ASHFIELD — Following the resignation of Health Agent Claudia Sarti, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments is taking over her duties in Ashfield.
The Board of Health and Selectboard both voted unanimously to grant FRCOG the authority to conduct health inspections and enforce health and building codes for houses, pools, food establishments, septic systems and summer camps in town, as well as monitor any infectious diseases in town and work with the Board of Health to address any other public health matters.
“I spoke to Claudia this week,” Board of Health Chair Evelyn Resh said during the board’s July 10 meeting. Sarti, who had worked in Ashfield part-time, accepted a full-time position elsewhere. “She’s just too busy and it’s not realistic for us,” Resh added.
Resh said the town had previously used FRCOG as its health agent before the town decided to hire its own health agent on a part-time, as-needed basis sometime before she joined the board. She said it would be difficult to hire another health agent if the town can only offer limited and irregular hours. Given the town’s occasional needs for health inspections, contracting with FRCOG makes the most sense for Ashfield.
“There is a history with us having split from FRCOG that predates me, but I think it was a big mistake,” Resh said. “It worked in the way that it did for as long as it did, but [a part-time health agent is] no longer practical for us anymore.”
Town Administrator Paul McLatchy III told the Selectboard last week that the Board of Health’s recommendation does not require any adjustments to this fiscal year’s budget, and in fact, would allow the town to reduce its health budget in future years, as property owners will pay the inspection fees to FRCOG.
“The fees go directly to FRCOG, so we don’t even really need that budget line,” McLatchy explained. “It’s kinda a win-win.”
In anticipation of the Selectboard’s approval, FRCOG health agents met with the Board of Health to review the town’s needs and current public health conditions, including the status of the few restaurants/bakeries, the one public swimming beach, one tobacco retailer and a few homes needing health inspections.
As the town’s health agent, FRCOG will enforce housing codes and Title 5 regulations for septic systems, monitor hazardous waste disposal and inspect food establishments.
They also discussed adding inspections of short-term rentals to FRCOG’s responsibilities. The town has not been inspecting short-term rentals. Resh explained that creating a list of short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs, is “a big project” the town has yet to get to.
FRCOG’s Health District Program Manager Randy Crochier said FRCOG is able to get a list of short-term rentals that pay taxes and are registered with the state Department of Revenue, and could set up annual inspections with property owners to ensure compliance with state health and safety codes.
“We ought to be inspecting it. You should be able to, if you’re [staying in a short-term rental], know that it’s safe,” Crochier said.
Board of Health members agreed that if FRCOG is able to handle it, short-term rentals should be inspected. They unanimously voted to make FRCOG the town’s health agent and send an amended version of the town’s memorandum of understanding with FRCOG to the Selectboard for final approval. The Selectboard gave its approval to amend the agreement, which went into effect July 1.
Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.