Mechanic hire okayed by selectmen
Richard Nota, director of the Department of Public Works, reported that he found a suitable applicant to fill the mechanic position that has been open for almost a year. Nota told the board that the applicant has more than 20 years’ experience. The selectmen voted unanimously to authorize Nota to hire the applicant.
Police request money for sergeant position
The selectmen agreed to put forth Chief Edward Denmark’s request for an additional $13,000 in FY2008. Selectman Bob Eubank clarified that the additional funding, if approved by the Finance Committee and by voters, would not change the head count in the department because it anticipates a promotion, not a new hire. Denmark said that he expects retirements and new hires in the next six to seven years and explained that it is time-consuming to train a new officer in Harvard; it takes as long as four to five years because so many things the officers do and need to learn occur so seldom, he said. Selectwoman Lucy Wallace agreed with Denmark’s argument for hiring a new sergeant now so that by the time new officers are hired he or she will be up to speed.
Dedicated transfer station attendants proposed in fiscal year 2008
Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW) Richard Nota proposed the addition of two part-time transfer station attendants who would work nine hours per day on Wednesdays and Saturdays and would cost the town an estimated $26,000. Nota explained that at the present time the DPW is fully staffed only two and a half days a week—Tuesday and Thursday, and Friday morning—because two of its full-time employees are assigned to the transfer station Wednesday and Saturday. This situation, according to Nota, limits the DPW’s ability to perform larger tasks as efficiently and effectively as it could without the interruptions caused by inconsistent staffing levels. The Board of Selectmen agreed to put forward Nota’s proposal for further evaluation by the Finance Committee.
Selectmen respond to Harvard Village 40B application
The selectmen voted unanimously to send a letter to Anne Good at MassHousing expressing “serious concerns about the appropriateness of the site” and “the adequacy of the application as submitted,” regarding the proposal by Northeast Site Development LLC to develop 140 single-family homes on the Shaker Hills golf course in Harvard and Ayer. The Harvard Housing Partnership said that it is “concerned that the application as submitted is incomplete and inconsistent relative to the data provided and raises significant concerns relative to the impact to the town and neighborhood.”
Selectman Bill Marinelli told the board that he thought it was time to send a message to the developer that this is an inappropriate kind of project for the site and he agreed to draft a letter for the next meeting.
Resident Benjamin Foster of Shaker Road cautioned the selectmen to carefully review the assumptions underlying any appraisal of the land obtained through the developer or MassHousing. “They can assume away all problems,” he said. Keith Cheveralls of Quarry Lane urged them to read all documents they sign. The magnitude and size of the project is something “the town hasn’t seen” and “there are other equally vulnerable areas,” he said.
Note: This From the Boards article appears in the December 22, 2006, print edition of the Press.
