By Mary Macedo, Neighb News Correspondent
At its meeting on Monday, 1/27, the Fairhaven Board of Public Works discussed vehicular traffic at Cushman Park, final water rates, and also hired for the Highway Department,
The board first met with Fairhaven resident Ray Gardner about his concerns about traffic in Cushman Park.
Mr. Gardner said he was embarrassed by the condition the Park is in. He explained that he walks through the park frequently and there are ruts in the grass and car tracks everywhere. He said there are signs everywhere at the park that say no vehicles, and the park looks like a dump. He noted that there are no barriers to block cars from going in.
Mr. Gardner said he has seen pickup trucks driving on the track, as well as people with dogs on the track when there are signs that say no dogs allowed on the track.
He told the board he has seen cars driving through the park and sometimes a car drives into the park to empty the portable toilet. Mr. Gardner said that the toiled is in a bad spot for a car to come and empty it and the it is constantly knocked over from the wind because it is not chained to anything.
He suggested possibly moving the portable toilet closer to the concession stand, so it can be more easily emptied and also be chained to the buildilng so it does not fall over.
Board member Robert “Hoppy” Hobson said the only vehicles that should be in the park are the guy who empties the portable toilet, the school with sports equipment, and BPW trucks picking up trash.
Chairperson Brian Wotton explained that Fairhaven High School uses the park for their sports teams and the portable toileet is rented through school. He said he agreed that it should be moved near a parking lot where the truck can pull up and empty it.
Mr. Gardner also said they should put up barriers. He explained that other parks in town have barriers to block cars. He also suggested that if all those cars from the school, BPW, etc., are going into the park, that maybe they should consider paving a path for the vehicles.
Mr. Hobson said they will have to look into it and see what vehicles are going in and out. He said they will figure it out and come up with a solution in two weeks to a month.
Mr. Hobson also said he would go by the park to check it out and Mr. Gardner agreed to meet him there.
Mr. Wotton said he would reach out to other departments in town to see who is driving their vehicles in the park and to find out about getting the portable toilet moved.
In another matter the board interviewed Joshua Chase for Heavy Motor Equipment Operator in the Highway Department.
BPW Superintendent Vincent Furtado said that Mr. Chase comes highly recommended by Highway Superintendent John Charbonneau.
Mr. Chase said he grew up in New Bedford but lives in the Fairhaven area with his family currently. He told the board he has been a truck driver for 23 years, but wants to work within the town and help out the community.
BPW members Cameron Durant and Frank Coelho agreed that Mr. Chase had an impressive resume.
Mr. Hobson asked Mr. Chase if he had his hydraulic license. Mr. Chase said he did not. Mr. Hobson said if he obtains his hydraulic license he will get a pay increase.
Mr. Wotton said that with Mr. Charbonneau and Mr. Furtado’s recommendation the board should make a motion to hire Mr. Chase.
The board voted unanimously to hire Mr. Chase.
The board also met with Harbormaster Tim Cox about adding driveway aprons at Hoppy’s Landing.
Mr. Cox said he wanted to add two aprons right at the entrance of Hoppy’s Landing where the pavement meets the shells. He said they would be two big aprons that extend about 10 feet and flare out at the end.
The motion passed unanimously. Mr. Furtado offered his help as well as Mr. Charbonneau’s for anything Mr. Cox might need to get the aprons constructed.
In another matter the board met with Steve Lisauskas from Waste Zero textile recycling program.
Mr. Wotton said that the board agreed that they were ready to move forward with the program.
Mr. Lisauskas explained that 8% of trash in Massachusetts is reusable/ recyclable clothing. He said Waste Zero will collect the clothing bags curbside on regular recycling day and replace each full bag with a new bag.
Each resident will start with two bags, but anyone can call and request more bags at anytime. Mr. Lisauskas said he hopes the program can start in Fairhaven by the spring.
There is no cost for the program and the town receives $20 for every 33 tons of textiles that are recycled.
Mr. Hobson asked if it would be possible to also put a textile bin/box at the recycling center.
Mr. Lisauskas said that it would be possible to do that as well.
Mr. Wotton said that residents are very excited about the program.
The board voted unanimouslly to accept the contract from Waste Zero to be sent to town counsel for review or revising and then to be signed.
The board also discussed final water rates. Mr. Furtado explained that when a house in town is sold realtors ask for the final water rates. He told the board that a lot of realtors call last minute for the rates and it causes a lot of inconvenience for the department.
Mr. Furtado said he has looked at the surrounding towns to see what they charge for a realtor’s late notice. Currently Fairhaven does not charge if a realtor is late, the town just charges the normal $50 fee. He suggested increasing the fee to $100 if the realtor asks for the final water rates less than three days in advance.
Mr. Hobson said the town should make it $200.
BPW Administrative Assistant Rebecca Vento said that a lot of realtors call two days in advance and get upset when the town can’t get the rates that quickly.
Mr. Coelho disagreed and said he does not think it will make many people happy raising the fee to $100.
Ms. Vento said it will hopefully get them to call sooner in advance.
Mr. Coelho said he was against it and that he thought the fee was too much compared to other towns, like New Bedford, which only charges $75.
Mr. Wotton explained that getting the water rates in New Bedford is quicker and easier because it is all done on the computer. He said it is a much slower process in Fairhaven because they have to send a worker out to the house to read the meter because Fairhaven does not yet have computerized meter reading.
Board member Keith Silvia said if they raise the fee how will they get the information out to the public.
Mr. Furtado said they can post it to the town website and on the town twitter page and when realtors call inform them of the new fee.
Mr. Wotton said after they pay the late fee once they will not want to pay it again.
Mr. Hobson made a motion to make the late fee $200.
Mr. Furtado said he did not think that was necessary.
No one on the board seconded the motion.
Mr. Durant made a motion to charge $100 if the realtor notifies less than three days before and to charge $50 for a missed appointment.
The motion passed 3-2 with Mr. Hobson and Mr. Coelho voting “no.”
Mr. Hobson asked when the sewer treatment plant would be built.
Mr. Furtado said legally it has to be in operation by October 26, 2025.
Mr. Furtado explained that a study is being done now, then a plan will be made next year, and they hope to break ground in 2022.
Mr. Hobson asked where the treatment plant is going to go.
Mr. Furtado said that it will probably be built on Bridge Street but nothing is confirmed.
In another matter Mr. Coelho mentioned that the new driveway with the blocks and chain to the entrance at Livesey Park has a small issue. He said the chain is a little long and when it is open it hangs into the street and it is dangerous for cars driving over it or people walking. He suggested they go in and cut the chain to an appropriate length.
Mr. Furtado said he would have that taken care of.
Mr. Coelho also asked if the board would possibly discuss changing the BPW meetings to a different day because the BPW meetings often are scheduled at the same time as the Selectboard meetings.
Mr. Wotton said it is hard because the Selectboard switches its meeting days.
Mr. Furtado said that the Selectboard does schedule their meetings months in advance.
Mr. Wotton suggested the BPW schedule meetings a month in advance also that way the meetings can be on alternate Mondays of the Selectboard meetings and they will no longer conflict with each other.
Mr. Wotton suggested they discuss it at the next BPW meeting.
•••
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal.
Click here to download the entire 2/6/20 issue: 02-06-20 JacksonsFire
