Midway through the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday evening, Town Administrator Tim Bragan stunned the board by announcing that Rich Nota, head of the Department of Public Works, would retire at the beginning of January. The announcement was greeted by several seconds of shocked silence. Then someone muttered, “Holy cow!”
Nota’s departure, scheduled for Jan. 2, 2017, leaves a third major town position to be filled. The finance director’s position has been open since the retirement of Lorraine Leonard at the end of June. And Janet Vellante plans to retire from her office as town clerk in early December.
Just a few minutes earlier, Nota had reviewed his department’s five-year capital plan with the selectmen, including the need for a new dump truck, the road maintenance schedule, and the long-deferred plans for a new DPW building. Bragan acknowledged that it had been prearranged to announce the retirement only after Nota had left the meeting.
Nota has served as Harvard’s public works director since April 2006. Before coming to Harvard, he spent nine years as public works director in Weston and three years as commissioner of public works in Dedham. He earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Northeastern and operated his own construction company for a dozen years before going into town work. Nota could not be reached for comment before this issue went to press.
Bragan told the selectmen that the most immediate concern for the town is that Nota is one of the two people in Harvard licensed to operate a public water supply. Bragan said he plans to ask for help from MassDevelopment’s water department in Devens.
