Acushnet Board of Health Orders Septic Upgrades, Approves Fire Victim's Temporary Mobile Home

ACUSHNET — April 21, 2026 — Acushnet Board of Health advances two septic enforcement cases and approves a fire victim's temporary housing while its Health Agent search collapses. At the April 21 meeting, Chairman Robert Medeiros and Vice Chairman David M. Davignon walked the owners of 12 Carol Street and 23 Frank Street — both under enforcement orders since March 18, 2026 — through paths to compliance under 310 CMR 15.00, agreeing to hold potential fines of $200 or more per day in abeyance as long as owners document forward progress with engineers. Davignon told Carol Street owner Joe Spinola, who proposed a DEP-approved composting toilet, "you can't just put in that and call it a day — you still have to put in a gray water system." The board unanimously approved a six-to-twelve-month temporary mobile home placement at 652 Middle Road for a fire-displaced resident and renewed Community Nurse, Inc.'s fiscal year 2027 service contract for 282 hours. The meeting's sharpest exchange came over the Health Agent vacancy: sole candidate Celena Richardson of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, withdrew after learning the position would be shared with another municipality, prompting Davignon to declare, "We'll never get a health agent if you share that position — it's too much work, it's too many meetings for one person to do."