:04] Yeah, so the, the applications here, which I can send down to as well. So, um, most of the documentation that’s required was included. So there is, you know, the anatomy training course. Um, there is a CPR first aid certification letter in here. Um, the after speaking with Margaux a little bit about the.

[28:25] So the intent would be for the piercer to bring their own autoclave to use strictly for piercing. Some establishments use the autoclave for also tattooing. Um, sterilization. But that would not be the case at the establishment. It would just be for the sole practitioner. So a few things.

[28:46] Just with that thought, I do think it might be important that the owner and other practitioners at least be trained on the use of the machine if it’s going to be in the establishment. Um, that’s just a thought or a recommendation.

[29:03] We do have some requirements in our, um, regulations on what we require before an autoclave gets used, which is we have to have a report that it’s functioning properly and everything like that. So that could be something that they don’t have the autoclave in the shop right now. So it wouldn’t be something that we would be able to to do yet. So it would be a decision on whether or not that’s a requirement with the application. Um, that’s those are my initial thoughts.

[29:22] So I think, um, one of my other thoughts too. In order to update the license to include piercing the like procedure document that you guys have turned into, Brittany at one point is going to have to include all the procedures that go with the autoclave. Right.

[29:41] So like I think probably like there’s two things that have to happen in order for us to probably take a vote on the actual permit for somebody to pierce. And I think we want to make sure that the procedure for the autoclave is in writing. We have it. I do think it’s important for you guys to know how to use the autoclave.

[29:57] I mean, for me, you know, I’m not a business owner, but I imagine that like by not knowing, there’s a little bit of, like, liability, right? Like you, you probably want to know, right? Yeah. Yeah.

[30:17] Um, and then, um, I do think my other thought, um, Samantha did not provide us any information about if she’s been piercing or, like, a resume or anything. So she can include probably like the resume. And if she’s licensed in another town or municipality, a copy of that license, we don’t have that in the packet. So that would be important to. Yeah. Yeah, she.

[30:33] She has over about ten, I believe ten years or ten years experience. I think she was licensed in Brockton. Sure. Yeah. If she could just provide some documentation to add to the packet, that would be great. That’s that’s awesome. Perfect. Um, so what we could do is, um, vote to continue this for next month for October.

[30:53] Uh, rather than voting to deny it if if that is. That would. Be better. Okay. Um, so would there be a motion to, um, motion to move the discussion and vote to our October meeting for the body art practitioner permit? Yeah.

[31:18] I make a motion to move the discussion, vote for the body art practitioner, permit piercing only to our October meeting. Okay. Is there a. Second, a second? Christina. Yes. Chris. Yes. Allison. Yes. Great. So it’ll be on the agenda for October, and then I’d say just work with Brittany on the other documents and stuff. All right. If you don’t mind, I will email her. Great. Thank you. Sounds good. Thank you. Thank you guys. You too.

[31:39] Thank you. You don’t have to enjoy the rest of it. Thank you. Well, we will enjoy your night. Uh, let me see. Moving on. We have a discussion on noise ordinance updates. Um, we had been talking about this a little bit.

[31:57] Um, Brittany gave us all a copy of the existing ordinance. Tell us your thoughts. Because you did some homework. Did some homework? I did some homework. I’ll give, um, uh, Joe Proctor a lot of the credit, too, because he did a lot of homework as well. Our our legal counsel.

[32:14] So, um, I did have a meeting with him on several things, and we went back and forth via email as well on our specific noise ordinance in regards to specifically the issue that the residents had brought up about, um, the 602 South Street. So the noise ordinance was adopted as a general bylaw. Um, it’s not a board of Health regulation.

[32:36] It was written into our general bylaws. So if changes wanted to be made to this, it would have to go back to town meeting. So it is a town meeting item. Um, so the because it was established and voted in town meeting with the wording that is currently written here. Um, with the exemptions.

[32:56] So one of the specific items again was number seven, the sound produced by religious activities when used as part of a religious observance or service during daytime hours. Um, because our definitions are the way that they are.

[33:15] Um, the legal counsel advised that we use daytime hours as what’s written in the unreasonable or excessive noise section, which is 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.. So they are that would mean that any, um, religious activity is fully exempt from the bylaw during those hours, fully exempt from broadband levels, fully exempt from the bylaw during daytime hours. Anything past 9 p.m. or before 7 a.m.

[33:44] would constitute to follow the ordinance. But because it’s listed as an exemption and the wording that it is, they are exempt from the bylaw. So, um, whether I think that there are definitely some, some other gaps, I don’t think that that’s just one of the definitions that’s a little bit vague.

[34:04] I think the noise ordinance could be used to to look at. We could look at it again, um, and see if there needs to be other updates as well. Um, those are my that’s that’s my update. Um, I just want to make sure I fully comprehend.

[34:30] So I think Joe’s interpretation was that, um, the bylaw applies outside of daytime hours, through religious activities or not at all. Not at all. Okay. So yeah, if it’s listed as an exemption, then it doesn’t follow any of. The okay. So if they’re practicing that wouldn’t be exempt. As it says as a part of religious observations or a service during daytime hours.

