By Beth David, Editor
The Acushnet Selectboard heard from police Chief Michael Alves about plans to get full time staffing levels back up to 100%. The department has been using part time police officers and using overtime to cover shifts, the chief told the board at its meeting on Monday, 12/5.
Chief Alves said that overtime costs had gone down in FYI6 and he expected they would go down again in FY17.
Meanwhile, he has two officers in the academy, but by the time they graduate one officer will retire. A third officer, who is currently part time, has already finished the academy and will take the place of a retiring officer.
The upshot is, after all the shuffling around, that Acushnet will still have to hire one new person who will have to go to the Academy.
He said they will call for the civil service list in the spring, do background checks in the fall, and hopefully send someone to the following academy.
The department will submit a detailed budget after getting some numbers from the accounting office, said Selectboard member Kevin Gaspar.
In another matter related to the police department, the Selectboard voted to dissolve the Police Station Building Committee and replace it with a three-member subcommittee with three members: Chief Alves, Building Inspector James Marot, and Finance Committee chairperson Robert St. Jean.
The new police/safety building is complete, with just a few items left to finish up. The chief told the board there is $140,000 left in the account. That money will be used for the “punch list,” a fence, and a firearms training simulator.
Chief Alves said the money may also be used to replace some elements that were removed from the buildilng, such as electrical outlets, when the project was going over budget.
Chief Alves and Mr. Gaspar also heaped praise on Joe Malarney of Kaestle Boos Associates, who was the architect for the project; and Andrew Pellgrini who was the project manager.
Mr. Gaspar said that Mr. Malarney “watched the town’s money like it was his own,” and called him a “Godsend.”
Mr. Gaspar praised Mr. Pelligrini, as well, saying, “His commitment to the job was outstanding.”
In other business the board voted to approve the agreement with the Buzzards Bay Coalition, pending some word changes by town counsel. The project, that was approved by Town Meeting, allows Community Preservation funds to be used for a parcel on Hamlin Street. The town will hold the Conservation Restriction, the BBC will own the property and has promised to open it as a park like the Sawmill property.
The board also approved a list of licenses for 2017, with some holds. Alcohol related licenses will be renewed at the next meeting.
The board had no executive session on Monday.
Click here to download the entire 12/8/16 issue: 12-08-16 iss_BenoitLights
