Board of Health Delays Vote on Chicken-Keeping Rules
West Boylston's Board of Health postponed its leadership shake-up and shelved a chicken-coop rules vote.
Board of Health · Meeting of June 10, 2026
West Boylston's Board of Health postponed its leadership shake-up and shelved a chicken-coop rules vote. Chair Robert Barrell Jr., MPA, said he wants to step down and nominated member Marybeth O'Day to replace him, but she declined, citing "conflictual" issues involving residents and other elected officials; the board voted unanimously to keep current officers until November. Staff said the health department has run without a town budget for at least three years, funded entirely by permit fees.
Members also debated a draft chicken-keeping registration rule, rejecting an Agricultural Commission request to shrink the coop setback from 25 feet to 10 feet, though no vote was scheduled. A regional opioid-prevention task force with a neighboring town holds its first meeting July 15.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,024 words
Source: the Board of Health meeting of June 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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