2026-10-22 - Board of Health

01:18Good evening. Um I'm calling to order

01:21the Board of Health meeting for the town

01:22of Shrewsbury. Today is October 22nd,

01:252026,

01:27and the time is 5:31.

01:30The first item on our agenda is to

01:32review and approve the minutes from our

01:34last meeting on September 30th of 2026.

01:37Um all of the minutes were still

01:39submitted electronically to the board to

01:41review. So, if there's no amendments to

01:43the minutes, I'll ask for a motion to

01:45approve the minutes.

01:46>> Um I'll make a motion to approve the

01:48minutes from the September 30th Board of

01:50Health meeting.

01:51>> And I'll second that motion.

01:52>> Great, thank you. So, roll call vote,

01:54Ms. Walker.

01:55>> Votes aye.

01:55>> Um Dr. Badola.

01:57>> Votes aye.

01:57>> And Mr. Sacci votes I. The minutes are

02:00unanimously approved.

02:03The next item on the agenda is a public

02:05comment period. Um, there've been no

02:07requests um, received to speak during

02:09the public comment period. So, we will

02:11move on to the next agenda item.

02:14Which is review and discuss the proposed

02:16Board of Health Fee Schedule.

02:18>> Awesome, thanks so much. So, I'm happy

02:20to cover this. Um, here in Shrewsbury,

02:22we have adopted Massachusetts General

02:24Law Chapter 40, Section 22F, um, which

02:28states that the the fee schedule,

02:30reasonable fees are set by the

02:32department head. Um, but we like to make

02:34sure to just bring these proposed fees

02:36to the Board of Health for discussion

02:38and um, make sure, you know, it's

02:40aligned, answer any questions. Um, so,

02:44what the department has done is a

02:45thorough um, study of all of our permit

02:48types. And we looked at the cost of

02:51conducting inspections, the

02:52administrative review, and duties

02:55related to those permits, and adjusted

02:57the fees according to the actual cost of

03:00what it um, takes to conduct these

03:02inspections. The idea is that we want to

03:05be responsible to our business owners to

03:08make sure that permit fees continue to

03:10be accessible and don't place undue

03:11burden, but also be fair, um, to ensure

03:15that we're, you know, accounting for

03:16that cost of doing business. Um,

03:20so, on the first page, this is the

03:21current fee schedule that the Board of

03:23Health has. Um, it hasn't been updated

03:26in about four or five years, so it's

03:29definitely due time to to take a review.

03:32Um, so, that's just kind of the

03:33historical knowledge. The second page

03:35really illustrates the difference of

03:36what we're proposing. Um, some of the

03:39biggest changes that we're looking at

03:41are going to be in the food

03:42establishment categories. So, currently

03:44we just permit our food establishments

03:47based on the number of seats they have,

03:49but we're we're to be changing that to

03:51do it by risk category.

03:54So, all of our food establishments are

03:55assigned a risk level 1 through 4 that

03:59reflects the complexity of the food

04:00operations they have. So, your risk

04:02level 1 is going to be something like a

04:04convenience store that sells milk,

04:05cream, and eggs. We typically go out one

04:08time, maybe two if we need to follow up

04:10on specific items a year. And then, your

04:13risk category 4 are going to be your

04:15establishments that have specialized

04:16processes like a sushi establishment. We

04:19inspect those at least four times a

04:21year. Um and again, if they have any

04:23issues we need to follow up on we might

04:25be out there more frequently. Um so,

04:27those fees are adjusted accordingly to

04:30reflect that. Um so, some of the food

04:34establishments will see their fees

04:35increase by 1 or 200 dollars and some

04:38may see them increase um by, you know,

04:41the same amount depending on where they

04:43fell before on their seat level. But

04:45again, it really reflects that amount of

04:47work.

