The Board of Health met Tuesday night with members of the Town Charter Committee to discuss the department’s structure, staffing challenges, and budget needs, as well as the division of responsibilities between the Board of Health and the Health Department.
Board of Health member Helaine Hazlett spoke about the department’s staffing crisis, emphasizing that it is severely understaffed. She noted the department operates with a budget of $324,190 for 2,000 residents, leaving them with only $16.21 per capita.
“I can’t see how we can do anything for them except give them a couple of band-aids,” Hazlett said. “What is recommended by the Massachusetts Public Health Capacity Assessment, with their summary report, is that a local health department municipal budget should be $36.89 per person.”
Board member Thomas Massaro highlighted the Board’s work under the Best Practices grant, which funds initiatives like child and maternal health and the Mental Health Task Force. He noted the importance of addressing mental health issues and conducting health assessments for the town.
“Mental health has been a huge issue ever since the pandemic,” Massaro said. “We’ve always concentrated on helping our citizens with their personal issues. That’s why we are one of the few communities that have a community mental health center.”
In addition to staffing shortages and underfunded resources, board member Thomas McMahon raised concerns about the lack of clarity between the roles of the Board of Health and the Health Department.
“If you read the Board of Health duties, it says we’re enforcing this and enforcing that,” McMahon said. “I’m not enforcing anything. So it should be clear who’s doing what and what those roles are.”
Massaro echoed McMahon’s concerns and advocated for separating the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Health from those of the Health Department.
“If we were able to find the funding for this health assessment for the entire town, we should then be responsible every three to five years to develop another perspective of where health is going,” Massaro said. “And if just a minute of diversion, the world of public health has changed fundamentally.”
While no definitive conclusions were reached, the meeting provided important insights for the Charter Committee as it continues its work on potential town governance changes.
