The October 1 meeting of the Carver, Marion, Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District Committee found the board still without a contract deal with Michele Bernier, the candidate the board selected as the new executive director of the regionalized trash district.
The position was left vacant in February 2018 after the board fired then executive director Ray Pickles and then charged him with fraud and embezzlement in a civil complaint.
Negotiations with Bernier began a month ago on August 29, and as of the first of October, there is no signed contract.
The board began its meeting on October 1 in executive session to discuss the negotiations with Bernier and then in open session gave almost no information on negotiation progress.
CMWRRDD Chairman Stephen Cushing representing Marion motioned that the board allow the three town administrators to proceed “in the way that we’ve instructed them to do.”
In a follow-up for clarification, Cushing confirmed that negotiations were still ongoing between the CMWRRDD and its first-choice candidate, Michele Bernier.
Marion Town Administrator Paul Dawson commented that he would know by the end of the next business day, Tuesday, October 2, whether Bernier accepts what might be the CMW’s final details of a contract proposal, or if the board will have to hold a special meeting on the position on that Thursday, October 4, at 5:00 pm at the Marion Police Station.
In a follow-up with Dawson Tuesday night, he stated that he had been in a meeting all afternoon, and had not spoken with the town administrators from Carver or Wareham; therefore, he did not know at that time whether Bernier had accepted an offer or not.
Bernier is currently the solid waste management director for the Town of North Attleboro. The board’s second choice was former executive secretary and DPW superintendent for the Town of Fairhaven, Jeffrey Osuch.
The next regular meeting of the Carver, Marion, Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District Committee will be October 24 at 5:00 pm at the Marion Police Station.
Carver, Marion, Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District Committee
By Jean Perry