04:48Um we've also made some slight changes

04:50to um title 5 categories. Um actually

04:54seeing a proposed reduced fee in some

04:57areas and ways to help make um the

04:59installer permits a little bit more

05:01accessible for larger companies.

05:04And then, the last area that will see a

05:06big change is in our recreational camps

05:08for children. Um so, currently we just

05:11have one flat fee for all all

05:12recreational camps, but we're looking to

05:15split that up based on the number of

05:17campers they have. This is because part

05:20of the inspection includes checking a a

05:22set percentage of camper records and

05:24staff records to ensure that they have

05:26all of the health information

05:28um and required documentation on file.

05:30So, obviously a larger camp is going to

05:32have more um records to check through.

05:35So, that kind of tiered um permit level

05:39reflects that amount of work.

05:42Overall, we used our calendar year 2025

05:44permitting numbers to estimate the

05:46impacts on revenue. So, we estimate a

05:49modest increase of about 1,200 $12,000

05:53increase in the total revenue.

05:56But, I am happy to answer any questions

05:58or if there are any concerns from the

05:59board on these proposed changes. Oh, I

06:01guess the other important piece is

06:04these will go into effect January 1st,

06:062027. So, they will not impact current

06:09renewal cycles. We're starting that.

06:12So, for the 2027 permits, our current

06:15businesses will not see an increase in

06:17their fees, but anything that's applied

06:19for after January 1st, so any new

06:21businesses coming into a town,

06:24and then the renewals for next year will

06:25see the increased fees.

06:28>> So, I have a quick question. On the fee

06:29schedule, when we look at the food

06:31establishment risk categories. So, for

06:33example, you mentioned four.

06:35>> Mhm.

06:36>> So, they have four inspections a year,

06:38and right here it looks like there's

06:39about seven of those in town.

06:40>> Yep.

06:41>> When it says 500, is that a one-time fee

06:43per year? It's not for each inspection.

06:45>> Correct.

06:45>> Okay. It's a 500 for the whole year.

06:48>> Yes.

06:48>> Okay, that's what I wanted to

06:49double-check. Thank you.

06:54>> Question, will businesses be made aware

06:56of these changes in the fees before they

06:58have to renew?

06:59>> Yes, absolutely. So, once the

07:02fee schedule is formally approved and

07:04even before it goes into effect January

07:071st, we'll notify all of our current

07:08business owners,

07:10update the information on the website so

07:12that they'll be well aware. And that was

07:14part of the reason why we're looking at

07:16a January 1st so that it wasn't like a

07:18shock when they came to do their

07:19renewals. They really have a lot of time

07:21to kind of build that into their

07:22business model for next year.

07:24>> Okay.

07:25Great.

07:27>> And one last question. I know you looked

07:29at the fees here and as well as like the

07:31administrative costs. How do we sit kind

07:34of compared to other municipalities

07:36locally?

07:36>> Yeah, so we do do Yeah, it's pretty much

07:38in line. We did a comparison. Some other

07:42areas are a little behind on their fee

07:44schedules. They haven't updated in a

07:45while, but it is in line um with other

07:48communities. And additionally, we're

07:50going through the same process with

07:51Grafton and West Boylston, so that all

07:54three of our regional communities will

07:55be on the same fee schedule.

07:57>> Okay.

08:00I don't have any other questions on my

08:01end.

08:01>> Great.

08:02>> All right.

08:03All right. So, if there's no other

08:05questions then, um can uh I would ask

08:08the board to make a motion to approve

08:09the uh new fee schedule effective

08:11January 1st of 2027.

08:14>> I would uh make a motion for that.

08:16>> I'll second that motion.

08:17>> All right. So, a roll call vote, Ms.

08:18Walker.

08:19>> Votes aye.

08:20>> Dr. Bedolla.

08:21>> Votes aye.

08:21>> And Mr. Asachi votes aye. So,

08:23unanimously approved.

08:24>> Thank you.

08:25>> Thank you.

