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Baron is named interim harbormaster

With a new year approaching, the Park and Recreation Commission faced the need for someone to carry out the duties of harbormaster while the longtime incumbent, Bob O’Shea, remains ill. At the commission’s Dec. 9 meeting, Recreation Director Anne McWaters said Ben Baron had volunteered for the position of interim harbormaster. She explained Baron had worked with O’Shea in the past and had also helped this fall with the end-of-season work at the waterfront.

“We need a harbormaster,” commission member Matt Benway agreed. But the members were not sure exactly who had the authority to name someone to hold that volunteer position under the town charter. Was it the commission itself, the Select Board, or the town administrator? Select Board member Rich Maiore, who was present at the meeting, said he believed the town administrator was the one to make the appointment.

Park and Rec Chair Sam Levine moved to nominate Baron for the post, and the vote was unanimous. McWaters said she would confer with Town Administrator Dan Nason as to who should make the official appointment. McWaters spoke with Nason the following day, and he appointed Baron to fill the interim position until June 30, 2025.

Contacted by the Press, Baron said his job will be “to build on all the hard work Bob did.” Baron has served for four years on the Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee, and he said checking boats that come to the pond for invasive weeds is an important part of keeping the pond in good shape. He also stressed the need for safety on the water, especially for children 12 and under to wear life jackets while on boats or paddle boards.

Baron had high praise for Department of Public Works Director David Smith and his crew, who repaired the boat ramp this week. With their mini-excavator, they filled a large hole and leveled out the ramp before the ground fully froze.

One of the first jobs Baron will have in 2025 is setting up the lottery for boat moorings and canoe rack spaces for next year. As spring nears, the harbormaster must also make sure the moorings are in working order and the lifeguards’ boat is in good condition.

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