HADLEY — Concern about having a time-consuming debate on who chooses the members of the Board of Health has prompted the removal of the question from next month’s special Town Meeting warrant.
The Select Board, which had approved a warrant article that would give itself the authority to appoint members, rather than having them be elected by voters, was taken off the slimmed-down warrant at the Select Board’s Oct. 21 meeting. Town Meeting is set for Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. at the public safety complex on East Street.
Any decision to change the Board of Health from an elected panel to an appointed one was going to be controversial, as residents have expressed reservations about taking such power out their hands in the past. Voters did agree to make both the tax collector and town treasurer positions appointed in 2018.
The Select Board recently refused to support a Health Board request to appropriate money for hiring a COVID-19 ambassador, and also instructed the police and fire departments to not enforce a face covering rule issued by the Health Board for the commercial district.
Letters to the Gazette, such as one from resident Kenneth Talan, called the possibility of appointing the members of the Board of Health “ill-advised.”
The decision to postpone the article on having the Board of Health appointed by the Select Board was supported by Board of Health member Susan Mosler, who said shortening the warrant was appropriate.
Resident Margaret Mastrangelo said there had been fear the proposal would have taken a long time to discuss.
Shel Horowitz, who attended the Select Board meeting to voice his own concern about the article, told board members he appreciates that the article was removed from the warrant, though he was disappointed he couldn’t provide input until more than 90 minutes into the board’s meeting.
At the safety complex, chairs will be set up both inside and outside the building. Bays for fire engines and ambulances can accommodate 60 people spaced six feet apart, with heaters to provide warmth in case of cold weather.
