Deerfield Select Board Advances Kratom Ban Hearing, Votes on Sewer Abatement

Board of Health · Meeting of July 8, 2026

Deerfield Select Board moves toward kratom hearing, approves sewer abatement and new committee charter at July 8 meeting. The board voted unanimously to abate $2,606.13 from a sewer bill for Nupro LLC and Orful Americas Incorporated at 12 Merrigan Way — representing two years of accumulated billing that had swept in separately metered irrigation water — setting the revised total due at $48,540.99. The board adopted the Town Building Advisory Committee charter and appointed Peter Lankowski to a three-year T-BAC term, while tabling the appointment of John Cunningham pending further review.

Health Agent Ned presented a draft regulation proposing a total ban on kratom sales in all forms; four remote callers urged a narrower approach targeting only synthetic products, while board member Blake Gilmore said he was "hesitant to ban stuff outright" given his own history with opioid treatment. A public hearing on the proposed kratom regulation is expected July 22.

In the full story:

• Town Building Advisory Committee Charter
• T-BAC Appointments
• Sewer Abatement — Nupro LLC / Orful Americas
• Kratom Regulations
• North Hillside Road Traffic Safety
• Dog Hearing Continuance — 9 Sherman Drive
• The complete report — 3,482 words

Source: the Board of Health meeting of July 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.