BPW fills SMEO slot; discusses parking on Causeway Road

By Beth David, Editor

At its meeting on Monday, 8/13 the Fairhaven Board of Public Works held interviews for Special Motor Equip­ment Operator, discussed the new employee time clock system and the blocking of beach parking on Causeway Road on West Island.

The board interviewed Alex DosSantos and Sean Simonin from the Highway Department about the SMEO  position. 

BPW Chairperson Brian Wotton explained that both men have all the licenses necessary. He said that Mr. Simonin does not have his tanker license, but is working on getting that license currently. 

Board member Keith Silvia said that both Mr. Dos­Santos and Mr. Simonin are great workers who work hard. 

Board member Robert “Hoppy’ Hobson agreed, and said they are both excellent, fantastic employ­ees and are both stand up guys. 

Mr. Wotton explained that based on the union contract the job should go to the senior most qualified employee.  

Mr. Hobson said that both men are such good employees that he wished that could appoint both to the position, and added that he believed more positions would be opening. 

The board voted unanimously to appoint Mr. DosSantos the position, as he was the most senior employee.

The board commended both men on their hard work and assured Mr. Simonin that more positions would be coming. 

In another matter BPW Superin­tendent Vincent Furtado informed the board that the town has established a new time clock system for town employees. He said that a few employees just recently tested the system and were trained on how it works.  Eventually the system will be used for all town employees. 

The new system is computerized. Employees punch in and out, logging their time into the town computer. 

Mr. Furtado said that the new system also allows employees to request time off directly on the computer. The employee would click on a certain day on a calendar that they want off and the system will immediately email the supervisor. The supervisor would then review the request, make sure there is enough coverage and then approve or deny the request directly on the computer. 

Mr. Furtado said there are still a few issues that need to be discussed with the software people such as overtime, and employees coming in early, etc. 

Mr. Furtado said he would also like to see if they can get a key fob that employees can scan, rather than only being able to punch in on the computer. 

In another matter, Mr. Hobson wanted to discuss the boulders that the department placed on the road on the causeway to block parking near the Causeway Road beach. 

Mr. Furtado explained that people on the street complained to the police about people parking on their property. 

Lt. David Sobral connected with Mr. Furtado to inform the BPW of the issue and that something needed to be placed there to stop people from parking.

The issue was discussed at the last BPW meeting, but was not voted on and was tabled to the next meeting. Over the past week Mr. Furtado had met with Lt. Sobral about the issue and Lt. Sobral and the safety officer suggested putting boulders there as well as a “no parking” sign. 

Mr. Furtado said that he listened to their direction and had boulders and a sign placed there.

Mr. Hobson explained that the whole incident happened by accident. He said he was taking a ride around town with Mr. Furtado to show him things that needed to be fixed around town and they ended up talking with Lt. Sobral about the parking problem. 

Mr. Hobson said at first people complained about the parking there, and now other residents are com­plain­ing that they do not want the boulders. 

“I think the boulders look terrible,” Mr. Hobson said, and suggested a highway barrier. 

Mr. Wotton said that highway barriers would look worse. He said wooden barriers would be better. He also said that he would like to eliminate the sand in the area and lawn and seed it, which will also deter people from parking there. 

Board member Cameron Durant said that if the boulders stay there, they should put reflectors on them.

In another matter, Mr. Furtado informed the board that an issue has been raised about two storm drains near North Street, Cherry Street, and Cooke Street area. 

He said that they have had a complaint about the storm drain from the owner of 3 North Street who also owns an area near Cherry and Cooke Streets where there is an issue of two storm drains draining into his property.

Mr. Furtado said that the house was registered in 1955 therefore if both of the storm drains were made after that date, the town trespassed on this resident’s property and the storm drain will have to be removed. 

Mr. Furtado said that one of the storm drains was built in the 2000s, therefore that storm drain will most likely have to be removed, which could create a huge drainage problem when it rains.

He said he is looking for information about the other storm drain, because they are not sure when it was built. If it was built after 1955 it will have to be removed too, which will create a huge drainage problem on those streets.

Mr. Furtado said that town counsel is looking into the issue. 

In another matter, Mr. Hobson just wanted to commend all the town summer workers. He said that the employees have done an excellent job cleaning up Hoppy’s Landing and Union Wharf.

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