Hadley Board of Health Adopts 2026 Fee Hikes and $50 Late Penalty for Permit Renewals

HADLEY — September 11, 2025 — Hadley Board of Health approves $50 late fee and updated permit schedule, both effective January 1, 2026. The board voted unanimously at its September 11 meeting to adopt a formal renewal-notification letter — modeled on the Select Board's existing license-renewal correspondence — that warns permit holders of a $50 penalty for applications not received by January 1. Health Director Ben and staff member Peter said renewal notices will be distributed through the Permanent Link platform by Halloween, a month earlier than last year's Thanksgiving target, giving establishments a 60-day window. The board also unanimously approved a revised fee schedule covering all Board of Health permit categories, from food service to Title V septic to tattoo parlors, following a comparative analysis of fees in surrounding communities including Northampton, South Hadley, and Granby; Peter noted many of Hadley's fees had not been updated in more than four years. West Nile virus risk in Hadley was elevated from low to moderate after positive mosquito samples appeared in neighboring Northampton and South Hadley, though Hadley itself had recorded no positive sample as of the meeting.