08:25>> All right. And then so, our next item on

08:27the agenda is to review and discuss the

08:29state of the science forum regarding the

08:31community water fluoridation.

08:33>> Yeah. Thanks so much.

08:34>> update on that?

08:35>> Yeah. I just wanted to provide a quick

08:37update. Um I think we might have

08:39mentioned it in the last meeting, but we

08:40have finalized a date of December 17th.

08:43The forum will take place at 6:00 p.m.

08:45and it will be at the Shrewsbury High

08:47School Presentation Room. Um so, it will

08:50be open to the public and also recorded

08:53by Shrewsbury TV, so folks can access it

08:55that way and we'll have the recording to

08:57keep on um the website as well. We're

09:00going to be starting advertising soon.

09:02We're just finalizing those materials,

09:04but we just wanted to make sure to put

09:06it out there. Um I believe Carrie, is it

09:08on the website calendar already?

09:11>> No, not yet.

09:12>> If not, it will be.

09:13>> for the materials to be finalized so

09:14that it we could be all encompassed.

09:16>> Perfect. So, as soon as those materials

09:18are finalized, we'll put it on there as

09:20well. Um but just mentioning kind of a

09:22save the date. Um I was able to just

09:26touch base with our expert um Katherine

09:29Hayes last week and had a great

09:30conversation. She is very excited to be

09:33part of this conversation. She thinks

09:35it's important to have um with the

09:36community. So, we're really looking

09:38forward to hearing from everybody.

09:41Um

09:42those are really the only updates that I

09:43have, but if folks have any questions

09:46about the format of the forum or

09:48anything that um

09:50has changed recently.

09:52>> No, I don't have any questions on my

09:53end. There's been a lot of communication

09:56um throughout and it's been helpful in

09:58just uh preparation for

10:00>> Yeah, and I think yeah, I think some of

10:01the outstanding questions we've been

10:03emailing back and forth on is just like

10:05we're as a group talking about how we're

10:07going to submit questions and things

10:09like that. So, I think that's really

10:10great that we're coming up with those

10:12plans. So, I think we'll get more

10:13community involvement by allowing people

10:16to ask questions beforehand.

10:17>> I don't have any questions as well.

10:19>> Good. Awesome. Yeah, so more to come on

10:21that, but save the date um once all

10:23those advertising materials are

10:24finalized, it'll be on the website. Um

10:27Shrewsbury Media will put it on. We'll

10:29put it on flyers everywhere. Make sure

10:31that it's very well advertised.

10:33>> Excellent. And thanks for all your help

10:34on that. I know this has been a lot of

10:36planning behind the scenes. So,

10:37appreciate the hard work.

10:39>> Yeah.

10:39>> Um all right, our next agenda item is to

10:42review and discuss your director

10:43updates.

10:44>> Excellent. So, you get to hear from me

10:46all night cuz I've got all the updates

10:47today.

10:49Um

10:49so, a couple of things. These are also

10:51Allison's updates she'd give if she was

10:53here. Um

10:54our regional opioid task force, so

10:57that's West Boylston and Shrewsbury um

11:00had their meeting last week and approved

11:02the PATH grant um awardees. So, we have

11:05sent over the notification and contract

11:07to our awardee and once they sign it, um

11:10we will be doing some publish um

11:13acknowledgement and we're very excited

11:15to be working with them.

11:17Um we also appointed our regional um

11:21advisory board members. So, these are

11:23two members from each community um who

11:25have lived or living experience and will

11:27serve as an advisory capacity to the

11:30regional task force. So, they'll be

11:31helping us set priorities, making sure

11:34that any spending of the opioid funds is

11:36really responsive to the community. Um

11:38so, we have a Sullivan Roberts, and then

11:41Reginald Steel, who are our

11:43representatives for the town of

11:45Shrewsbury. We're still recruiting West

11:47Boylston's, but we're very excited to

11:48have them on board.

11:50Bridget and Allison hosted a

11:53um overdose prevention training the

11:56other day. Um and we had six attendees

11:58there, which was great, and it was a a

12:00very well received. So, they went over

12:02how to identify somebody having an

12:04overdose, how to administer Narcan, what

12:07steps to take, um as well as just

12:09providing some background information

12:11about opioids. So, um we're excited to

12:13continue to host these, um and

12:16certainly, you know, I we have a form on

12:18our website if any groups want to

12:19request it, like if it's a a business in

12:22town, or just, you know, a group of

12:24individuals that are looking to be

12:25trained, we have that on our website as

12:27well that they can request it.

12:30Um so, any questions about some of the

12:32the opioid work? There's been a lot

12:33going on there.

12:35>> I don't have any questions. I've been

12:36directly involved in that. So.

12:38>> Yes. Yes. It's great timing.

12:40>> our chair, so she knows all about it.

12:42>> perfect, cuz October is, you know,

12:43substance use prevention month. So, I

12:45think that's that really perfect timing.

12:47So.

12:48>> Yeah.

12:48Yeah. Yeah. A lot of work that I'm sure

12:50you're doing as well. So.

12:52Yeah. No questions.

12:52>> Awesome. Um we have a community event

12:56coming up that was actually Karen's idea

12:58that we stole, but we're doing mocktails

12:59on mental health. Um so, we will be

13:02leading folks through making mocktails,

13:05um and then we're partnering with

13:06Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services.

13:08They're going to be there to provide um

13:10education about just stress management

13:12and coping mechanisms that folks can use

13:14around the holidays. Um and then it will

13:17also be interactive of having some

13:19actual practice of things like breathing

13:21exercises and other take-homes that

13:23folks can use. Um so, that's on our

13:25website. We are asking for

13:27pre-registration

13:28um and it will be on November 11th.

13:31I think November 11th.

13:32>> That's the Veteran's Day.

13:34>> November 10th then.

13:35>> Yeah.

13:36>> November 10th and it's at the

13:37Westborough Council on Aging but it's

13:39open to all three of our communities. So

13:41we're very excited about that.

13:43We will be hosting an intern starting in

13:47January from the Massachusetts Health

13:49Officers Association. So they have

13:52a pathways program which places

13:54associate degree students in local

13:56departments.

13:58MHOA helps get the students trained so

14:02all of the same certifications that our

14:04inspectors currently have, they'll

14:06receive those through the MHOA program

14:08and then we'll provide them with direct

14:10on-the-job training and then eventually

14:12independent inspection. So we're really

14:14excited to bring them on board. They'll

14:16help with our inspection load cuz our

14:19inspectors are very very busy.

14:21New restaurants so we're excited to have

14:23some of that additional help but also,

14:25you know, support that career pathways

14:28to help folks get trained and ready to

14:30enter the field.

14:32I think those are all my general

14:35updates.

14:36Happy to answer any questions.

14:39>> I'll let me

14:40>> No questions. All great work.

14:41>> All right.

14:42>> Okay, so we'll move on to you again to

14:45talk about any

14:47regional public health nurse updates.

14:49>> Great, that's me. Bridget did provide

14:52these to me so they're from her.

14:54So in the month of September she had six

14:55case investigations

14:58completed through Maven for Shrewsbury

15:00residents. None of these were foodborne

15:02illnesses related to any of our

15:04permitted food establishments and there

15:06were no identifiable trends so no

15:09concerns about any outbreaks.

15:12For respiratory seasonal illness the

15:14current influenza-like activity across

15:16the state is minimal and the current

15:19severity of influenza is low. I did see

15:22actually today that they're seeing some

15:24early

15:25trends in California. So, they're seeing

15:28some of the flu-like activity pick up a

15:30little bit. So, definitely just a good

15:33reminder for folks get their seasonal

15:34vaccinations.

