By Mary Macedo, Neighb News Correspondent
At its meeting on Tuesday 5/26 the Fairhaven Board of Public Works discussed COVID-19 matters such as beach passes, town beach capacity this year, the reopening of parks/ playgrounds, and the recycling center hours. The meeting was available to the public via Zoom, and is available on demand at www.fairhaventv.com
The board first met with Paulo Machado about a driveway waiver on Mill Road. The board explained that the resident installed an 89 foot brick opening at the end of his driveway, but did not take a permit out to do the work. Highway Superintendent John Charbonneau told the board that the resident needed to take out an after-the-fact permit.
Mr. Machado explained via Zoom that he added the bricks to the end of his driveway because water pools there when it rains and it erodes the curb, as well as the grass, which causes cars to drive on his lawn occasionally.
Mr. Machado said adding the bricks was not a lot of work at all and that he did not want to ask the town to pave the road.
BPW Chairperson Brian Wotton said the plow might ruin the brick. Mr. Machado said he put reflectors at the end of the driveway to help.
BPW Superintendent Vinnie Furtado said that the brick apron that was added could possibly be encroaching on town property because it is far out into the road. Mr. Furtado said that if the permit was taken out before the apron was installed the board would have required it to be shorter.
He said he thought the board should table the discussion so Mr. Charbonneau could go out and measure the driveway apron to see if it is on town property.
Mr. Wotton motioned to allow for the apron to be at the edge of the road, but if Mr. Charbonneau measures the apron and it is on town property it must be shortened.
The motion passed unanimously.
In another matter the board voted to allow a few more employee to carry over vacation days to next year due to COVID-19.
Mr. Furtado also informed the public that the BPW building would be reopening to the public on June 8 with social distancing guidelines in place. Masks will be required (see related story on page 3).
In another matter Mr. Wotton said that the state guidelines now allow parks, playgrounds, and some sports areas to open. He said that youth baseball would be starting up soon.
Mr. Wotton asked the board if everyone agrees to reopen the parks and take the caution tape off all playground areas. The board agreed to reopen it all.
In another matter, the board discussed opening the recycling center for the normal summer hours.
Mr. Furtado suggested extending he hours one day a week and having the recycling center open 8 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday (with a break for lunch from 11:55–12:35), and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Board member Robert “Hoppy” Hobson agreed that those hours would be great.
The board voted unanimously to open the recycling during those hours from now until September 1.
The board also discussed accommodations that must be made in regards to opening the town beaches this year due to COVID-19.
Mr. Furtado said they have to come up with a plan to minimize the crowds at the beaches this year. He suggested allowing only Fairhaven residents to use the beaches this year, as well as season pass holders. Mr. Furtado said he recommended not allowing any day passes and only allowing Fairhaven residents to get season passes.
Mr. Furtado also suggested one pass per household this year and residents must show proof of residency such as a lease, registration, etc.
Board member Cameron Durant said that a lot of neighboring towns are only allowing residents as well, but other towns have also limited the beach parking capacity to half the normal amount.
Mr. Furtado said that he is worried about limiting the capacity because the parking attendants are just young teenagers and it would be hard for them to enforce the capacity limit to an angry resident.
Mr. Durant suggested seeing if they could possibly get a police officer or Highway Department worker to monitor the town beach parking this year to help enforce the COVID-19 guidelines. He said other towns, like Dartmouth, are having police officers at the beaches this year monitoring the parking lots and the beach.
Mr. Durant also suggested hiring extra parking attendants this year.
Mr. Wotton said that Town Administrator Mark Rees wants to cut the budgets so extra help most likely would not be allowed. Mr. Wotton said the town would not need to cut budgets if Mr. Rees did not spend the town money “willy nilly,” and suggested the town cut Mr. Rees’s salary.
Mr. Furtado also suggested the possibility of only allowing a certain number of season passes to be sold.
Administrative Assistant Becky Vento said that the past two years around 420 passes were sold. She said that 66% were from out of town people, which accounts for a lot of revenue.
Mr. Wotton suggested that they table the discussion until next meeting because Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker would be releasing new guidelines for beaches before the next BPW meeting.
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