At the Chilmark selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, chairman Jim Malkin said electrician Cole Powers has begun electrical work at Menemsha Harbor.
The electrical installation project has been in the works for over a year after stray wires began causing marine electric current issues in the summer of 2017, even shocking people who waded into the water.
Powers has removed concrete and asphalt as far as the fuel station, and plans to have the electrical conduit installed and backfilled on Monday.
In other business, selectmen agreed to hire the new harbormaster, Ryan Rossi, at a grade 10, step 5 compensation.
In FY2020, Rossi will make $40.94 per hour. Chilmark harbormasters work full-time for six months, including the summer season, before going down to 30 hours per week in the winter season. Rossi’s annual salary would be $74,500.
Usually, employees are set to start between grades one and three, but after discussion, Malkin, the employee representative on the human resources board Chuck Hodgkinson, and the chairman of the human resources board Jennie Greene decided to offer Rossi an increased compensation package since he has his captain’s license.
“We’re talking about a public safety position that has tremendous impact with and works with our commercial fishermen, works with our residents, works with transient boaters,” Malkin said. “It’s a very public, very important position in the town.”
Selectmen have received a schematic design for the beach bus turnaround proposed by Barbara Armstrong.
Town administrator Tim Carroll said the parking lot will lose between eight and 10 spaces.
“It seems like a good plan,” selectman Warren Doty said. “The traffic pattern won’t change. Just a little bit more room for everyone.”
Malkin asked for the design to be sent to the Menemsha planning board subcommittee for review and feedback. The bus turnaround has been a contentious issue.