Board of Health seat still vacant, no applicants
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The Westminster Board of Health is still seeking someone to fill a vacant position on the board until the next election.

Health Agent Wibbi Swedberg said the three-member board functions smoother with all of the positions filled. The other two members of the board are Edward Simoncini and Peter Munroe.

Board member Daniel Ervin resigned in November after more than four years on the board because he moved to Princeton. Ervin's medical office is still located on South Street in Westminster.

The board's goal is to find a person with a medical background to serve on the board because of the help that knowledge would be on the board, but there are no requirements other that the person must be a registered voter in Westminster.

"You get a new perspective from different people," she said.

The Board of Health and the Board of Selectmen are seeking letters of interest from interested candidates to fill the sit on the board until the April election. The seat will be up for one-year term at the annual election as part of the state law for filling vacant seats on elected boards.

"We meet the first and third Wednesday of the month and it would be great to come and see what we deal with," Swedberg said.

The meetings run from 4:30 to about 6 p.m. at the Town Hall in Westminster.

Swedberg said she is willing to sit and talk with interested candidates about the roles and the responsibilities of the Board of Health and the Health Department.

"We are trying to promote healthful living and we are trying to protect people's health and a medical opinion is wonderful," Swedberg said.

She added that the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards holds an annual conference in the fall that will help the new member get acclimated.

"It gives them a lot of information," she said.

The person who is appointed by the Selectmen and the Board of Health does not need to run for the position in the April election.

This year the board is looking to review and revise the health department's regulations.

"It seems like it is an important year," she said.

Swedberg has been in the position of health agent for a year and said the department is caught up on the inspections and can start to look forward to the future.

Anyone interested in the position should submit a letter of interest to the Board of Health and the Board of Selectmen at 11 South St., Westminster, MA 01473.