15:37We Bridget regularly monitors the state

15:39has a respiratory illness dashboard. So,

15:41she regularly looks at that to see if

15:43there are any trends of concern that we

15:45need to increase any of our education.

15:49Today, Bridget held the winter wellness

15:50presentation at the Council on Aging.

15:53There were about 15 attendees, which was

15:55a great turnout. She shared tips on how

15:57to stay healthy during the winter and

15:59connected

16:01to individuals in your community. And

16:03then after the presentation, she had

16:05great discussions with the attendees and

16:07provided some handouts and resources

16:08that they could take home. On here also

16:11the mental health

16:13for mocktails for mental health, which

16:14we took on.

16:16And then Bridget has changed the

16:18location for her monthly nurses hours.

16:20So, she holds a monthly nurses hour

16:22where she can help with blood pressure

16:23screenings, answer general health

16:25information for folks. And so now these

16:28take place on the third Tuesday of each

16:31month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at

16:33the public library. The next one will be

16:35on November 17th.

16:38>> Very cool.

16:39>> And any questions, I'm happy to try to

16:41answer.

16:45>> No, sounds great.

16:46>> All right, excellent.

16:47>> Are there any additional updates from

16:49the regional public health coordinator

16:51or was that wrapped into your director

16:52update?

16:52>> That was wrapped into my director

16:54update.

16:54>> Perfect. Okay.

16:56Great. And so I think

16:57the next item on the agenda is to review

16:59and discuss the regional environmental

17:01health specialist updates.

17:03>> Yeah, definitely. So,

17:04renewal season has kicked off and I

17:07Carrie said today that there are tons of

17:09applications in the system. So, we're

17:12happy to see that. It's pretty early to

17:14see that much. So, that's a lot due

17:16Carrie's built really great

17:17relationships and workflows to help make

17:20that easy for our business partners and

17:22internally for reviewing all those

17:23renewals. That's been excellent.

17:26Um

17:27in so far to date in October our

17:29inspectors have completed um 27

17:32inspections here in Shrewsbury. There

17:34were 21 food inspections and six title

17:38five inspections.

17:39Um

17:40in the month of September they completed

17:4355 inspections. Oh wait.

17:46Carrie has a better report than me. Let

17:48me read hers.

17:49Um so actually there were more. So 21

17:52food inspections, nine temporary event,

17:55four nuisance, and two housing for a

17:57total of 36 inspections. Um and there

17:59have been seven title five inspections.

18:03Um overall just I want to give a shout

18:06out to our inspectors calendar date to

18:08year they've completed 991 inspections

18:11across our three communities. Um so

18:13that's an incredibly impressive number.

18:16Uh a very high amount of work. Um we've

18:19been hearing really great things from

18:20our business partners about how

18:22um willing to educate and really provide

18:24guidance they are to establishments. Um

18:27and they've already seen you know a lot

18:29of places implement new um work streams

18:32or new new procedures that help them

18:34comply better with the codes and protect

18:35public health. So just a shout out to

18:37that immense amount of work.

18:39>> Great work.

18:42>> And I would say that's all the updates

18:43from them.

18:45>> Awesome.

18:46Okay.

18:46>> So the next item on the agenda and final

18:49item is to review our meeting schedule.

18:51So our next meeting is scheduled for

18:53November 19th at 5:30 p.m. This meeting

18:57will be held held remotely. Um so we'll

18:59offer um remote participation there.

19:03And if there's nothing else

19:05um I'll take a motion to close the

19:07meeting.

19:08>> I'll make a motion to adjourn.

19:11>> Oh and I second that motion.

19:13>> All right, roll call vote. Uh, Ms.

19:14Walker?

19:15>> Votes aye.

19:15>> Dr. Bedolla?

19:16>> Votes aye.

19:17>> And Karen Rosachi votes aye. And the

19:18meeting is adjourned. Thank you,

19:19everyone.

19:20>> Thank you.