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The Marblehead Board of Health advanced work on the Community Assessment for Healthy Marblehead survey, explored new external funding sources and confronted concerns about underage drinking enforcement during its Nov. 10 meeting.
Board Chair Dr. Thomas Massaro reported the CAHM survey had reached 2,310 responses, with a goal of 2,500 by the Nov. 16 closure date. The board received 161 new responses in a single day following a CodeRed alert.
“It was a very interesting weekend passing out those little postcards and table cards,” Massaro said. “People were very nice. I actually didn’t get one person who didn’t want to help what didn’t think was a good idea.”
Massaro emphasized the need to seek outside funding for future public health initiatives given limited town resources and upcoming recycling and trash collection expenses.
“Given what I know of the financial situation in town, new monies for additional public health services will virtually almost certainly have to come from external sources,” he said.
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He asked Health Director Andrew Petty to research establishing a 501(c)(3) organization, potentially called Friends of the Board of Health or Friends of CAHM, to pursue grant funding and donations.
The board discussed a state public health grant application with a deadline extended to Nov. 21. Massaro proposed focusing the grant on promoting public mental health and improving community health literacy, specifically addressing adolescent substance use through case study education.
“The biggest measurable that we can figure out how to do in this town is improved community health literacy,” Massaro said.
He outlined a potential 12-session educational program covering topics from the U.S. healthcare system to local public health issues, vaccine policies and social determinants of health.
Board member Tom McMahon raised concerns about underage drinking parties hosted by parents, saying police are breaking up gatherings but not making arrests.
“The parents, the other parents that don’t want any their kids involved, don’t want any involvement in this, feel helpless, because they feel like their kids are going to be left out,” McMahon said.
He identified five addresses that repeatedly came up in conversations with concerned parents and said he would provide the list to police. McMahon also announced locations on Kenneth Road, Abbott Street, Gregory Street, Clifton Avenue and Liberty Road.
“I’m putting those out there now,” McMahon said. “I’m hoping that maybe these people will wisen up and realize that there’s no sitting back anymore.”
The board plans to meet with town counsel, the Select Board and school officials to review laws regarding social hosting and potential enforcement gaps.
Board member Dr. Amanda Ritvo provided a food security update in response to recent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit disruptions. She noted the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported families should have received full November benefits as of Nov. 10.
Ritvo highlighted local resources including the Marblehead Food Pantry on Atlantic Avenue, which operates Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m., and accepts donations at the town’s senior center.
“Access to healthy food is one of the main drivers of good health, and when families struggle to put meals on the table, especially with the recent disruption of the SNAP benefits, it the impact reaches beyond hunger to all members of the family,” Ritvo said.
McMahon presented a cost analysis showing a family of four could eat healthy meals for $7.76 per person daily, purchasing eggs, chicken, tuna, produce and other items at market prices. He disputed the perception that healthy eating is expensive.
“I just wanted to spell that rumor, like, to give people hope, if I can, that it is not expensive to eat healthy,” McMahon said.
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The board also discussed the fiscal year 2027 budget, which will seek to restore Marblehead Counseling Center funding to $120,000 after it was reduced to $60,000 last year. The transfer station construction project will begin Nov. 13 with an anticipated 25-day closure for commercial operations while residential access remains open.
The board approved updated signage for Riverhead Beach stating “water may not be suitable for swimming” rather than “water not suitable for swimming” because bacterial levels are not monitored.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 24.
