Plympton board waiting to meet with inspector

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Plympton board waiting to meet with inspector

http://www.enterprisenews.com/articles/2005/10/04/news/news/news06.tx

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Tues., Oct. 4, 2005

Brockton, MA

By Janice Nickerson, Enterprise correspondent

PLYMPTON — Selectmen will have to wait another week before they can

meet with acting Building Inspector Fred Svenson and find out why he

did not hold office hours elsewhere in the Town House for several

weeks after the discovery in August of mold in the Building

Department office.

During the board's meeting Monday, selectmen Chairman Rob Vautrinot

read a letter received that day from Svenson stating that he would

be attending the New England Municipal Building Officials Conference

at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst until Thursday.

Svenson wrote in the letter that he would hold office hours on

Monday, but selectmen said the Town House will be closed that day

for the Columbus Day holiday.

The Planning Board, Board of Health and wiring inspector, whose

offices are also on the lower level, resumed activity on the main

level of the Town House, meeting with residents and holding regular

meetings after mold was found in the building.

Selectmen said they want to discuss their concerns with Svenson

regarding the office hours and how he planned to conduct future

business without ready access to Building Department files.

Selectmen said Monday that as a result of Svenson's failure to hold

regularly scheduled office hours on consecutive Mondays from 7 to 9

p.m., the town was losing potential revenue because no building

permits could be issued and no fees collected.

All three members of the board criticized Svenson three weeks ago,

saying his failure to meet with the public was unacceptable and

questioned his request for compensation for working on a Wednesday

and Friday, two days when the town house is closed to the public.

Selectmen last week took a brief recess to allow time for a board

member to locate Svenson when he failed to appear as requested.

When found, Svenson told Selectman ph Freitas that he had an

impacted wisdom tooth and would meet with the board this week.

Svenson did not indicate that he would be attending the conference.

According to Freitas, Svenson stated last week that he would not go

into his office and clean or remove files needed to conduct business.

Svenson's letter to the board Monday stated that he has been

conducting inspections at building sites and can be reached by cell

phone.

Svenson was rescheduled to meet with the board Oct 11