Health Board Votes to Honor Two Mortensen Recipients

Board of Health · Meeting of June 16, 2026

Ashland Board of Health voted to split its ninth annual Mary Mortensen Public Health Award between two recipients for the first time. The board voted 5-0 by roll call to name Kirsten Quern and Amy Turncliff as 2026 co-winners after weighing a third nominee, Diego Low, who runs a CASA food program but lives outside Ashland. Mortensen family representative Susan Robie told the board the honor should reflect "volunteerism, how do they enrich the community." Health Director Rajit Gupta also reported a new three-year, $49,200 Howe Street Landfill monitoring contract with Langdon Environmental and said funding and housing uncertainty could complicate a possible 2027 return of the RAM free health clinic to the region.

The board also reorganized, reappointing Ed Burman as Chair, John Byrnes as Vice Chair and David Kinsman as Clerk, each by 5-0 roll call votes.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
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Source: the Board of Health meeting of June 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.