Groton Board of Health Upholds Tobacco Fine and Suspension for Country Farms

GROTON — July 18, 2022 — Groton Board of Health upholds mandatory tobacco fine and moves on landfill and septic reviews. The board unanimously denied a request by Country Farms owner J.D. Patel to reduce a $1,000 fine and three-day tobacco sales suspension after a Tobacco Control Alliance inspector confirmed a May 29 sale of Backwoods cigars to a youth inspector at 127 Main Street, with no ID or age check performed — a second instance of compliance issues at the location following a 2021 warning. Jerry Brigenti of the Tobacco Control Alliance told the board state law uses mandatory language leaving no discretion to reduce penalties, and the suspension was set for July 22 through 24. The board also approved a septic variance for a lot on Old Dunstable Road over abutter objection, authorized use of a $1,000 administrative fee deposit for an outside legal review of lot-line conformance questions at the Shepley Hill Village condominium project, and voted to recommend that Geological Field Services present its 114-page Monroe Landfill preliminary assessment — which raised questions about leachate, erosion, and potential PFAS contamination from a past fire — to a joint session of the Select Board, Board of Health, and Greenway Committee.