The recent extremely high rate of Covid in the Southern Berkshires is subsiding. There have been a few more Covid positive admissions to the hospital, but about half were simply admissions who tested positive; they were admitted for other reasons and not because they had Covid. Still, there have been Covid-related deaths in the county, and levels of transmission are still high enough to warrant masking precautions by those who feel especially vulnerable and by those who have not been vaccinated. The omicron version of the disease is not the same as the original delta, and our highly vaccinated population deserves to have a relaxed summer.

On a different note, the Tri-Town Board of Health was recently asked to host an educational session related to the PCB issue in the Berkshires, particularly the PCB dump proposed for Lee. The Board unanimously voted to sponsor such an educational session.

My personal understanding of educational sessions is that education occurs via balanced presentation of the issues. I will do my best as Chair to ensure that all sides of the discussion will be heard. I will expect those who requested the discussion to offer assistance to our Board by suggesting speakers to present opposing views. As this will be an open public discussion, citizens of all the towns are invited to share their opinions.

There have already been meetings about this elsewhere, but many of us could not attend. In my recollection, when questions were posed at Stockbridge Town meetings, they were routinely rebuffed because the matter was “under litigation.”

Moreover, in my opinion, when the subject of a public discussion has come up, some have inappropriately used arguments that warn about withdrawing from the existing agreement. Arguments not to withdraw may hold merit, but they should not be used to prevent discussion.