Board of Health

Additional Page(s)

Heath Department

Contact:	D aniel Wasiuk Director of Public Health Anne E. H. Stuart Health Clerk Cheryl Volpe RN, BSN Town Nurse
Address:	One Avenue A 2nd Floor Turners Falls, MA 01376
Phone:	(413) 863-3200 Ext. 205
Fax:	(413) 863-3225

Office Hours: Nurse Hours:	BOARD OF HEALTH OFFICE HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, & Thursdays: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM & Wednesdays: 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM Friday: Closed Wednesdays: By Appointment

Next 5 meetings:

Mon, May 16 at 6:00 PM -- see Zoom link attached to the Agenda
Wed, May 18 at 5:00 PM -- Town Hall Second Floor Meeting Room
Wed, Jun 15 at 5:00 PM -- Town Hall - Upstairs Meeting Room
Wed, Jul 20 at 5:00 PM -- Town Hall Second Floor Meeting Room
Wed, Aug 17 at 5:00 PM -- Town Hall Second Floor Meeting Room

Members

3 of 3 seats. 3 years each seat.

Melanie Ames Zamojski (Elected), Secretary. June, 2024. Montague, Massachusetts 01351
Albert Cummings (Elected), Chair. June, 2022. Montague, MA 01351
Michael Nelson (Elected). June, 2023. Montague, MA 01351

Mission Statement

The first Local Health Board in Massachusetts was located in Boston and was established in 1796. As chairman of the first Board of Health in the United States Paul Revere was charged with the task of controlling filth and other causes of deadly epidemics. In 1869 Massachusetts established the first State Health Department in the United States.

Today the purpose of the public health system remains essentially the same. The Montague Board of Health is dedicated to preserving and protecting the health of our population and to promoting health status improvement for everyone.

To accomplish this goal we seek to:

Prevent illness, injury and disability for all
Reduce health disparities and provide universal access to health care
Provide access to nutritious food
Provide safe air and water and to protect our natural resources
Ensure decent, safe housing for everyone
To remediate all sources of filth, sickness and disease.

Toward the larger goal, on a daily basis, the Montague Board of Health carries out the following responsibilities:

Investigate and remediate health problems and threats to health
Prevent food-borne illness by requiring all food establishments to meet certain minimum standards of safe food handling
Prevent the spread of disease and sickness
Investigate all complaints of filth and sources of sickness
Work to prevent the spread of rabies and other diseases such as West Nile Virus

The following a partial list of the responsibilities of the Board of Health:

Protect the public health and well-being through disease prevention, communicable disease surveillance, etc.
Ensuring minimum standards for human habitation are met (safe, clean housing).
Remediation of all sources of filth and disease risk
Protecting groundwater by overseeing the location of septic systems and private drinking wells
Ensuring safe food through inspectional services and investigation of complaints
Investigate nuisances that may effect human health and well-being
Inspect and enforce the law regarding semi-public and public swimming pools
Investigate all reported animal bites and scratches, and maintain a rigorous rabies prevention program
License and inspect body artists, tanning salons, food establishments, septic system installers, funeral directors, septage haulers, trash haulers, recreational camps for children and mobile/manufactured home, and many other duties as necessary to protect public health.

Previous meetings: