From June 2005 through December 2005, I had the pleasure of serving as your interim Town Manager, after the departure of Rocco Longo. On December 10, 2006, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint me officially as your third Town Manager. I am extremely proud to serve the Town in this position.
The challenge of maintaining a high level of public service in lean financial times continues. Some fiscal measures we have employed include: A monitoring system for fuel use by Town vehicles, new construction and debris fees at the Transfer Station, and monthly meetings with Town building managers to share ideas on cost-effective operation.
Another concern included increasing the security of some of our Town Buildings. To that end, a keyless entry system was installed in Town Hall, Old Town Hall, and the Senior Center. In addition, improved communication is always a goal in municipal government. Our new voice-mail system has increased the accessibility of Town departments.
A tremendous milestone was reached in FY06 by our Police Department. We became one of only twenty-four towns in the State to be accredited by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission. The process took six years of hard work and dedication, and has brought well-deserved recognition to the Department and Town.
Other awards for Duxbury included the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. It is the highest award achievable in public accounting, and we are extremely proud of this accomplishment. The work leading to this award was largely completed under the direction of our Town Accountant, Sheryl Strother. Unfortunately, Ms. Strother left the Town of Duxbury in December 2005 to become the Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Wellesley. Her contributions will be missed.
The Town Accountant’s position was filled in February by Mr. John Madden, former accountant with the Town of Plymouth. Mr. Madden hit the ground running, and skillfully assisted the new management team with its first Annual Town Meeting in March.
It was also necessary to find my replacement as Director of Inspectional Services. This position has been ably filled by Mr. Scott Lambiase, who had already been serving as an Inspector with the Inspectional Services Department. He is adjusting well to the demands of his new position.
FY06 saw the completion of the Bluefish River Firehouse Restoration project. The dedication ceremony on June 30, 2006 was a testament to a great joint effort between the Town and a wonderful group of volunteers. The Island Creek Fish Ladder project was substantially completed in FY06 also. This project restores a herring run that dates back to 1702, and will be a great community resource.
The Duxbury Animal Shelter was completed this year as well. Again, volunteerism made the difference. The project was completed under-budget, due to the many cash and in-kind donations made by concerned citizens and animal lovers.
Restoration work on the Wright Building continued. We hope that the Duxbury Rural & Historical Society and the Duxbury Student Union will occupy their portions of the building midway through the next fiscal year.
The last several years have seen the remarkable development of our newest industry: Aquaculture. Duxbury oysters have become famous throughout the country. The Harbormaster Department, other officials on the State and Town level, and the local shell-fishing community have all worked together to make this a tremendous success story.
Community health challenges have included the threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis from infected mosquitoes, and preparation for the likely event of a future flu pandemic. Our Board of Health and Health Agent have worked tirelessly on these issues.
The Town of Duxbury is fortunate to have an excellent team of elected and appointed officials, department heads, staff, and volunteers. It is a pleasure to come to work each day. I am especially grateful for the assistance of the Town Manager staff, including C. Anne Murray, Barbara Ripley, and Anita Stiles.
Respectfully,
Richard R. MacDonald
Town Manager
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