LONGMEADOW – The Longmeadow Board of Health voted to not take any position on two warrants coming up to vote at the Town Meeting about allowing beekeeping in town.

The board also delayed a discussion about raising the age to buy tobacco products in town from 18 to 21, and how the town would react to the prospect of having recreational marijuana stores within its borders.

One petition would restrict the beekeepers to maintain their hives only in agricultural zones, while another would proclaim the town as a community friendly to pollination.

Beekeeper Michael Lantzak, who explained to Reminder Publications he has been working on regulations to offer to the Board of Health for the past year, presented a draft of regulations for the board’s consideration.

The board voted to table working on the regulations pending the outcome of the Town Meeting vote.

Lantzak said there are six or seven beekeepers in Longmeadow and the issue of restricting beehives came out of a “neighbor to neighbor” issue. He said that he had confirmed with the Board of Health there had not been reports of bees stinging people who are allergic to them.

During the meeting on March 29, resident and beekeeper Jerry Nolet told the board that he has had only one complaint in more than 45 years of raising bees. Noting the issue of bee deaths that has become a major issue in agriculture, he said, “We’re in disaster mode in terms of bees.”

Ken Taylor of the Planning Board said there is no permitted use of a beehive as a structure at this time and said the Planning Board would look at the town’s bylaws in the fall.

The board also heard a report from Health Director Beverly Hirschhorn about the measures taken to alleviate the levels of lead in the drinking water at the town’s schools. The issue was the lead level at drinking fountains or “bubblers,” Hirschhorn explained, rather than the water itself as it comes into the building. A component within the bubblers was adding lead to the drinking water.

The issue was solved by replacing the bubblers, she said.

Hirschhorn noted the problem “is not unique to Longmeadow” and explained children are potentially exposed to lead by materials in their homes and when they play in dirt, as well.

Air quality and how it affects students at the town’s middle schools was also brought up. Hirschhorn said there has been one complaint of a student becoming ill from the quality of the air.

Saying the board and school officials must determine a cause and effect, Hirschhorn said, “From the data we have it’s almost impossible to draw that cause and effect.”

The board began a discussion and vote on revising the town’s regulations about tobacco sales that would include the sale of vaping devices and products.

Hirschhorn expressed concern about tobacco products that she believes are clearly aimed at minors.

“The Big Y convenience store has every kind of kid lure product you could want,” she said. There are 13 licenses to sell tobacco products in the town, Hirschhorn noted.

There is movement in the Commonwealth to increase the age across the state to 21 to purchase tobacco, Hirschhorn noted. The board tabled further discussion pending a review of the list of the proposed revisions to its tobacco sale regulations.

Hirschhorn also noted towns in the Commonwealth can ban recreational pot shops through a referendum. She said a Town Meeting must approve of the election question first.

 “It’s whether or not you want it in your town,” she said.