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Lawrence Board of Health appoints food inspector as agent, approves conditional license after state inspection
Summary
At its April 1 meeting, the Lawrence Board of Health appointed Carla Frias as an agent to the board, heard staff updates on SAFE 2.0 training and an evaluation due at month-end, and approved a conditional license for Dominican Cheese Corp after a March 19 state inspection found unapproved products.
The Lawrence Board of Health on April 1 appointed food inspector Carla Frias as an agent of the board and approved a conditional license for Dominican Cheese Corp after a Massachusetts inspection found unapproved food products on site.
Board members first accepted the March 10 minutes by voice vote. Staff then updated the board on SAFE 2.0 performance standards and training: they reported about 95% of inspectors have completed Incident Command System emergency-management training and said the department’s evaluation required by the state is more than 80% complete and due at the end of April.
Carla Frias introduced herself to the board, saying she is “currently a food inspector” who was hired through a shared-services grant and has pursued training in food inspection since December 2025. Board members discussed streamlining qualifications for agents and moved to appoint Frias; the motion was seconded and approved.
Staff described the state inspection of Dominican Cheese Corp, saying inspectors found certain products that appeared to come from unapproved sources (including yogurt in unlabeled bottles and other raw or home-processed items). The establishment had been closed since March 19 pending corrective action, staff said. The board voted to grant a license conditional on meeting five requirements described by staff: no sale or storage of unapproved or raw dairy products, documented supplier invoices and verification, demonstrated safe storage and temperature control, continued adherence to safe food-handling practices to prevent cross-contamination, and follow-up inspections. Staff warned that failure to comply could lead to permit suspension or revocation.
Board members also reviewed a first-of-its-kind plan described in the meeting as a 'hassa' plan for Katines Gourmet, intended to address acidification and canning processes that affect shelf life and pathogen risk; staff said the plan remains under review while templates and lab SOPs are aligned.
The board did not specify individual vote tallies during the public discussion; motions were carried by voice vote. The board set scheduling preferences for its May meeting before adjourning.
What’s next: the department will complete the state-mandated evaluation by the end of April, monitor Dominican Cheese Corp’s corrective steps and return to the board as required.
