Tree laborer is a dangerous municipal job, he added.
“These people are on call 24/7. They are asked to go out during inclement weather for fallen trees.
The highest the warden can offer these new experienced laborers is $16 an hour, a wage Collasius called “dismal and deplorable” as well as a great contributor to the high employee turnover rate for the position.
“It’s a long-term problem preventing the department from functioning in a reliable manner.”
It was previously reported that the Department has a massive backlog of work due to staffing shortages and COVID-related restrictions.
Collasius is asking for a wage increase of $17.50 and $18.30 an hour for the two new employees he wants to hire. These numbers, according to him, are still roughly 25% less than the industry standard for the work involved.
Conflict of interest?
Before the interview took place, Selectman Keith Silvia announced that he had to recuse himself from the selection process due to a conflict of interest. Silvia’s wife, Anne, is an employee of the town and, if Graves was selected, she would work directly beneath her.
Selectman Daniel Freitas later said he found it peculiar that Silvia’s conflict of interest wasn’t brought up by counsel or the screening committee until now, several months and in the final stages of the TA appointment process.
That left only two of the three selectmen to continue the process, which did constitute a quorum.
Graves is taking over for Mark Rees, who officially retired last week.
Rees had officially been hired by the town back in December 2015 after a lengthy and public candidacy process. Altogether, he served 42 years in municipal management.
As explained at the Jan. 4 Board of Selectmen meeting, a permanent town administrator will be in place sometime between the end of January and the middle of February.
A screening committee was formed by the town to accept applications and conduct interviews for a permanent replacement for Rees.
“Interviews are going on currently. We’re not a million miles away, but we’re not super close either,” said Dan Freitas, board chair.