DPW leadership changes up
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The Westminster Department of Public Works will be undergoing a series of changes under the next few months, with the medical leave and pending retirement of William Wintturri as the department's head.

Selectmen acknowledged the contribution of Wintturri's more than 37 years working full-time for the town, and four before that as a part-time employee. The retirement of Wintturri was announced by DPW Commissioners Lorraine Emerson and Preston Baker at the Selectmen's Feb. 20 meeting.

Wintturri, a Westminster resident, will retire in June and from now until then will be out on medical level.

Josh Hall, who has served for the last 18 months as the assistant director of the DPW, was promoted to fill in for Winturri as acting director until the formal retirement.

"When they went out and did that search, they were looking for someone who could replace Bill," said Town Coordinator Karen Murphy.

Hall is expected to be appointed director upon Wintturri's retirement.

Baker will be brought on to the town's payroll as a consultant to help with the transition. He has filed disclosure with the Selectmen about the per diem consulting and his position as a commissioner.

Selectmen Chairman John Fairbanks had an issue with the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. He said he thought the assistant DPW director position would be eliminated once Wintturri retired or after three years from it's approval at town meeting, which ever came first.

Fairbanks said he thinks the position needs to be removed from the operating budget and placed as a separate article if the DPW commissioners want to keep the position and approved by the voters again.

Emerson said she did not believe that to be the case. She and Baker advocated to keep the position. Emerson said it was going to be "evaluated" after three years.

"If my recollection is wrong I'll admit it," Fairbanks said. "But I don't think it is."