[35:14] So it wouldn’t be a service if they’re practicing. Correct. Well, I don’t think it was defined. That’s the whole. Well, half the problem is no one defined. Uh. That’s defined in number seven. Hold on. I was just saying. But then it’s like. No one defined religious observances. Oh, okay. Yeah, right. So it would be practice. I don’t know, because we didn’t say.

[35:41] Right. Right. Has there been any more complaints? I’ve received one more. So someone some of the neighbors will send video clips of. A lot of them have been time stamped right before 9 p.m., 858 yeah. So it’s I’m it is it is very loud. Yeah.

[36:03] I have driven by a few times on those Thursday nights. Um, I do know, um, Eric is I think he’s trying to get in again for an because I know they are still before, um, the planning board, um, and everything on that because I know that they were there was talk about requirements for needing to put in sound

[36:22] barriers and things of that nature. None of that has been completed, to my knowledge. So. Okay. Um, I’m trying to remember. Were you in touch with the owner or the pastor or priest or. So. We’re on the, um. We’re on emails together, myself and, um, planning board representative. Got it. Um, okay. So.

[36:53] Um, have they addressed the noise since it’s been brought to us in any of those emails or communications. Addressed meaning like. Uh, like acknowledge that they understand that it is a concern and have any type of future action to remediate that at all.

[37:17] I do believe the intent is still that they would they want to put in these noise barriers, but this has been an ongoing right conversation. So. Okay. Um, do you happen to know when they’re before planning board? Again, I could probably look, but. I don’t know. Off the top of my head, I can find I can find out and let you know. Okay. Um.

[37:42] So what’s the planning board for? To give them a permit. Yeah. So, yeah. A permit for what? So there’s. I believe there’s a few different things before them. I think that they still need their certificate of occupancy, which was temporarily issued. So I don’t think that it’s a permanent one at this point yet.

[38:05] Um, and I’m there are a few other details that. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I think maybe if you can find out when they’re before planning. Yep. Again. Um. And just see. Yeah. I feel like I would really like a timeline on when the soundproofing is installed. Yeah. Um.

[38:42] And then, um, do either of you have thoughts about trying to make any revisions to the, uh, noise ordinance? Before this instance, where there are many other complaints about noise in the last few years, there are enough to. Yeah. Have us look at this closer. Yeah. There’s enough, I’d say. Um, I think that there are few that fall under the exemption that I’ve had. So it is easier.

[39:14] It is easier, of course. Easier to enforce when it’s not an exemption. Um, so because I do feel like some of them are pretty detailed. Um, some of some of the line items, um. I do think some of them are a little vague. So I think it jumps around a little bit as you look through it.

[39:32] But I mean, even if it’s the addition of a better section of definitions like, I don’t, you know what I mean? Well, I mean, I think one exemption that’s a little bit vague is like number eight sound produced by activities conducted on public parks and public playgrounds. Mhm.

[39:47] And it doesn’t really say that it’s by like an organization that’s actually like sanctioned. So I could go to the public park and start. Screaming with an air horn. You could do up until 859. Right. You better believe it. So. So yeah. Okay.

[40:04] Um, I mean, I guess it’s worth, um, obviously it has to go to town meetings, so it’s a but it’s possibly worth. Scheduled for what, November? I mean, I don’t think we’ll make a town meeting because it’ll just take us too long to revise it. So spring. Spring town meeting may.

[40:23] But it’s. I mean, I think it might be worth kind of having. On much better. Yeah. On the agenda to start looking. There’s only a couple little if you if you roll back to the 70 DBA, it’s it’s pretty strict. Yep. No. Yeah. Yeah. No. There’s a reason why it’s set at 72. Mhm.

[40:53] But I assume that the problem there is nobody’s actually um, brought in like a sound engineer. Right. Correct. So they don’t really know exactly how high the levels are. Mhm. You know I did reach out to the company that we have because there’s a sound meter in the, in the office downstairs.

[41:17] I did reach out to the company to see about calibration because I, it’s been in there since before I started. I’ve used it before but again I don’t know how accurate it is. Um, so I did reach out to the company to inquire about calibration on that, so. But I am not a certified sound engineer.

[41:34] But the instrument itself is fairly straightforward as long as the instrument is working. So. I mean, the first part of it, they know what the source is. So. Right. It’s it’s fairly simple. You know, what’s causing it. You know, the sound.

[41:53] I guess one of my other questions before we think about how we would make any revisions to this, might be for, for Joe, which is if there is if there’s any opportunity within the revision to like carve out a section wherein it references a set of regulations. That way it’s easier for us to revise it and doesn’t require town meeting.

[42:21] Every time something needs to be updated within the regulation itself. Like, I don’t know if there is a structure in which to do that, where it’s like, okay, this is the ordinance, but the enforcement is this regulation of the Board of Health. Okay. And I inquire about that. That would be easier for us to manage. Mhm. Does it hold on.

