By Mary Macedo, Neighb News Correspondent
At its meeting on Monday, 4/23 the Fairhaven Board of Public Works reorganized the board, despite a tie still pending between current board member Robert “Hoppy” Hobson and challenger Albert Martin. The two each received 338 votes. The town is grappling with the proper procedure for breaking the tie.
Board members voted Brian Wotton in as the new chairperson and Cameron Durant as vice chair.
Mr. Hobson, the current clerk, made a motion for Keith Silvia to be the new clerk.
“Because I might not here anymore,” said Mr. Hobson with a laugh referring to the tie.
The board voted unanimously to appont Mr. Silvia as clerk.
BPW Superintendent Vincent Furtado explained that the pending tie between Mr. Hobson and Mr. Martin is under review by a judge who will be making some sort of decision on or before May 11th.
Mr. Furtado told the board that a joint meeting with the BPW and the Selectboard may or may not be necessary and it is the judge’s decision on the matter.
Mr. Hobson said that the problem is the Town Clerk and the Town Administrator gave Mr. Hobson bad advice which has slowed the process down.
In another matter the board met with Jamie Bogart and Mark Mello of the Lloyd Center to discuss the management of the endangered Piping Plover.
Mr. Furtado explained that for years Mr. Bogart and Mr. Mello have been paid through the state to manage the Piping Plovers and their nests on West Island to help keep the species going.
The funding for Mr. Bogart and Mr. Mello is now being taken away by the state because the Plovers are no longer nesting on state property, but on Fairhaven property.
Mr. Furtado explained that Mr. Bogart and Mr. Mello are asking for some compensation for taking care of the birds on town property.
Mr. Bogart said there are currently six pairs nesting, five of which are on town property and one of which is on state property.
Board member Mike Ristuccia asked if the BPW pays for Mr. Bogart and Mr. Mello to take care of the birds will they only take care of the five pairs on town property or the one pair on state property as well.
Mr. Bogart explained that they would only care for the ones on town property.
Mr. Hobson and Mr. Ristuccia said they both believe that the state should offer some money.
“I’m all for helping the species,” Mr. Ristuccia said. “I just think the state not paying is wrong.”
Mr. Ristuccia and Mr. Hobson also said that they do not want too much fencing on the beach because it hinders beachgoers.
Mr. Bogart and Mr. Mello explained that they only put as much fencing as needed for the birds to nest.
Mr. Wotton explained that Mr. Bogart and Mr. Mello are asking for $5,000 for 20 days of work per month for May and June at about four hours a day.
Mr. Wotton asked what type of work will be done.
Mr. Bogart explained that they do data entries that are submitted to the government, as well as educate the public and monitor the species and their nests.
Mr. Mello said that he tried his best to cut the cost back and was originally going to ask for $8,000.
Mr. Wotton said that cutting back was very much appreciated.
Mr. Furtado explained that the BPW did not budget for it in FY18 or FY19, but after discussing the issue the Town Administrator Mark Rees they believe they can find funding for it somewhere in the budget.
Mr. Rees will try to add the money for it at Town Meeting if the BPW approves of it.
Mr. Durant made a motion to enter into a contract with the Lloyd Center pending the decision at Town Meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
In another matter the board briefly discussed licenses for Water and Sewer Department employees.
Mr. Furtado explained that a big issue now is setting a time limit for new employees to get their required licenses.
Mr. Furtado said that a grade 5 is usually necessary specifially in the Sewer Department. Employees need a grade 5 to run the plant but do not for working in the field.
He said Sewer Department Superintendent Linda Schick has created a great system of pairing up grade 5 licensed employees with non-licensed employees which has worked well.
Mr. Furtado also said that the BPW needs to try to hire people who already have their licenses, and the board needs to put a timeline in place for employees to get their licenses.
Mr. Ristuccia explained that they need to give the employees better incentive to get their licenses. A 10 or 50 cent raise is not going to cut it.
Mr. Ristuccia also said he agreed that the board should solidify a timeline of how much time an employee should have to get their license before being terminated.
Mr. Wotton said he will add the issue into the union negotiations.
In another matter Mr. Furtado unofficially announced that they may be getting some grant money for the Sewer Department upgrades, adding that Ms. Schick has been working hard.
Ms. Schick said that they possibly have a $150,000 grant for nitrogen research and a $24,000 grant for energy upgrades.
The board also discussded the unpaved town beach parking lot, which is famous and notorious for its gaping holes.
Mr. Ristuccia suggested that they look into paving the lot. He said the entrance is the worst spot, with holes a foot deep.
Mr. Furtado said the issue is money. He said they consulted civil engineers a while back that estimated it would be somewhere between $300,000 to $600,000 to pave the whole thing because it would need a filtration system underneath.
“It’s on the to-do list for the future,” Mr. Furtado said.
Mr. Hobson and Mr. Ristuccia suggested finding out how much it would cost to pave just the entrance.
Mr. Wotton also suggested maybe using a different material like asphalt millings or chip seal. The board agreed to look into it.
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