By Mary Chasse, Neighb News Correspondent
At its meeting on Monday 11/28 the Fairhaven Board of Public Works discussed the future of the Tree Warden position, as well as the Broadband Project. The board also hired for the Highway Department and moved forward with the Cooke Park professional archeological laboratory study.
The board discussed the professional archeological laboratory survey at Cooke Park.
Karen Vilandry of Hands Across the River Coalition joined the board via Zoom to discuss the next steps. She said the board already granted permission to do the survey as long as it could be fully funded. Ms. Vilandry said that they have been awarded grants that will cover the entire cost of the survey.
Ms. Vilandry said they now just need to transfer the board’s approval/authorization to the Public Archaeology Laboratory Organization to allow them to do the study.
The board voted unanimously to transfer the approval.
In another matter the board met in executive session to hire the HMEO for the Highway Department. The board made a motion to hire Sean Francis as the HMEO. The motion passed unanimously.
In another matter BPW Superintendent Vinnie Furtado told the board that there is a possibility the Tree Warden will not complete his full term.
BPW Vice Chairperson Robert “Hoppy” Hobson suggested before a new person is put into the Tree Warden position the board should meet with the Town Manager to discuss who will be doing the hiring and where the budget will be coming from. Mr. Hobson said no one can run the Tree Department with the budget that the town is currently giving.
Town Meeting voted to changed the Tree Warden position from elected to appointed. That change is scheduled to take place when the current Tree Warden’s term is up in 2024 or sooner if he leaves.
In another matter Mr. Furtado informed the board that he has a meeting coming up about the Broadband Project. He said he is assuming that they will want the BPW to oversee the broadband project because it will be considered a public utility.
Mr. Hobson said he feels like this is too much for the BPW to take on. If the BPW takes over the Tree Department and has to oversee the broadband project that it is going to be too much.
Mr. Furtado said he will go to the meeting and will report back to the board.
In another matter Mr. Hobson asked about the Hiller Avenue housing project meeting coming up.s
Mr. Furtado said the meeting is with all the town superintendents to look at the plans and comment on them. He said nothing has been approved. It is a meeting to see the plans.
Mr. Hobson asked if a BPW board member could come to the meeting and Mr. Furtado said that would be okay.
Mr. Hobson said he wanted to know how many houses they are building. He said many neighbors have concerns too.
Mr. Furtado explained that it is just a meeting to look at the plans and the meeting is not a posted public meeting because nothing is being approved or voted on. It is simply to look at the plans before they meet with the Planning Board.
The board also met with Michael Redlon of G.S. Redlon and Sons about getting approval as a new driveway contractor. Mr. Redlon said his customer is a friend who asked if he could help complete their driveway at their newly built home. Mr. Redlon said he would be spreading gravel.
The board voted unanimously to approve G.S. Redlon and Sons as a driveway contractor.
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