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Gardner City health department reports landfill repairs, transfer-station vacancy and local food-safety incident
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Summary
At its April 6 meeting the Gardner City health department updated the board on landfill leachate-pump repairs expected late this month or early May, a recent transfer-station vacancy and a temporary closure and reopening of Price Chopper’s prepared-foods department after a gas leak and cleaning.
The Gardner City Health Department provided a range of operational updates at its April 6 meeting, reporting progress on landfill repairs, changes at the transfer station, housing inspections and a brief food-safety closure.
Health Director Lauren Saunders told the board that repairs to landfill leachate pumps are tentatively scheduled to finish late this month or early May and that the contractor expects possibly one more pumping session before the pumps are replaced. Saunders said erosion repairs are a “hot topic,” and that Keller Partners has identified potential grants but wants to consult the mayor before pursuing funding.
Saunders also reported an unexpected vacancy last week at the transfer station and said the department is exploring ideas to create new supervisor space; she said the department has requested funding in the FY27 budget to add safety railings required by the state OSHA plan.
On solid-waste contracting, Saunders said the contract renewal for E.L. Harvey "is still in process" and is currently with E.L. Harvey’s legal department; she said she plans to follow up with Harvey for an update.
The department reported five new septic systems in various stages of review and said no new septic failures have been reported since the last meeting. Saunders updated the board on housing actions, including a fire on Emerald Street that displaced occupants (the Red Cross and CAC assisted), a condemnation on Levy Street carried out with the billing department, and a Century Way unit condemned in May 2025 that has since been reinspected and deemed fit for habitation. A unit previously under condemnation due to a bed-bug infestation appears to have been successfully exterminated, the department said.
Saunders said the prepared-foods department at Price Chopper was temporarily shut down after a gas leak and firefighter response; the store was closed for three days, completed deep cleaning and gas repairs, and has since reopened.
On prevention and outreach, the prevention coordinator is planning health fairs at Gardner High School and Galt in mid‑April and is beginning work on a "Purple Paw" event later this year. Saunders also noted a recent FEP meeting that included a state police presentation on hazmat considerations for housing inspections and that the board voted to maintain current FEP funding levels. Saunders said she will attend an upcoming MAHB certification course.
Separately, Saunders said the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program application opened April 1; the department will work on the application and needs to update its biorecycle policy, an environmentally preferable purchasing policy and the solid-waste hauler regulations by June 1, 2026, to align with grant requirements.
The board did not take regulatory or budget votes on these items during the meeting; most updates were informational and marked for follow-up.
