Board of Health approves crackdown letter on unpermitted food sites
Board of Health · Meeting of June 30, 2026
Great Barrington health board approves crackdown letter on unpermitted food establishments. Meeting virtually Tuesday, Chair Michael Lanoue, Vice Chair Peter Stanton and Dr. Ruby Chang voted 3-0 to authorize the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative to send a two-deadline enforcement letter to roughly 27 food establishments still missing 2026 permits, warning of $30 weekly late fees after July 15 and cease-and-desist orders after July 31.
The vote came in the final meeting for the town's longtime Health Agent, identified only as Rebecca, who departs Monday after nearly a decade; Chang warned the department cannot function with "one person" doing "a two-person job." Dr. Chang also renewed tick-season warnings, citing Lyme disease, alpha-gal syndrome and Powassan virus, which she said "can be spread after 15 minutes of being bitten." The board's next meeting is set for August 6.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,169 words
Source: the Board of Health meeting of June 30, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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