FREE - Fairhaven Neighborhood News

By Joyce Rowley
Neighb News Correspondent
In contrast to a stormy August 8
meeting, the Fairhaven Board of
Public Works quietly sped through a
full agenda at its August 22 regular
meeting. The Board did take time to
hear the illegal dumping complaint
from Regina and Amicar Gomes of 33
Castle Avenue.
According to the couple, neighbors
from as far as Plymouth Street,
Robert Street and Green Street have
been using Mayflower Street to
dispose of yard waste. Mayflower is a
Town-owned “paper” street, meaning
it exists on maps, but has not been
built.
According to the Gomeses, the
dumping of yard waste for several
years has weakened trees to the point
of falling, pushed out the Gomeses’
fence, and prevented them from using
their yard due to moldy smells and
hordes of mosquitoes.
“I was born and raised in
Fairhaven,” said Ms. Gomes,
adding that she can not enjoy her
property of 14 years.
She said the dumping reached a
tipping point last Thursday when
her husband approached resident
Stephen Nowell of 268 Green Street
who was carrying clippings to the
area. Mr. Nowell, who lives on the
other side of Mayflower Street, was
also present. Mr. Nowell later
stated he was taking his hedge
trimmings to vacant property he
owns on the other side of the paper
street, and dis claimed contributing to
the Mayflower Street problem.
But other residents had freely
admitted to the Gomeses that they
had been dumping there for years
and were continuing to do so. Police
had posted a “no dumping” sign to no
avail. The couple asked the Board to
clean the property, as it is townowned.
BPW member Steven Riley said he
had visited the property after
receiving the Gomeses’ letter and
photos. He said he found the site
much as they described.
“We can clean it up,” said Mr. Riley.
“[Highway superin tendent] Mr.
Charbonneau said it was a one week
job. We can’t leave a BPW truck there,
but we can clean it up.”
Mr. Riley also said that letters had
been sent out to numerous residents
BPW Tackles Mayflower Street Dumping
in the neighborhood, and that the
Board of Health had just raised the
dumping fine to $500.00. The sign will
be updated to reflect the new fine. He
also suggested that a video of people
dumping would help the police
enforce the fine.
BPW member Daniel Freitas and
Vice-chairperson Robert “Hoppy”
Hobson agreed. Mr. Hobson also
suggested that the two neighbors ask
the Selectboard if they can buy the
paper street, so that they could put
up a fence to block dumping. Mr.
Nowell said he had attempted to do
so 30 years ago, but the previous
town planner had discouraged him.
Member Kathleen Sturtevant said
her neighbor had a similar problem
and understood the issue.
“Catch them on video and go to the
police,” she recommended.
Chairperson Geoffrey Haworth
The Board of Health...
raised the dumping fine
to $500.00. The sign will
be updated to reflect
the new fine.
suggested that in addition to cleaning
it up, the BPW could put boulders in
place to prevent trucks from dumping
material and neighbors from carrying
yard waste over in wheelbarrows. He
said he had visited the site and was
surprised at how far back into the
property material had been dumped.
The Board voted 5-0 to have
Highway workers clean out the area
and place boulders eight feet in from
Castle Avenue to prevent future
dumping.
In another matter, the board voted
5-0 to approve the promotion of Joyce
Wilson, Senior Clerk, to Principal
Clerk for the Water department. A
Town Hall domino effect started when
Linda Smith left the Town Clerk’s
office and Carolyn Hurley, BPW
Principal Clerk, leaves to replace her
on 8/26. Ms. Wilson was approved 5-0
as the new Principal Clerk effective
8/29, which will leave an opening for a
Senior Clerk. Ms. Wilson has been
with the Town 2 1/2 years and is a
town resident.
The BPW approved the WES
Construction Payment #18 of
$475,000 in a 5-0 vote. The payment
was reduced by $60,000 because the
total $2.3 million remaining balance
will be spread out to January 2012.
Mr. Haworth announced that all
involved parties met last Thursday,
August 18, to discuss problems with
the anaerobic digester. He said that
he expects the involved parties to
present a solution to the tank
problem to the Board within a week.
The re-bid of Item #17, rental of a
track-mounted backhoe, was awarded
for a second time to Fairhaven
Excavating (Robert “Robby”
Roderiques) at $125/hour. Peter
deTerra, the only other bidder,
rescinded his bid. The item was rebid
after a controversy over the disqualif -
ica tion of Mr. deTerra’s bid and a
complaint by Mr. deTerra about
the disqualification.
In the two weeks since he
started, Mr. Furtado told the board
said has spent “a good bit of time”
on the digester issue; notified Nye
Lubricants of the process they
need to follow for discontinuing
River Ave.; sent a letter to DATCO
bus company asking them to slow
the buses in response to Mr.
Alvernaz’s complaint; notified
Fairhaven Ship yard they will need
to fix an asphalt sidewalk on Fort
Street as per a former agreement; and
met with Tighe and Bond on the
Inflow and Infiltration study
assessment of the sewer system. He
said that Tighe and Bond has rated
the sewer system and will present
costs of repair at the end of
September in time for the October
Town Meeting.
Mr. Furtado also suggested that the
town consider a flushing program for
the water system to keep the water
fresher and the pressure high by
eliminating mineral build-up.
He also told the board he was
concerned about the number of
engineering consultants on various
projects and said that he will look for
ways to reduce that to establish
continuity. Finally he suggested that
the Town look into a light-duty policy
as an incentive to get employees back
to work after injuries.
BPW: cont’d next page
Page 12
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Fairhaven Neighborhood News