[43:04] Now I’m like my brain is in a totally different space. The enforcement is a little a little unclear to me actually as I read this too because I think there’s the fines and penalties sections.

[43:22] But there is an explicit section that’s just like, you know, here, here is the role of enforcement with the police department. And here’s the role of enforcement with the Board of Health. Um, I think it just says the enforcing person, health agent or police officer shall make record of the complaint, but it doesn’t actually say this is how it’s supposed to work. Yeah, maybe clarifying that might be might be helpful.

[43:50] I don’t I don’t think it explicitly says that complaints come before the Board of Health. So. Any other thoughts? Questions? No, I don’t have any.

[44:39] Any other thoughts or questions? Um, so we also have a discussion on the board of Health Fee schedule, which I think Brittany has given us a copy of. Um, Brittany, tell us what we need to know. Yep. Um, I just brought this back up in lieu of the conversation from the resident at last month’s citizens concerns about the livestock permit and our fee schedule has not been revised since 2023, so it could be a decent

[44:58] opportunity to relook at that and assess if there were any fees. Um, that anyone thought needed to be looked at or updated. Um, the livestock fee again falls under the animal section on the right hand side, and it is a standard $50 permit fee. That was, um, on the fee schedule.

[45:21] Previously, before we had livestock permits. Um, so it was brought to our attention. Last meeting. That could be a consideration of dropping that down. If you are a property owner, you have 2 or 3 chickens as opposed to some of our larger, um, larger places in town with multiple with a lot more chickens than that.

[45:42] So some other things that have come up. Um, just as you’re reviewing, this is our mobile food service permit. Um, that’s one that could be considered to be looked at.

[46:05] Um, we do issue a lot of temporary food service permits for our food truck vendors, specifically because food trucks have to be licensed in each town that they vendor in. So having a $175 fee in Holbrook, Randolph, Braintree, Quincy, if they just want to do business in each surrounding town, it does put a lot of pressure on the food trucks. So a lot of them will not get an annual permit because it’s not worth them for their business.

[46:25] But if they come to town for one time, they’ll do a temporary permit, but then they’re coming to me 2 or 3 times a year for a temporary permit. So it’s a lot of extra paperwork for them.

[46:42] So having a fee schedule for our mobile food permit services is something that just has come up in the past few years, could be worth looking at. Yeah, I feel like the the mobile Food service permit structure was probably based off of one where like some of the larger cities have food trucks that don’t actually move necessarily and are only operating in the one. Yeah. Yep yep. Yeah.

[47:09] We could lower the annual one and maybe increase the temporary one on one. Only 25. Did you still have to do going inspect. Right. Yeah. So if they’re if it’s an annual food truck permit, which we don’t have, we have one ice cream truck that has an annual permit. I’ll inspect those trucks if it’s temporary.

[47:32] If it’s just a one day event, I require that they provide me with documentation of their inspection report and their permit in that other town. So, um, that’s how the temporary permits work.

[48:07] And then I do think since we’ve updated this, I think there is also updated guidance from either MH, AB or MH on setting of the fees to add like a little bit of like a calculator, like a really fancy calculator where like you can estimate essentially it’s supposed to be based off of what cost you’re incurring to do the approval to a certain degree, along with a few other things.

[48:21] And so if there are particular types of inspections or permits that are taking more time, those are probably the ones that need a higher fee schedule than, um, than some of the other ones. And so that’s also something we could reference.

[48:37] But I do think I’m definitely not opposed to making a couple of quick updates, especially to fix the livestock poultry issue that was brought. To us. Do you guys feel like that’s something we could tackle in the month of October? During our board meeting? Sure. Is that doable? I think we’d be able to get it right. Okay, let’s do it. Right. Okay. We’ll put that on 4th October.

[49:12] Um, anything else on the schedule before we move on to citizens concerns? Is there any documentation that would be helpful for me to send you all in preparation for that meeting? I can go back on and look at some of the surrounding towns and see what their fee

[49:29] schedules look like. I know some of them are outdated as well. Um, but I also can pull up the HOA. I think. Did they recently do like a one hour like, education session to like if you happen to have the slides from that. Yep. To maybe that would be great. Yep. Okay. Yeah. All right. Sounds good.

[49:49] Thank you. Uh, moving on to our last agenda item, which is citizens concerns. We don’t have anyone here in the meeting room. Um, I’ll make a call for anybody on zoom that may have any citizens concerns to bring forward. Okay. Seeing none. Um, our next meeting would be Tuesday, October 13th.

[50:25] Uh, assuming that is good for both of you. I believe so. Okay. Tuesday, October 13th. Great. Um, would anybody like to make a motion to adjourn? I don’t want to hog all the motions, but I will. All right. I make a motion to adjourn the meeting. I second. Christina. Yes. Chris.

[50:50] Yes. Allison. Yes. All right, we are adjourned. Have a good

Board of Health: 9/8/26

Transcript