Health Board Votes to Exit HP HEG Group

Board of Health · Meeting of August 3, 2026

East Bridgewater's Board of Health voted to withdraw from a regional health agreement and hand new permitting power to its health agent. Chair Rob Lyons moved to pursue withdrawal from the HP HEG intermunicipal agreement, calling it "the prudent move to make," with Clerk Andrew Hudson seconding; the board is simultaneously pursuing a memorandum of understanding with Bridgewater. Members also voted unanimously to let Health Agent Mike Soares approve, without a full board vote, local upgrade variances that reduce the required groundwater separation beneath septic tanks from four feet to as little as two feet, a request Soares said arises in "at least one every four plans." The board separately approved four Local Upgrade Variance permits for septic work on Spring, Crescent, Pleasant and Country Farm Road properties, plus routine 2026 installer and food-service licenses.

Administrative Assistant Sandra Abban confirmed the town's vaccine clinic for September 30, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Council on Aging.

In the full story:

• Minutes and Routine Permits
• Disposal System Construction Permits: Four Local Upgrade Variances
• HPHEG IMA Termination
• Health Agent Authority Over Groundwater Variances
• Mosquito and Heat Advisory Update
• Vaccine Clinic Announcement
• Adjournment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 1,792 words

Source: the Board of Health meeting of August 3, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.