The Oxford Inland Wetlands Agency wants money to pay an assistant enforcement officer.
But town officials have postponed any decision on the request — citing a lack of inland wetlands inspections during the winter.
The issue came before the Board of Selectmen recently, when administrative assistant Joseph Calabrese brought forward a written request from Inland Wetlands Chairman Michael Herde.
Background
The town has a regular paid enforcement officer, Andy Ferrillo. When he’s not available for inspections, wetlands board member Thomas Adamski has filled in on a volunteer basis, Calabrese said.
But in 2010, Adamski asked to be paid for his services, Calabrese said, prompting a request for money from the Board of Selectmen.
Editor’s note: Adamski responds in a comment posted at the end of this story.
Hours Questioned
It was hard for selectmen to go into detail about the hours worked and needed because of a pending lawsuit against the town regarding enforcement officer hours.
Board members said they couldn’t discuss how many hours Ferrillo puts in at the job because he has sued the town on that precise topic.
In his suit, Ferrillo said he’s been working at least 36 hours a week since 2003, despite being hired as a part-time, 20-hours-a-week enforcement officer.
Ferrillo has been trying to get benefits — such as paid vacation, holidays and sick days — that other employees receive.
In a response to Ferrillo’s lawsuit filed in Milford Superior Court, Oxford denies that he’s been working 36 hours since 2003.
The case is pending.
Winter Lull
The middle of winter is not exactly a busy time for inlands wetlands inspections, which are more common in the warm months. So Selectman David W. McKane and David Yish did not take action.
“We want to take a look at the work load, and the willingness of people on the commission to volunteer,” Yish said, explaining their reasoning. Volunteers had done some of the work in the past, he said.
Paying commission members to perform work for the town is not a simple issue. For one thing it appears to be a violation of the Town Charter, McKane said.
So any decision on beefing up the inland wetlands office will have to wait. The winter makes that possible.
“It’s not like we are inundated,” McKane said.
The enforcement officer inspects for encroachment and violations of inland wetlands rules, like dumping and filling materials. Wetlands are determined by soil type, not water.
