Board of Health

BOH MEETING MINUTES 01-13-2022 Council Committee Room, 140 Main Street Joseph Tennyson, MD, Chair Jim Griffin, Vice-Chair Phillip Short, Member – Member (absent) Also in attendance: Director John Garside and Clerk Tina Nolin Meeting called to order 6:30 pm. Discussion of Potential Local Mask Mandate in Indoor Public Spaces Chairman Griffin opened the meeting by addressing the audience, telling them that the Board was in session to discuss and maybe vote on a potential mask mandate for the city. Anyone in attendance who wanted to speak was given 30 seconds. There were many comments from the public both for and against instituting a mask mandate. Vice-Chair Tennyson motioned to discuss the mask mandate issue., and Chairman Griffin seconded the motion. The Board vote was 2-0 to discuss the mask mandate issue. Director Garside presented a proposed draft regulation vetted by legal and was similar to other cities and towns that have already adopted mask regulations. All members had received a copy of the draft regulation before the meeting and had time to review them. During a discussion of fines for violation of the regulation, Director Garside recommended setting a fine or fines as putting no fine amount results in a default fine of $1000. In addition, fines give leverage to achieving compliance and some backbone behind the regulation. However, Director Garside laid out that the department has not issued any fines over the past 2 years of the pandemic and tries to avoid doing so, preferring to educate and build relationships to gain compliance. After some discussion, Chairman Griffin motioned to adopt the mask regulation as proposed provided that Section 11 was amended to include the following at the end of the section, “such review until rescinded shall occur at each regularly scheduled meeting.” Vice-Chair Tennyson seconded the motion; the Board vote was 2-0 to accept the motion. ADJOURN Chairman Griffin motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:15 pm; Vice-Chairman Tennyson seconded the motion; the roll call vote was 2-0 in favor to adjourn. Respectfully submitted, 2/7/2022 James H Griffin Dated Cc: Board of Health Members City Council, City Clerk, and City of Marlborough Website