With the public works director and water treatment plant supervisor suddenly retired, Assistant Town Manager Steve Bucuzzo has taken over as acting public works director as police conduct a criminal investigation on possible employee misconduct at the plant.
Jack Petkus, Andover's DPW director since October 1999, retired Friday, Aug. 13. His retirement followed that of water treatment plant Supervisor John Pollano who retired retroactively to June 30 earlier this summer.
Bucuzzo has been splitting his time between Town Offices and the DPW. Andover's assistant town manager since June 2001, Bucuzzo is out of the office this week and was unavailable for comment.
Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski said Bucuzzo is not receiving any extra compensation for overseeing the DPW until an interim DPW director is hired.
"Even though he hasn't managed a snowstorm or a water treatment plant, he certainly is well qualified to manage the budget operations," said Stapczynski. "We have well-qualified superintendents and a DPW business manager, and they have their pulse on the operations. But I thought we needed someone day-to-day to be out there to deal with any number of issues that come up with a $12 million department. I think it's a good fit for the next four to six weeks."
"For all intents and purposes, he is the assistant town manager in the morning and here in the afternoon," said Sandy Gerraughty, DPW business manager. "He is picking up on (DPW procedure) very quickly. He's meeting with our division heads and meeting with our water operators to learn water operation. All of our CIP (Capital Improvement Program) requests are coming together, and he's working with us on those. He's just taking care of some day-to-day operational things. We have a very strong management team, and he's just here to get us through the time lapse. He's been very helpful."
Applications for the interim DPW director job were due Aug. 20, and Stapczynski said he's received about 20 resumes. On Aug. 31, Stapczynski said he is looking over the resumes and hopes to have an interim hired within six weeks.
With Petkus gone and the impending retirement of Joe Piantedosi, plant and facilities department director, Stapczynski will launch a study into the possibility of combining the DPW and plant and facilities departments. Through the year-long study, Stapczynski will hire an interim DPW director instead of permanent replacement for Petkus.
The one-year interim job will pay an estimated $100,000.
On June 22, Stapczynski confirmed Andover police and the district attorney's office were investigating a possible case of employee misconduct by one or more water treatment plant personnel. Stapczynski has remained mum on details of the investigation other than to confirm treatment plant Supervisor John Pollano retired.
Pollano's position has not been rehired; Stapczynski said the job is "subject to a larger discussion" as part of the consolidation study.
A new water treatment plant supervisor will be hired "no time soon," Stapczynski said.
A full-time water treatment plant operator position was posted Friday, Aug. 27 after an employee died unexpectedly. The person's death was unrelated to his job and it did not happen while he was at the water treatment plant, Stapczynski said.
The Department of Public Works, at 397 Lowell St., encompasses seven divisions and 49 full-time positions.
"It's business as usual, we still have to provide services to the town. The staff has really been professional and stepped up to the plate during this transition, and we wouldn't have expected anything less," said Gerraughty.
