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Resident urges board to enforce cleanup of overflowing dumpster on DCR watershed land
Summary
A Hubbardston resident told the Board of Health a 15‑yard dumpster placed on DCR watershed land has not been emptied since March, is overflowing and attracting animals; DCR has inspected and is sending a demand letter, and the board said it will review the inspector's letter and consider enforcement steps.
A resident who lives near 124 Barry Road told the Town of Hubbardston Board of Health that a 15‑yard dumpster placed on Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) watershed land has gone unemptied for months and is creating a public‑health nuisance. “The dumpster is full. Hasn't been been emptied since March. It stinks. I could smell it 150 feet away in my bathroom on the 2nd Floor just before I came here,” the resident said during the meeting and asked for a copy of the letter the board sent to the property owner.
Chair (speaking voice) confirmed the town's health inspector, Kathy, visited the site and issued a formal complaint letter with a deadline for action: “Kathy inspected, she agrees there's a problem, and she gave them an amount of time for them to actually take actions on this,” the Chair said. The resident told the board that DCR has also inspected the site and “is in a process of sending them a letter also to get all that off of their property.”
Board members discussed possible follow‑ups, including making the inspector's letter public after review and coordinating with DCR. The resident also raised concerns the property is operating a dog‑raising business (a kennel) and may lack a local kennel license; the board said it would review licensing and enforcement options and, if the deadline in the inspector's letter is missed, apply town penalties under its regulations.
The board asked staff to provide the complainant with a copy of the inspector's letter once the board reviews it and to connect with the DCR inspector to ensure enforcement is proceeding. No formal vote was taken during public comment; the Chair said the next steps would include internal review of the letter and possible daily fines or other penalties if the owner does not comply.
