DPW Requests Grant to Spruce Up Plymouth for 400th

DPW Director Jonathan Beder is applying for $2.5 million in grants from MassWorks to prepare the roads, lights, water and sewer for visitors in 2020.

In preparation for the town's 400th anniversary celebration, Plymouth’s DPW Director is looking for grant money from the state and this week asked the Board of Selectmen to approve the strategy. DPW Director Jonathan Beder told the Board that MassWorks funds cannot be applied for several years in advance, but it can be applied for more than once over several years, according to WATD. "The MassWorks program doesn’t do projects over multiple years—it’s a yearly basis," Beder said. "But, the first year we’re looking for $2.5 million." The money would be used to prepare the town’s roadways and lighting, and increase water and sewer efficiency for the expected influx of visitors. "We want to do two things. We want to prepare the town to handle …

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DPW Recommends 'Small' Increases in Water/Sewer, Decrease in Recycling Fee

DPW Director Jonathan Beder will recommend increases in the water and sewer rates, and a sharp decrease in the annual recycling fee to encourage recycling.

Department of Public Works director Jonathan Beder will request a "small" increase in the water and sewer rates, transfer station passes and a 33 percent decrease in the annual recycling only fee. Beder will make the recommendations to the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night, where he'll also provide an update on the proposed curbside trash pick-up project. In late March, the DPW received five bids from waste management companies and has been going through the price proposals with the procurement officer and a review team. According to the memo to the Board of Selectmen, the DPW will recommend no increase to the water base charge of $25, or the yearly private fire protection charge. Rather the increase will be a one percent increase in each …

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Hydrant Flushing Begins in Manomet This Week

Water customers may experience decreased water pressure during the month of May as the Water Division flushes it's hydrants.

During the week of April 30, the Plymouth Water Division will be flushing hydrants in the Pine Hills pressure zone and the Manomet pressure zone. After the Pine Hills zone is completed, the hydrants in the Ocean Aire subdivision and State Road from Indian Hill Road south the Mayflower Road and the side streets will be flushed. All flushing will begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue as late as 8 p.m. The Water Division estimates that flushing the Pine Hills will require two days and the Manomet Zone will require three weeks. Flushing of the Cedarville Zone will begin May 28, and will conclude the seasonal flushing. The Pine Hills zone encompasses State Road to the crest of the Pine Hills, Rocky Hill Road up to house number 231, Bay Shore Drive …

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Town Meeting Rejects Solid Waste Budget, More Info Needed on Curbside Pick-up

Town Meeting voted to reduce the proposed the $3 million solid waste budget as a way to send a message to Selectmen, asking for more information on curbside trash pick-up.

Town Meeting had its doubts about the proposed $3 million solid waste budget proposed by Selectmen and DPW Director Jonathan Beder included funding for curbside trash pick-up, as well as taking control of the “difficult to manage” facility on Beaver Dam Road and funding for continued operations of all three transfer stations. The DPW was waiting to assess bids for the switch to curbside pick up, before committing to a specific budget. But there is already an effort underway to modify that budget on Town Meeting floor. Town Meeting representative Pat McCarthy filed a motion to decrease the budget to about $1.2 million in order to send a message to the Selectmen to investigate the actual curbside pick-up before approving a budget for it. …

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League of Women Voters Urges DPW to Postpone Budget Proposal 'Til Fall

The League of Women Voters argues that instituting curb-side pickup would quadrupedal the DPW budget that a written policy should be in place first.

Framed by Patch: Reach Out and Touch a Truck

Families and crews from Plymouth's public works departments met at the Plymouth Public Library May 19 to celebrate the annual DPW Day.

Bleating horns and the smell of popcorn filled the air around the Plymouth Public Library as the community got together to celebrate DPW Day. Parked cars lined the roads around the library as parents and children excitedly headed toward the library. The parking lot was full of many of the different trucks and vehicles (from giant backhoes to tiny street sweepers) that help keep Plymouth moving 365 days a year. For many young people, it was a chance to get up close and personal with equipment they'd played with in miniature. Kids clambered up and down the various machines, taking their turns in the drivers' seats as they imagined themselves commanding the massive metal to do the hundreds of jobs asked of Plymouth's DPW workers every day. …

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Old Sandwich Road a Mess

Residents say the condition of Plymouth's gravel roads is caused directly by the DPW's lack of maintenance. DPW promises to make repairs.

Every day twice a day Keven Joyce drives on Old Sandwich Road, navigating the worn-out road, the potholes, the frost heaves, and after this week’s thaw and freeze cycle, a flood and a sheet of ice. With dozens of gravel and paved roads in terrible condition, Joyce, a Town Meeting representative and chairman of Precinct 5, says Old Sandwich is one of the worst. After talking with DPW assistant director Dennis Westgate, Joyce went to the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night. “In my opinion, it’s almost impassible and I think it should be shut down until some kind of solution can be found,” Joyce said during the public comment period. He said one section in particular has been hit hard by this winter’s nasty weather. “The section of road south of…

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Casey Meserve

5:06 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011

I've driven down Old Sandwich and Ship Pond roads many many times. I'm simply stating that there are bad roads across town. Some worse than others, and some much worse. At the same time, you should see Halifax's roads. The paved roads in that town make Ship Pond Road look like smooth sailing.   more ›

Selectmen Lift Hiring Freeze Early

Discussion turns to saving tax dollars.

Selectmen imposed a 60-day hiring freeze on all town departments in late November. Tuesday night, they lifted the freeze a week early. Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz told the board the Department of Public Works is seriously depleted, the Council On Aging struggles to provide services short staffed and missing crossing guards have created a concern for the safety of school children. "Sixty days is not a long period of time and most departments have survived," Stankiewicz said. "But we can't control who will retire or leave." He said the town has candidates "in the pipeline" to fill vacancies in the police and fire departments. But the other short-staffed departments do not. Selectman Matthew Muratore, who proposed the freeze, reminded …

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Budget Bows to DPW Needs

The Town Manager's proposed budget adds six DPW employees and increases the department's budget by 10 percent.

Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz made his preliminary budget presentation last Tuesday with special attention paid to the Department of Public Works a week after the former director blasted the way the department was financed and made several budget recommendations. Stankiewicz took several of Hector Castro’s recommendations, but not all of them. He does recommend funding the hiring of four additional full-time DPW employees and two summer Recreation employees. The additional employees mean a 20.3 percent increase in Highway Division salaries – from $1,021,977 to $1,229,064. DPW Administration would have a 17.7 percent increase in salaries with the hiring of a second secretary. The salary line item would increase from $543,937 to $641,415. …

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