Acushnet Board of Health Approves 15 Mary Drive Septic Variances, Interviews Health Agent Candidate

ACUSHNET -- June 9, 2026, Acushnet Board of Health approves septic variances at 15 Mary Drive and interviews a health agent candidate, with one board member absent. Meeting with only Chairman David Davignon and Vice Chairman Thomas Fortin present, Member Robert Medeiros was absent and Principal Clerk Wanda Hamer was out of the office, the board unanimously approved three variances from Title 5 setback requirements for a septic repair at 15 Mary Drive, conditioned on relocating a vent to the rear corner of the property and adding a charcoal filter after abutters raised odor concerns. Engineer Rick Charon of Charon Associates presented the plan, which uses an Eljen system with a state-approved 40 percent area reduction to accommodate a slow PERC rate of 25 minutes per inch on a constrained lot. The board then interviewed Jennifer Gailey, a health inspector and interim health director from Middleborough with three years of municipal health experience and 15 years prior as an environmental scientist, but took no formal vote on her candidacy because Medeiros was absent. A planned executive session on staffing was also cancelled for the same reason.