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LWVM Observer: Tom Krueger
The Marblehead Board of Health on April 14 heard a presentation on how public safety, public education and public health can work together to improve the mental health of young people in town.
Members in attendance were Marblehead Public Health Director Andrew Petty, Board of Health members Tom McMahon, Dr. Tom Massaro and Dr. Amanda Ritvo. Guest speakers were Paul Tucker, the Essex County district attorney; Police Chief Dennis King; and Superintendent John Robidoux.
Massaro introduced the discussion and said the CAHM survey found that “mental health and substance abuse” were major concerns among residents. “The town cares,” he said.
Massaro said addressing those concerns should not fall to one agency alone. He said better results would come through collaboration among town departments. He added that “if the MHD schools, police department, and BOH can develop common goals, they can make MHD a better and safer place for children.”
He said many town agencies and organizations help raise public awareness, and said the Board of Health helps organize and communicate public health information and brings residents together to discuss public health issues.
Tucker, who said he lived in Marblehead from 1991 to 2001 and previously served as police chief in Salem, said social hosting is a particular concern as prom season approaches.
He said Marblehead’s social hosting bylaw may once have been effective but is no longer a strong deterrent because violators face only a small fine and the matter is not public.
Tucker contrasted that bylaw with Massachusetts law, which he said is broader and carries steeper penalties. He outlined several possible alcohol-related violations involving minors, including knowingly allowing a minor to possess alcohol, providing alcohol to people younger than 21 and underage possession of alcohol.
He said some parents believe drinking at home is easier to control. “Bad idea,” he said, adding that it is “not a shield from the law.”
Tucker said penalties can include a fine of up to $2,000 and up to one year in prison. He also said police do not need a warrant to enter a property in such cases because it is considered a “breach of the peace” and part of a “community caretaking role.” He said the greater the potential harm, the more aggressively police may need to respond.
Tucker also described a 2016 case in which underage drinking took place at a home while parents were away. He said the parents later returned home and drank with the youths, and one child became seriously ill but was not taken to the emergency room. He said that case prompted a legal change involving child endangerment.
He also cited the state’s “Good Samaritan law,” saying that a person younger than 21 who has been drinking may call police for someone in medical danger and receive immunity from prosecution.
Much of Tucker’s presentation focused on programs in other communities. He said Lynnfield created a substance abuse coalition that became a 501(c)(3) organization to support resources and programs. He said Gloucester has a school resource officer with strong ties to students and runs an after-school group for as many as 100 children.
He said Gloucester also holds a pre-prom assembly featuring speakers including the superintendent, the principal, Tucker and the Sullivans, a husband and wife who lost their daughter in an alcohol-related drowning. Tucker said their story resonates with students.
He said his office provides school grants around prom season and that Marblehead will receive a $3,800 grant this year to bring the Sullivans to speak to the senior class.
Tucker also referenced other initiatives, including the NAN Project, juvenile diversion, programs at Essex Tech and restorative justice efforts. He said all of the programs are aimed at building a healthier community.
King followed Tucker and echoed many of the same concerns. He said the Marblehead bylaw works as a complement to Massachusetts law and stressed the need for prevention and early parental involvement.
“Teen drinking culture” is never okay, King said. He said adults need to step in early, intervene and not ignore red flags. When enforcement is necessary, he said, it should involve not only the child but also parents and professionals.
King also said research shows that the longer a person delays drinking alcohol, the less likely it is to lead to abuse. He praised the school resource officer for building strong relationships with students. He added that if the override does not pass, the school resource officer would have to return to regular police duties.
Robidoux thanked those in attendance and said he, Tucker and King had written a joint letter urging families to make safety a priority. He said parents should speak directly with their seniors before prom night about where they will be and what their plans are.
Robidoux also said schools use survey data to understand how students are doing and feeling. He said the district has multiple programs and groups, including a health and wellness committee and an anti-discrimination committee, to address those issues.
During a question-and-answer session, Tucker again said police do not need a warrant in some situations but must be able to respond immediately because of health and evidence concerns. King said police need a fact-based reason to act and that responses vary by case.
Asked about other drugs, Tucker said the same “rules” apply. Asked whether speeches are effective, Tucker said peer-to-peer training is most effective because children listen to other children.
The board also heard an update on work at the transfer station. Petty said the next two weeks will include curbing, paving and striping, requiring a temporary traffic pattern change. During that period, vehicles will enter and exit through the Green Street entrance. Saturday traffic will remain unchanged.
Petty also updated the board on curbside collection. He said barrels and bins will be distributed to 8,006 residences, specifically one- to four-family homes. A public hearing on the new curbside collection system is scheduled for April 27. He said draft regulations will be presented soon.
Petty said residents may bring old bins to the transfer station, though he encouraged reuse or donating them to someone in another town. He said the new collection system will begin July 1 using standard trucks, with smaller trucks serving narrow or one-way streets.
He said each residence will receive its own bin and that bins are not to be shared. Each one will carry a barcode tied to that address. Residents who choose to opt out must inform the Health Department how they will dispose of their waste.
Petty also said Waste Management submitted a lower disposal bid than Republic, with a difference of about $32,500. He said Waste Management also wants to bid on construction and demolition disposal, but said that is a separate matter.
He said the Board of Health and Health Department must determine a resident fee if the override fails and have that figure ready by Town Meeting. Petty said he plans to address the override at Town Meeting.
On the fiscal 2027 budget, Petty said the Finance Committee set a $1.3 million cap on the waste revolving fund during the warrant hearing.
The meeting concluded with a note about a small fire at the transfer station. Officials said residents should be careful when disposing of items such as propane tanks and lithium batteries, which can catch fire. Lithium batteries may be disposed of in the transfer station shed or at the Health Department.
If you want this turned into a tighter newspaper story or a cleaned-up set of meeting minutes, I can do that next.
