Board hears invitation to jointly sign collaborative letter on federal information removals

Health Director (name not specified) told the Lynn City Board of Health that a member of the North Shore Public Health Collaborative invited the board to sign an open letter addressing the effects of material being taken down from federal health websites, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Director (name not specified) said the collaborative had not completed review of the draft letter and would circulate proposed language to board members for review. She described the invitation as an opportunity for the collaborative’s members to sign collectively; the board discussed whether formal approval at a meeting was required and were told the action could be handled between meetings if members were only acknowledging interest rather than voting on policy.

Board members asked the department to share the draft; the department agreed to do so and to coordinate necessary approvals if the board wished the chair to sign. No formal vote was taken at the meeting.

Ending: The department will circulate draft language and clarify whether the board needs to act formally before signing; the matter remains under review by the collaborative and board staff.