Three Finalists for Long-Vacant DPW Position In Adams
Adams Town officials are narrowing in on a new Department of Public Works director after going two years with an interim.
Three candidates have been selected to be interviewed next Tuesday at a public meeting of the board Adams Board of Selectmen.
iBerkshires.com reports Town Administrator Jay Green sees the hiring of the long vacant position as a huge opportunity.
Donna Cesan and her team in Community Development, along with the town administrator's office, have been handling the larger public works issues since Dave Nuvaille retired nearly two years ago. Operations Supervisor Tim Kota has been running the day-to-day operations.
In other DPW and road related news, Green gave an update on the condition of Howland Avenue. Constant tractor-trailer traffic and heavy commuter usage in general have consistently taken its toll on the road and made it notoriously cratered and treacherous in recent winters.
"It is not an easy or inexpensive potential fix but we are having conversations with our State Representative as well as MassHighway."
The state Department of Transportation this past year resurfaced Curran Highway, the portion of Route 8 that runs through North Adams, but that has southbound motorists skimming along the freshly paved highway and immediately on to Howland Avenue's two lanes of potholes and patches.
Another possible hire is imminent as the position of animal control officer/parking attendant position was posted and interviews are currently taking place. The hiring of a parking attendant in town has been a long discussed topic among several different administrations. Some felt the town wouldn't collect enough revenue for citations to offset the cost of the position.
Other officials have felt that by enforcing time limits and violations it would keep spots turning over, collect more fees, and make more spots available to customers looking to do business downtown.
Green thinks the timing fits perfectly with the new Visitors Center lot kiosks soon coming on line.
In a last bit of hiring news, the board unanimously approved a job description for an operations supervisor at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. This doesn't add a position or any money to the 2020 budget.
Green hopes the position, which will be advertised early in the new year, will help Superintendent Bob Rumbolt run what is an increasingly sophisticated operation.
Town Hall will be closing for the Thanksgiving weekend at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27. This is a change from last year as the Town Hall was closed all day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Free holiday parking throughout town starts Wednesday, Nov. 27, and ends Thursday, Jan. 2.
The board will be meeting Tuesday, Nov. 26, but only to interview the three candidates for the DPW director position; there will be no Wednesday meeting. The interviews will start at 4 p.m. and Chairwoman Christine Hoyt thinks each will take roughly an hour. The public is encouraged to attend.
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