Present:

• Charles Kenny, Chair
• Hank Schwerner
• Rae Williams
• Jim Wilusz, Executive Director
• Colleen Henry, Lee Chamber of Commerce
• Roxanne McCaffrey, Stockbridge Select Board
• Marybeth Mitts, Lenox Select Board
• and others

1. Minutes approved as written
2. Wilusz presented proposed budget for Tri-town Health fiscal 2023
   1. Amount will be paid on a percentage reflecting use as follows: Lenox 43%, Lee 33%, and Stockbridge 24%
   2. The proposed budget is “level funding” except for cost-of-living raises
   3. Maintenance budget possible due to outside resources. New sources of funding are from American Rescue Plan (ARPA) and grants including. $4.1 million awarded to “equalize health care countywide”
   4. Equalizing health care includes comprehensive nursing, vaccinations and other services to ten towns: Alford, Great Barrington, Monterey, Mt Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Sheffield, Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge.
   5. Budget passed unanimously
3. COVID 19 update
   1. Those vaccinated who are 61 years and older: over 79%; those vaccinated who are 31 — 60 years old 75-9%; 21-30 years old 57%
   2. Number of cases in County are up
   3. In 2021, 992 cases — Lee 512; Lenox 378; Stockbridge 102
4. Dr Charles Wohl made a presentation urging the Board of Health to mandate showing proof of vaccination to enter a restaurant in Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge
   1. He said larger cities, for example New York City, require proof of vaccination to eat in a restaurant
   2. People are usually close together and unmasked in a restaurant
   3. He feels the restaurant setting is a potential spreader unless folks are vaccinated
5. Select Board Chair Roxanne McCaffrey spoke against the requirement because she felt it was unenforceable and would burden restaurants
6. Colleen Henry, Executive Director Lee Chamber of Commerce said it was a “huge burden” for restaurants and would hurt business
7. Select Board member from Lenox was against the mandate as restaurants would “lose business”.
8. Chair said the issue of requiring proof of vaccination at restaurants would be discussed and decided at a future meeting. Wilusz said he would get word out so public could be present and weigh in

Meeting adjourned