Dartmouth developers took the town’s Department of Public Works to task at a March 23 Board of Public Works meeting, complaining about delays and increased construction costs due to communication and permitting issues for a Clark’s Cove sewer hookup and a larger project on Faunce Corner Road.

At the meeting, town resident and president of the Dartmouth-based Steen Realty and Development Corporation Kenneth Steen told the board about issues with DPW inspections and permitting for two different projects.

A house located at 42 Clark’s Cove Drive had a sewer line with five bends and grading issues put in after the DPW made the developer take out a straight connection tapping into the sewer main, Steen said.

He told the board that he would like to see reimbursement for the $5,000 cost incurred to reconfigure the sewer line, noting that the new connection was “inferior” and “jury rigged” and stating that the contractors believed they had gotten permission to tap into the main.

But Interim DPW Director Tim Barber noted that the agency is careful in giving permission to tap into water or sewer mains due to infiltration and inflow concerns, and that contractors did not go through the proper process.

“We’re pretty strict with not allowing anybody to just tap a main without permission,” he noted. “Especially water mains can have serious risks with that.”

“Once this tap was made, it was obvious that it made no sense to go back and reuse the existing stub,” Steen said. “So we’re gonna waive all good engineering practice for the sake of a policy in which the town wants to use existing stubs?”

Other Dartmouth developers at the meeting included Bob Medeiros of Medeiros and Sons and Bob Long of Long Built Homes, who both cited frustrations with a lack of communication from the department.

“I’ve been a lifelong resident of Dartmouth. DPW has to understand — you’re civil servants,” said Long. “I call the DPW, and I don't get my phone calls returned.”

“I’m still waiting on letters that I put in for three four months ago,” he added. “It’s very disheartening.”

Board chair Brian Hawes noted that Barber at one point had four different phones.

“It appears to me that communication is a big factor,” said vice chair Rick Alves.

With the sewer line already laid, however, the board decided to table the discussion. 

“I don’t see any resolution that we can make other than to absorb it as lessons learned,” Hawes said.

Meanwhile, the DPW told the board that the same developer began construction on a stormwater drainage system at the Paskamansett Office Park site at 461-479 Faunce Corner Road without going through the proper permitting process.

The project is currently in stasis, as the DPW is withholding all permits until the stormwater drainage issue is worked out.

Steen said that the developers had received all necessary permits through the Conservation Commission as per Dartmouth bylaws, but agreed to work with DPW to make any required minor changes in order to move the project along. 

The Select Board also discussed at a March 22 meeting what role — if any — board members could take in the controversy after member John Haran was called out for contacting Board of Public Works members.

Select Board member Stanley Mickelson said that Haran’s phone calls to other officials were “wrong” and “irregular,” noting that Haran had not been appointed to represent the body.

“Why wouldn’t you bring it to this board to make us as a team try to solve the problem?” asked board member David Tatelbaum, going on to call Haran’s actions “unethical.” 

“You represented us, and you did it wrongfully,” he said. 

But Select Board Vice Chair Shawn McDonald disagreed.

“If you’re talking to them one to one and trying to cull information, there’s no harm in that,” noted McDonald.

“It’s our job as sitting selectmen to listen to our constituents and answer their complaints,” Haran said.