The Board of Health on Monday voted to submit a letter to Golden Pond Assisted Living addressing the facility’s continued heating issues as well as food safety concerns identified in a recent inspection.

In a structured discussion, Health Director Shaun McAuliffe took the board through a timeline of regulatory infractions observed at Golden Pond by the Health Department since Oct. 1. He also referenced a death that occurred in a room that allegedly was heated to 99 degrees on Sept. 30.

Heating problems persisted in the building in the following weeks. McAuliffe noted that a check of the building on Oct. 1 found returns pumping out air in excess of 100 degrees. Public health nurse Simone Carter added that in some cases, hot air was pushing through when residents had their thermostats turned off.

“Most of the thermostats I saw were off,” McAuliffe confirmed.

Golden Pond planned to restore its HVAC system to working order on Oct. 15. McAuliffe told the Independent in a separate interview that between Oct. 1-16, the number of medical transports from the facility was “more than usual.”

The health director also told the board that a food safety inspection conducted on Oct. 13 came back with several violations. The report, which was provided to the Independent, details challenges with cleanliness and the state of Golden Pond’s physical facilities. It cited a lack of sufficient and consistent storage and marking of food throughout the establishment, and raised concerns over a lack of managerial control.

Chair Nasiba Mannan commented that the food safety report “looks really bad.”

“How long have they got to fix this before they get closed?” asked member Malcolm Smith. McAuliffe responded that he had set Oct. 21 as a compliance date for the food safety problems, and he would be visiting later in the week to follow up. 

He also clarified that “problems under our jurisdiction” are being addressed, and he had received word from the state’s Executive Office of Aging and Independence (AGE) that it was handling other complaints.

Members reviewed the facility’s history of complaints and regulatory woes, including getting shut down in 2023 and 2025. AGE cleared Golden Pond to restart operations last year after the agency had approved a corrective action plan.

Golden Pond ‘taxing our system’

McAuliffe, who has been vocal regarding his worries about procedures and staffing at Golden Pond, was frank in his assessment of the situation.

“It’s not the town’s job to address their problems and to implement them,” he told the board. “Their lack of attention to following regulatory procedures is taxing our system.”

Mannan agreed. “They take a lot of our resources, and we are happy to provide the help, but it is also becoming a town issue,” she said.

Smith pointed out that the heating situation at Golden Pond was unique. “We didn’t know this was going to happen; we have no previous experience of this particular problem,” he said.

The health director noted he was following up on all the complaints about Golden Pond. He said a “growing number of residents” have submitted complaints to the Health Department in recent weeks.

Carter brought up worries over people at the facility feeling safe enough to report issues they’re experiencing. “Residents have voiced concerns about intimidation and fear,” she said.

McAuliffe echoed Carter’s statement, saying he had been approached directly by residents during his visits to Golden Pond. He said they have reported trying to figure out a way to get in touch with his department. He advised residents and staff contact AGE with concerns outside the Health Department’s jurisdiction.

Given the ongoing problems at Golden Pond, Mannan proposed submitting a letter to the business stating the board’s position and asking for the issues it identified to be remediated by the Oct. 21 deadline.

“What happened and what has continuously happened is unacceptable from a Board of Health perspective [and] from a resident perspective,” said Mannan. 

“The conditions at Golden Pond are unacceptably bad and we expect them to meet the deadlines set,” said vice chair Mary Jo Ondrechen.

Added Mannan: “They will fully comply, or the board will act.”

The motion to submit the letter passed unanimously.