To the Editor:
At the April 2014 Tisbury annual town meeting, the town voted to allow selectmen to look into a new position, natural resources department head, which would combine the waterways, harbor, and shellfish departments. When the selectmen met on Tuesday, Dec. 22, the position of natural resources director was presented with a job description and payscale. This was not read to the public, and public comment was not permitted. The selectmen voted to rush this through by placing the position on the January 12 special town meeting warrant, rather than wait until the annual April town meeting. Selectmen said there will be time to vet the position at the January town meeting.
The town administrator announced that if this position passes in January, the present harbormaster will be placed in the new position until the position is filled. Really? Hold on. To give the harbormaster more responsibility and a higher salary makes no sense. This position needs more examination, including the impacts it will have on current department head salaries, advisory committees, and public input. It can wait until April.
Lynne Fraker
Tisbury
