Board of Health

Members

Nicholas Chiusano, Chair
Evie Martensen
Elizabeth Massa

Meetings

Meetings are held as needed.

Office Hours

By appointment: Please call or email.

Contact the Board of Health

Office Phone: (413) 354-7781 – Leave a message and someone will get back to you.
BOH Cell Phone: Call/text – (413) 519-3396
Send an email to the Board of Health → [email protected]

Transfer Station

Information related to the Transfer Station can be found here.

Septic “How To”

Download our “How to” with information on requirements for septic system installation and repair. updated 1/23/23

Title V

All Title V inspectors are required to provide a copy of the Title V report to the Board of Health for review per 310 CMR 15.000

Section 15.340 of Title 5 (310 CMR 15.000):
The system inspector shall submit a copy of this inspection report to the Approving Authority (Board of Health or DEP) within 30 days of completing this inspection. If the system has a design flow of 10,000 gpd or greater, the inspector and the system owner shall submit the report to the appropriate regional office of the DEP. The original form should be sent to the system owner and copies sent to the buyer, if applicable, and the approving authority.

Trash Hauler Rules & Regulations

Download rules & regulations here.

Online Permitting

• Download the PermitEyes Instructional Guide to Online Permitting

Apply for a Permit Online
 
**$75.00 Administrative Fee to be added to all Paper Permits not using the online portal.**
DOUBLE PERMIT FEE WILL BE CHARGED FOR ANY WORK STARTED WITHOUT AN APPROVED AND ISSUED PERMIT.

Permit Fees

Download the Board of Health Permit Fee List as a PDF here. Updated 2/3/23
NOTE: There are no refunds for permit fees.
NOTE: Any litigation/court cost for Health Agent presence will be subject to an additional cost.

Bed & Breakfasts/Airbnbs

All Bed & Breakfast/Airbnbs MUST register with the Board of Health annually. Please complete the Hospitality/Leisure Permit here.
A Building Permit is also required for a Bed & Breakfast/Airbnb for a $75.00 fee. Please complete a building permit and submit.

Food Safety

9/18/24 – NOTE: The Chester Board of Health is part of the newly formed Hampshire Public Health Shared Services Collaborative. We are one of 14 communities working together to expand local public health capacity by pooling resources and expertise to meet Performance Standards.

There are two regional inspectors who will, on occasion, be assisting with routine inspections throughout the community. They are very knowledgeable about food safety and are a wealth of information. If they visit your food establishment, they will be conducting an inspection on behalf of The Chester Board of Health and will have proper identification.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 413-519-3396 (cell/text). The regional inspectors can be reached at: [email protected].

About Cooking for Groups: The goal of this brochure is to help volunteers prepare and serve food safely for large groups such as family reunions, church dinners, and community gatherings. This food may be prepared at the volunteer’s home and brought to the event, or prepared and served at the gathering. The information provided in this publication was developed as a guide for consumers who are preparing food for large groups. For additional information, and to ensure that all state regulations or recommendations for food preparation and service are followed, please contact the Board of Health.

Potluck Guidance: Implementation of Chapter 230 of the Acts of 2014, “An Act Relative to Potluck Events” (October 2014)
On August 5, 2014, An Act Relative to Potluck Events was signed into law. Under certain conditions, the law exempts food brought to a potluck event from regulation by the Department of Public Health (DPH) or by any local board of health (LBOH). To implement the law, DPH is providing guidance to LBOHs.

Under Chapter 230 of the Acts of 2014, all the following conditions must be met for the event to be considered a “potluck event”:
* People must be gathered to share food at the event; * no compensation may be provided for bringing food to the event; * the event is sponsored by a group of individuals or by a religious, charitable or nonprofit organization; * the event may not be conducted for commercial purposes, but money may be collected to support the religious, charitable or nonprofit organization; and * the participants at the event must be informed that neither the food nor the facilities have been inspected by the state or by a local public health agency.

A business establishment dealing in the sale of food may not sponsor a potluck event. Additionally, food from a potluck event shall not be brought into the kitchen of a business establishment dealing in the sale of food. If all of these qualifications are met, the event constitutes a “potluck event” under Massachusetts law and food brought to the event for consumption is exempt from regulation by DPH or by an LBOH.

It is important to note that under the law, participants at the event must be informed that neither the food nor the facilities have been inspected by the state or by a local public health agency for the event to qualify as a “potluck event” and be exempt from regulation DPH or by any LBOH. Participants do not have to be members of the sponsoring organization for the event to be considered a “potluck event.”