By Beth David, Editor
After a lengthy discussion at the 9/23/24 Fairhaven Select Board meeting, members voted to approve the restructuring of the Planning Department, Conservation Department, and Tree Department, essentially appointing Bruce Webb to run all three departments.
Mr. Webb is the town’s Conservation Agent, but he has been acting as the town’s Director of Planning and Economic Development, and the Tree Warden while those positions are unfilled.
The changes create the position of Director of Land Use (Planning/ Conservation & Sustainability, CPA: Community Preservation Act); creates the position of Assistant Conservation Agent; and makes the Administrative Assistant Planning/ Conservation a full time position.
The result would be a $22,080 reduction in salary costs for the town.
Town Administrator Angie Lopes Ellison told the board that it has been difficult to fill some positions, most notably the Planner position.
She said support staff is only part time now, so increasing those hours will help to make the restructure work.
SB member Andrew Romano said he read all the job descriptions and was concerned that they were putting too much on one person. Although Mr. Webb is capable of doing all the jobs, Mr. Romano said he was concerned with what would happen if Mr. Webb left.
Mr. Romano said the planning director position has a “pretty hefty job description.”
He said he did not know if it would be in the best interest of the town in the long run to abandon the search for a planning director. He said he felt it was a great temporary solution.
SB member Andrew Saunders said the concept of bigger government did not sit well with him. He liked the idea of combining two positions.
SB member Charles Murphy said it was time to think outside the box.
“No one is knocking down the doors to be the planning director,” said Mr. Murphy.
SB member Keith Silvia said they should give Mr. Webb a shot.
SB chairperson Stasia Powers said she was also concerned about overwhelming one person.
Mr. Webb told the board he felt he could handle the responsibilities because things are running more smoothly with the Conservation Commission, and he was confident the increased hours for staff would make the difference. He said the Tree Warden position does not take much time because the public works department does the actual tree work.
“I can count the number of ours this position has required on one hand,” said Mr. Webb.
In the end the board voted 4–1 to make the change with Mr. Romano voting “no.”
The board met in executive session to “conduct strategy session in preparations for negotiations with nonuinion personnel: Town Administrator.”
The board also met in executive session to review the minutes of the executive sessions of 5/8/24 and 7/30/24 in response to a request for release.
The board returned to open session to announce that it would not be releasing the minutes because the topic is still the subject of negotiations. The topic for both those dates pertained to Town Administrator negotiations.
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