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Date: 11/18/2022
LUDLOW – The Board of Selectmen talked to the new director for facilities and grounds, discussed the launch of their new website and set a Special Town Meeting date at their Nov. 15 meeting.
Jamie Tomas was named the new director of facilities and grounds starting Dec. 5.
Selectman Manny Silva expressed that this is a brand-new position and Thomas will have to develop the job and what needs to be done.
“I look forward to the challenge,” Tomas said.
Tomas has been with the town since 2010 as a seasonal employee and became a foreman at the DPW a year later.
“With my experience in the town and municipality, I have gathered ideas to take on a different opportunity. I have seen a lot of things that we could possibly improve on like making the buildings safer and the buildings and grounds more inviting for residents,” Tomas said.
Selectmen Bill Rosenblum said he is excited to see this position be filled by someone who knows the town and has been working in it for over 10 years now.
“The big thing for us is being proactive rather than reactive because it costs us more when we are reactive. I am glad we have someone in this position,” Rosenblum added.
Tomas said that he feels this position is needed and he can use his leadership and environmental background to help the town.
“I am knowledgeable in programs that include a green rating system and I look forward to bringing some ideas to make our building more efficient and greener to help save the taxpayers some money,” Tomas said.
Board of Selectmen Chair Tony Goncalves said, “This position is not someone sitting at a desk and answering the phone. Tomas is out in the field looking and taking inventory of issues to report back to the board of things that will happen seven, eight years from now.”
Tomas said that he will be carrying his toolbox with him so if he has an opportunity to fix something himself, he will so the town does not have to call and pay for the issue.
“I think eventually the long-term goal would be to get a facilities department to ease some of the stress of the DPW,” Tomas said.
After Tomas was welcomed, the selectmen heard from Town Administrator Marc Strange who offered an update on the town website and Special Town Meeting.
The town’s new website is expected to go live on Nov. 22 and “Visitors will be able to report concerns, search and apply for jobs, find town staff, pay bills, search for agendas and meetings minutes, see announcements and so much more,” Strange added.
Selectman Derek DeBarge said, “The new website launch is huge news for this town. Our current website has been horrible for as long as I have been using it. This would be a big help.”
Strange then told the selectmen that the plan is to have a Special Town Meeting on Jan. 9, 2023, at 7 p.m. at Ludlow High School.
“The Special Town Meeting must be at least 60 days before the annual town election. Usually, the town election is March 28. so, we went back 60 days which was Martin Luther King Day weekend, so we set the date for the week before.”
The selectmen voted yes to schedule the special town meeting date and opened the warrant for other departments to submit requests to add.