Lowell Board reviews inspections; Northwood Rehab fined $6,000 for trash accumulation

The Lowell Board of Health on Feb. 4 reviewed its monthly inspectional reports and heard that several local facilities had recent compliance problems. Matt Sheehan of departmental services told the board the report showed two failures: Jerry's Food Store, which failed for expired fire extinguishers and fire-protection issues that have since been corrected, and Lowell Transitional Living Center, which failed for an expired hood system and a lapsed food permit; the transitional center renewed its permit on Jan. 16 and a reinspection was pending.

Sheehan described an enforcement case at Northwood Rehab in which an excessive accumulation of trash behind the facility led to a total fine of $6,000 for minimum-maintenance violations. ‘‘They were fined a total of $6,000 for minimum maintenance of their property,’’ Sheehan said, explaining the problem stemmed from corporate nonpayment of the facility’s trash-removal invoices and not from outside dumping. Sheehan said inspectors issued an initial $3,000 fine, observed additional trash the next day, and issued another fine before the issue was resolved on the third day.

Board members asked about inspection frequency and who inspects inside nursing facilities; Sheehan said the local health department inspects kitchens while the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) handles broader building-level nursing-home inspections. He said the department notifies DPH when major issues arise so agencies are aligned on follow-up and enforcement.

The board also noted several other routine results in the report: two tattoo establishments and two microblading shops passed inspection, one professional body-piercing business had not renewed its 2026 permit, and a store at 226 Appleton Street renewed its food permit on Jan. 15. Sheehan said he would aim to complete reinspections by the end of the week or the following week where needed.

The meeting record shows the board approved the Jan. 7 minutes earlier in the session and later adjourned; no roll-call vote tallies for inspections were recorded in the transcript. The department will continue perimeter checks of facilities with prior problems and coordinate with DPH on comprehensive inspections for nursing homes.