By Pattie Medeiros, Neighb News Correspondent
The Acushnet Selectboard made its decision on hiring a new Town Administrator at its meeting on 12/6. The board chose Ron San Angelo, who is currently the Town Manager of Southbridge, Mass. The board interviewed, in open session, Mr. San Angelo on 11/22, and three other candidates on 11/25. Both meetings are available online at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQLn-V7X9rp0JdWXh445neQ
At its meeting on 12/10, the board heard a variety of requests, including a request from Verizon for a pole on the easterly side of Middle Road for a new solar array farm.
Selectboard member Kevin Gaspar, said he did not believe the measurements were accurate, so he would not make a decision without it being re-staked.
Residents from the area also expressed concerns about exactly where the pole would be, as they were concerned it was too close to their property line.
The Selectboard agreed to meet with the Verizon representatives to review and re-stake where the pole was going to be.
In other business, the Selectboard approved Nstar Electric/Eversource Energy) to install and maintain underground cables, conduits and manholes for a new subdivision on Allison Drive.
The Selectboard also heard from Department of Public Works Superintendent, Dan Menard for a continuing discussion on the Pavement Management Plan.
Selectboard Chairperson, Roger Cabral stated he requested Mr. Menard’s presence to discuss the plan again with the Board.
Mr. Menard discussed his reasoning for choosing the streets based on the Town’s funding. He stated they just finished repaving Hathaway Street at a cost of nearly $416,000.
He said they had limited Chapter 90 funds to repair the roads, and that the Pavement Management Plan did not take into consideration how much money they would receive.
Mr. Cabral said he was satisfied that the plan continuously needs updating, and Mr. Menard will continue to communicate with the Selectboard as an on-going process.
Fire Chief Kevin Gallagher was also in attendance to speak about the P.J. Keating application for construction and relocation of above ground storage tanks. Chief Gallagher stated that P.J. Keating has erected two silos with proper permitting and that they were looking to move the asphalt business from the back side of their property to the front near South Main Street.
Chief Gallagher stated that the application has to be reviewed by the State for the technical aspect, site inspections will be done and that construction is on-going. He also stated that the land use license is something that is permitted by the Selectboard and that it has to be reviewed because of where the asphalt is going to be on the property. He stated that the Selectboard would need to hold a public hearing to issue the license.
Chief Gallagher also asked for the Selectboard’s support and direction for a part-time Board of Health agent whose main focus would be to ensure the compliance of the asphalt project.
He also recommended that the Selectboard work with him to create a nuisance abatement plan to work with P.J. Keating on negotiating, managing and reporting back to the Selectboard regarding complaints that come in.
Mr. Cabral said he was not in favor of P.J. Keating moving their asphalt business so close to South Main Street. He stated that the company has not been a very good neighbor at all.
Chief Gallagher stated that restrictions can come directly from the Selectboard in issuing the license. The Selectboard will schedule a public hearing sometime in January to continue the discussion.
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