Letter to the Editor

Not Seeking Reappointment to the Board of Health

Dear Editor,

After serving on the Board of Health for the past eight and a half years, including nearly seven years as Chair, I have decided not to seek reappointment to a fourth term once my current term concludes at the end of this month.

I originally sought to serve on the Board of Health in 2015 following my retirement from state government where I served as an assistant to the Commissioner of Public Health and as the manager of relations with community health centers across the Commonwealth for the MassHealth Department.

I greatly appreciate being appointed to the Board in 2016 by former Town Council President Bob Driscoll and being reappointed in 2018 by former Town Council President Ron Vecchia, and again in 2021 by former Town Council President Phil Boncore.

I have also enjoyed working with my fellow Board members over the years: Tracey Honan, Nick LoConte, Susan Maguire, Astrid Weins, Marianne Dalton, Jeanne Holgersen and Christine Reilly. Together, we have accomplished much for our community to keep it a healthy and environmentally safe place to live, work and enjoy.  The Board has been comprised of highly knowledgeable and dedicated health care professionals and public health policymakers and advocates.  We have striven to enhance, protect and promote public health needs, environmental protection, and the quality of life for all.  This includes compliance with health and safety regulations, and the crucial mission to prepare and respond to public health emergencies.

During my time on the Board, we have enacted or updated ten regulations: tobacco sales, and prohibiting smoking in the workplace and in public places; prohibiting Styrofoam, black plastic containers, and single-use plastic bags; body art, swimming pools, and keeping of animals; and dumpsters, and trash, recycling, and solid waste disposal. We have based our decisions on scientific evidence to preserve public health, with an understanding of the impact on residents, businesses, and town government. I want to especially recognize the work of Betsy Shane, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, who has been an effective advocate for the business community during our decision-making process.

Other issues that the Board has worked on during this time have been: expressing concerns about the noise and health effects of Logan Airport; improving communication with the Northeast Mass Mosquito Control and Wetlands Management District; involvement with the North Suffolk Public Health Collaborative on regional health and environmental matters; and advocating for public health legislation with former Speaker DeLeo and Senator Boncore, and current Representative Turco and Senator Edwards.

Of course, much of our routine matters involve having a close working relationship with dedicated town employees including Meredith Hurley, Director of Public Health and Clinical Services, Al Legee, Commissioner of Inspectional Services, Sharon Sicurella, Clerk and Health Inspector, Wendy Millar-Page, Solid Waste and Recycling Manager, and others such as Jeanne Maggio, MRC Coordinator,  Bonny Carroll, Director of the Six City Tobacco Initiative, and Deanna Faretra, former Public Health Nurse.  These matters include responding to complaints about food, housing, rodents, and trash which require inspections; violations of workplace smoking and tobacco sales; hoarding situations; supporting CASA, the Farmers Market and Public Health Forums; and public education efforts on topics such as vaping, ticks, and the idling of motor vehicles.

The COVID-19 pandemic emergency that faced the Board of Health from 2020 to 2023, and our Town government and staff, as well as the community, was unprecedented.  It was challenging and exhausting.  Our decisions were sometimes unpopular, but they were made in the best interests of the public health of our residents.

It is important for the community to value the Board of Health and I urge those with a strong commitment to public health to seek appointment to it. In addition to myself, my fellow Board member, Jeanne Holgersen, is not seeking reappointment at this time.

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to serve Winthrop in this volunteer capacity since 2016.

Sincerely,

Bill Schmidt

Chair Winthrop Board of Health   

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