Health staff warn board of repeated food‑safety violations at local store; inspectors consider suspension

Health department inspectors told the Gardner Board of Health on June 16 that one local food establishment has repeated violations for expired food and dirty coolers and may face suspension if problems continue.

Angela, a food inspector with the health department, reported the establishment had expired foods found six times in the last two and a half years and dirty coolers on 10 occasions over the same period. The store has been inspected quarterly because of repeat noncompliance, Angela said. She described a pattern of enforcement actions: a $50 ticket in September 2023, a $100 ticket in May 2024 and $200 tickets on June 10, 2025; she said each of those tickets was issued twice for the related violations.

Angela told the board she pulled more than a grocery cart full of expired food on May 27 and again about half a cart on June 10. "They don't seem to be taking the violations very seriously," she said, noting the store manager appears disengaged and that corporate compliance had been contacted but had not yet responded. A board member suggested conducting one more inspection before the next meeting; Angela supported that approach and said if the establishment remained noncompliant the board could move to suspend the food permit.

Board members discussed enforcement tools: fines under the Massachusetts sanitary code ranging from $10 to $500 per violation and possible revocation or suspension of the establishment's permit. The board did not vote to suspend at the June 16 meeting; it instructed staff to perform a follow‑up inspection and, if the violations persisted, to prepare documentation and consider suspension procedures for the next meeting.