Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent Twenty-three days after interview­ing the three finalists forwarded by the Town Administrator Screening Com­mittee (SC), a two-member Fairhaven Selectboard inter­viewed Interim Town Administrator and Finance Director/Treasurer/Collector Wendy Graves on 3/11. Board member Keith Silvia had to recuse himself due to a conflict of interest because his wife is the Council on… [Read More]

By Beth David, Editor After a meeting that lasted more than three hours on 2/16/21, the Fairhaven Selectboard voted 2–1 not to choose any of the three candidates they had just inter­viewed for Town Adminis­trator. Instead, at the urging of board member Keith Silvia, the board decided to hold another meeting on Tuesday, 2/23, to interview… [Read More]

Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent The Oxford School housing project developer wants to make a “sub­stantial” change to the design of the proposed new construction, Building Commissioner Chris Carmichael told the Fairhaven Selectboard on 1/25. But before that proposed change is even considered, the Selectboard wants an explanation first. Within just weeks ahead of break­ing ground,… [Read More]

By Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent An employee engagement and work culture study has determined no “morale problem” at Town Hall among employees, although it did find some negativity. The Fairhaven Selectboard on 12/7 reviewed the study results with Mary Beth Bernard, the consultant who assessed the workplace climate at Town Hall over the summer. That… [Read More]

By Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent After realizing that not one woman had been appointed to the town administrator search screening com­mit­tee, the Fairhaven Selectboard on 11/19 appointed a female Town Hall employee as the seventh and final member. Selectboard member Bob Espin­dola said he had received feedback earlier in the day that the committee had… [Read More]

By Jean Perry Neighb News Correspondent Fairhaven’s next town adminis­trator will be found with the help of a professional hiring consultant and a search committee tasked with narrow­ing the field of candidates down to a few finalists. With so many stake­holders affected by the outcome of naming a new top dog at Town Hall, Community… [Read More]

By Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent Fairhaven Selectboard Chairper­son Daniel Freitas’s absence from the board’s 11/16 meeting led to the tabling of a slew of discussion and action items and Vice-Chairperson Bob Espindola struggling to find productive ways to pass the time in between scheduled public hearings. Mr. Espindola and Selectboard member Keith Silvia both appointed… [Read More]

By Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent The Fairhaven Selectboard on 11/2 allowed Robert “Hoppy” Hobson time to comment and question the board about its apparent readiness to grant Kevin McLaughlin of Casey Boat Realty, LLC use of a town-owned boat basin at Union Wharf that has for decades been made available to commercial lobster boats. Mr…. [Read More]

By Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent Fairhaven Selectboard Chairper­son Daniel Freitas let out a loud exhale as he stood up from the conference table during the 11/2 Selectboard meeting. “I gotta leave,” he said, picking up his bag and grabbing his coat from the back of his chair. “I’m sorry,” he said and then breathed out… [Read More]

By Jean Perry, Neighb News Correspondent At its meeting on 10/19/20, the Fairhaven Selectboard met with Patrick Carr of A-1 Crane to sort out his complaint with the town over a cease and desist order he received from the former building commis­sioner. St the 10/6 meeting Mr. Carr said he had tried in vain to access… [Read More]