Board of Health approves prior minutes, updates on nursing positions.
Topsfield Board of Health approves prior minutes and receives PHE staffing updates. Chair Sheryl Knutsen delivered the Health Director report in the absence of Jon Bouley, noting that offer letters for a Tri-Town Public Health Nurse and part-time Public Health Inspector went out January 9, 2026,
Board of Health · Meeting of January 21, 2026
Topsfield Board of Health approves prior minutes and receives PHE staffing updates. Chair Sheryl Knutsen delivered the Health Director report in the absence of Jon Bouley, noting that offer letters for a Tri-Town Public Health Nurse and part-time Public Health Inspector went out January 9, 2026, awaiting Middleton's confirmation. The PHE Advisory Board on December 29, 2025 recommended hiring Katie Kurpaska as Public Health Nurse, estimated start February 1, 2026.
Knutsen flagged a critical gap: the current Middleton nurse covering MAVEN for Topsfield cannot generate communicable disease follow-up reports--a key board directive. Former Tri-Town nurse Julia Lobel, who recently left her position, now works 4.5 hours weekly as Topsfield Council on Aging Outreach Coordinator, with 0.5 hour as Opioid Settlement Funds Administrator.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 363 words
Source: the Board of Health meeting of January 21, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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