By Pattie Pacella, Neighb News Correspondent
The Acushnet Selectboard met on Tuesday, 3/29/20, via Zoom. The meeting was not open to the public and there were no public hearings. It ran live on channel 18 and is available on the town’s YouTube channel.
Town Administrator Julie Hebert reviewed the COVID19 updates and stated she has begun department head meetings to review the planning stages of opening up Town Hall to the public. She stated that currently there is one person at a time in the offices and moving forward they are trying to come up with the best practices to keep both the residents, and staff safe. The plan is to bring back all Town Hall employees in early June.
Board member David Desroches specifically asked about the Department of Public Works and what their plan was to return to work. Mr. Desroches stated they are considered “essential employees” and there should be a plan to bring them all back together. As of right now there are two teams that work on opposite weeks
In other business, the board discussed the Fire Department’s vacation rollover concerns.
Ms. Hebert stated that Fire Chief Kevin Gallagher had proposed a one-week carryover and a one-week buyback for employees who had more than the allowed to rollover time. Ms. Hebert stated it was a total of six employees that would be carrying over one week vacation and three that would be asking for a one week buyback at a cost of $1459.00 to the Town.
The Selectboard voted to approve he one-week rollover and the one-week buyback.
Selectboard chairperson Roger Cabral stated that after reviewing the “other list” of employees who were requesting unique situations, that he again wanted to be sensitive to COVID19, however, he noted that employees did have up to eight months to take a vacation before COVID19 occurred.
He said that Ms. Hebert has been doing two jobs since September and he would be more likely to accommodate a request by her.
Mr. Desroches noted that in Ms. Hebert’s contract it read that she could receive up to two weeks buyback on her unused vacation.
“Oh,” Mr. Cabral said. “You can get two weeks buyout per your contract?”
Ms. Hebert said, “Yes.”
“Then I take back everything I said,” said Mr. Cabral chuckling. “Use it or lose,” he said. “With a smile.”
Both Mr. Desroches and board member Kevin Gaspar agreed that they did not want to discuss any other possible “unique situations” among employees.
Mr. Desroches reminded the boar that they all agreed at the last meeting to allow “business as usual” with the up-to-one-week rollover of unused vacation.
“That is the decision of the board,” he said.
Mr. Gaspar agreed: “I get it, there are different circumstances. But we all agreed last week and I stand by supporting that decision.”
In other business, the Selectboard had Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly at their meeting to discuss the stormwater by-law changes that are on the upcoming Town Meeting warrant.
Mr. Gaspar shared his frustrations with the board and Ms. Kelly on the by-law. He said he had been in contact with the Environmental Protection Agency, which advised him that the Town of Acushnet has been out of compliance on storm-water issues since 2003.
Mr. Gaspar said he has not seen any public hearings scheduled to discuss the new by-law with residents, which is mandatory prior to going to a vote at Town Meeting. He also said there has been no formal or informal discussions by the Planning Board or Conservation Board before the Selectboard.
Ms. Kelly stated that it was the EPA which stated the by-law had to be updated as far as the language was concerned. She said that she has put some information about the added language with last year’s census mailing to residents, and has tried to inform the public.
“I don’t think this is something that we should’ve waited until the last minute,” Mr. Gaspar said.
He agreed it is a by-law that has to move forward but he said he did not agree with it not going through the proper channels.
“I’m concerned about paying an employee and them not doing their job,” he said.
Ms. Kelly stated that the EPA had been to town and did an audit on the by-law and found there was language that had to be stated in it. She said that is why they are moving it forward.
Mr. Gaspar suggested a list should be implemented so that all appropriate departments sign off on any by-law changes and that by-law changes need to go before the Selectboard for discussion and approval.
The Selectboard agreed that the by-law move forward to Town Meeting, and Ms. Kelly said there would be a Public Hearing posted for discussion from residents.
The Selectboard will meet again to continue to review Town Meeting articles on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.
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