Clarksburg Weighing Options for Health Inspections
 Berkshire Health Alliance's Laura Kittross, Jennifer Kimball and Scott Kryzanik appeared before the Selectmen for a discussion on health inspection options. |
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Selectmen are seeking options ensure the town's public health.
The Board of Health has seen high turnover over the past few years and is currently short one member. All three seats are up for election this year.
"We've had some problems recruiting for the Board of Health," acknowledged Selectmen Chairman Jeffrey Levanos.
The difficulty comes in large part from the increased responsibility Board of Health members have had to shoulder, including extensive and time-consuming education.
"You understand why people don't want to do this," said Paula Wells, a former Board of Health member. "If you're working full time, there's no way you can do this."
Wells appeared before the Selectmen with representatives of the Berkshire Health Alliance to discuss ways to better provide services.
She suggested disbanding the Board of Health and hiring the health group, which is already contracted with the town, to take direction from a health agent or director.
"An inspector, a sanitarian and public health nurse, that's all we need," she said.
She referenced a woman named Cindy Schock who is graduating as a registered nurse and is interested in public health as possible candidate. Schock had been listed on the agenda but was not present.
The Selectmen also considered raising the board members' stipends to make it worth their time to take on the certifications required to do inspections.
But it's a lot more than education, said Wells. "We get all kinds of calls."
Health officers have to keep a log of calls and responses for the state, ensure Title V septic and restaurant inspections are done, understand changing regulations and health concerns and be prepared for emergencies.
Laura Kittross, director of the Berkshire Health Alliance, a collaborative agency between 22 municipalities, said the town may want to keep a Board of Health but have professionals take over the inspections.
The town already contracts with the alliance for public health nurse services, such as disease reporting, flu shot clinics and wellness workshops.
The alliance's Scott Kryzanik has also been sworn in as a health agent, and had been used as a backup inspector.
The model Wells recommended is seen in larger municipalities, but the towns the alliance works with all have boards of health, Kittross said, and a health inspector or commissioner to do the professional work.
Hiring the alliance to take over the sanitarian work would take the burden off health officials.
"I think you need to not be expecting your Board of Health to be doing the actual fieldwork," Kitross said. "I think it's really a lot to ask somebody ... to run for a board, and to not only expect them to show up and be on top of what's going on, but to actually expect them to be out in the field, doing inspections, doing reports and keeping up in their education."
The alliance could provide the cost of hourly or lump-sum fees that would cover the town's health inspection issues, she said.
The Selectmen said they wanted to discuss the issue further and asked Town Administrator Carl McKinney and Wells to keep in communication.
In other business, the Selectmen set the town election for Tuesday, May 26.
The election had been held on the third Tuesday in May for years but was changed last year with discovery of a 1975 bylaw.
Town Clerk Carol Jammalo asked if the board could change the date back because she will be out of town on election day.
Selectman William Schrade rejected that idea and motioned to keep it the fourth Tuesday; the vote was unanimous.
"I have a problem moving the election," he said. "The reason why bylaws are made is so they're not changed on a whim."
Jammalo said she had asked a number of times to have the election date put before town meeting. The new date puts the election the day after Memorial Day, making it difficult for election officers to prepare.
McKinney said he had asked the town's attorney for an opinion on setting the town election date and town meeting. The board also asked him to find out how much it will cost for another clerk to run the election in Jammalo's absence.
The board also accepted donations for the Town Hall Facade Improvement Fund from Linda Reardon, Joan and Pam Chesbro and Raymond and Arlene Vachereau.
McKinney said the fund now totals more than $800 with more donations to be added. The goal is to raise $3,000 to have the front painted and repaired by Memorial Day.
McKinney also reported the West Cross Road project is being designed with an anticipated start in April and "shovel done" by December.
Tags: board of health, public health,
