Shrewsbury Board of Health schedules April 8 fluoridation public listening session

SHREWSBURY -- March 25, 2026, Shrewsbury Board of Health sets April fluoridation forum and advances opioid fund planning. The three-member board, chaired by Dr. Abraham, met March 25 and heard Health Director Annette Garcia announce a public listening session on community water fluoridation for April 8 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall's Selectmen's Room, where residents will each receive five minutes to speak. Garcia also reported that late-February opioid listening sessions drew roughly 14 participants and produced a 39-slide regional report by the Coalition for Healthy Greater Worcester identifying three funding priorities: access to resource navigators and recovery coaches, transportation and housing support, and public education and prevention programs. A formal funding proposal is set to go before the town's opioid workgroup on April 7. The board also confirmed a public hearing on hauler regulations for April 23, and noted the CDC's national measles tracker stands at more than 1,300 cases in 2026, with two confirmed in Massachusetts but no local spread detected. All votes were unanimous.