North Attleborough Board of Health Votes to Lead Regional Six-Town Public Health Alliance

NORTH ATTLEBORO -- March 8, 2022, North Attleborough Board of Health agrees to lead a six-town public health alliance grant. The board voted unanimously March 8 to concur with state contract conditions for the Northern Bristol County Public Health Alliance, a shared-services grant grouping the town with Attleborough, Taunton, Rehoboth, Dighton, and Berkeley, with North Attleborough designated as the lead agency. Board of Health Director Anne-Marie Connolly said the state's commitment letter arrived just days before a March 15 deadline, noting that "everything with the state, the timeline is ridiculous." The board also began a substantive review of a cease-and-desist order template that would replace the department's current non-civil tobacco fines of $100 to $300 with civil penalties starting at $1,000 and potential permit suspensions; a board member warned that maintaining both fine tracks simultaneously would be "automatic grounds for a challenge" and that violators "would win," prompting Connolly to seek legal counsel before a vote at the next meeting.