Selectmen appoint Mazzola as new veterans' agent
By Karen Mann Journal Correspondent

Resident Joe Mazzola has been appointed to the position of veterans' agent.

The Board of Selectmen were divided at their Tuesday, Jan. 2 meeting on whom they wanted to fill the role.

Mazzola and fellow resident Keith Jackson were the two finalists that were chosen from ten applicants. Both men were interviewed at the meeting on Dec. 19.

Board Chairman Robert Plamondon started the discussion by making a motion to appoint Jackson as the veterans' agent.

Plamondon said he preferred Jackson because of his extensive resume. He also said he was going on the recommendation of one of the members of the Veterans' Agent Search Committee.

Town Administrator Gregory Barnes said that the search committee ranked Jackson as number one for the job, but said both candidates were highly qualified.

Selectman Maureen Denig followed by saying she wanted to make a motion to appoint Mazzola to the position.

"It struck me that Joe knew the number of veterans in town, and the number of veterans that are not registered," said Denig. "It shows he went above and beyond."

Selectman David Chenelle sided with Denig.

"Keith is a more administrative, authoritative person," said Chenelle. "Joe will sit at the kitchen table and talk to someone about their issues."

Chenelle said for that reason, he would support giving the job to Mazzola.

The board agreed that both men were qualified for the job, and either one would be an asset to the town. The position has been vacant for the past six months.

Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint Mazzola to the position. Plamondon said he wanted to show unity across the board for the candidate.

In other news:

+ Selectmen voted to appoint Don Benoit and Karen Weller as Paramedic/EMT in the Ambulance Department.

+ Selectmen voted to appoint Mark Mercurio as the custodian for the Police and Communications Center. Mercurio is also the custodian at Memorial Hall. According to Barnes, Mercurio is a licensed carpenter, and has saved town officials thousands of dollars from extra repairs and work he has done in the building.

+ Selectmen voted to post the vacant position of land use coordinator. Barnes met with members of the land use boards in town to determine what role they wanted the new coordinator to serve.

He said they wanted a planner more so than an administrator. Barnes cautioned it would be harder to find a qualified town planner given the current pay rate of the position.

He also said the number of hours worked per week would stay the same at 24.8 hours. Those he spoke to wanted it to become a full-time position. This would require a vote at annual town meeting next spring. Barnes said given the financial state of the town, it was unlikely to happen.

+ Selectmen accepted a $500 award on behalf of the Fire Department from the Walmart "Safe Neighborhood Heroes" grant program. In a letter submitted to selectmen from Lt. Mike Grimley, the money can be used for fire safety programs and/or purchasing life safety equipment. Grimley said the money would be used to purchase carbon monoxide detectors for the senior residents in Townsend.

+ A change order of for a reduction of $5,250 for the Harbor Trace Well Pump Station project was approved by selectmen. This is the second negative change order selectmen have signed on this project. At their Nov. 28 meeting, selectmen approved another reduction for the project, reducing the cost by $19,700. This brings the cost of the project down to about $947,000.