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Photo courtesy Matt Mulvey
A new interim building commissioner, Matt Mulvey, will take over for Doug Taylor on Feb. 29. |
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Interim commissioner to scrutinize process
By Pru Sowers
Banner Staff
PROVINCETOWN — The new interim building commissioner scheduled to replace outgoing Doug Taylor on Feb. 19 is promising to take a hard look at existing regulatory practices in the town building department.
Matt Mulvey, a former building commissioner and inspector in several Massachusetts towns, has been hired by Town Manager Keith Bergman to replace Taylor, who is resigning on Feb. 16, on an interim basis, giving the new town manager — expected in May — a chance to hire his or her own candidate. Mulvey said on Tuesday that one of his first priorities in the 20-hour-a-week position will be to sit down with the different boards and commissions that regulate the town’s building bylaws “and find out what the problems are.”
“They needed an outsider to come in and take a look at things,” Mulvey said. “I’m coming in with open eyes to see if there is a regulatory process in place, if it’s being followed and if the same deck of cards applies to everyone.”
There have been widespread complaints from the Provincetown Historic District Commission lately about a lack of enforcement from the building department, resulting in an increasing number of historic building demolitions in town. In addition, Taylor is currently under investigation by the state ethics commission for possible conflict of interest violations regarding some personal property development projects.
The HDC and Taylor were scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss enforcement issues.
Mulvey said the biggest problem small, historic towns like Provincetown face is over the reconstruction of existing buildings. He said he will enforce the town’s bylaws equally.
“I’d like to look at how the permitting process works [in Provincetown]. If it’s not working right, then find new ways of doing things. If the rules are on the books, they’re on the books,” he said.
Board of selectmen chair Cheryl Andrews said she welcomes Mulvey’s input into building department operations and appreciated Bergman’s decision to let the incoming town manager hire their own commissioner. Bergman is not renewing his contract, which expires in May.
“I’m very comfortable with this approach. Given the amount of controversy we’ve had lately in town over some issues like demolition, [Mulvey’s appointment] makes me feel comfortable.”
Mulvey is certified by the state as both a building inspector and building commissioner, and has held both those positions in Acton, Hingham, Wayland, Weston, Littleton, Lexington, Winchendon, Watertown, East Boylston and Quincy. He was also the principal rehabilitation specialist for the Boston Mayor’s Office of Housing.
Mulvey said he has held interim building commissioner positions in several Massachusetts towns before and will be commuting from his home in Weymouth.
Taylor, said that while he has not met Mulvey, he appears to be a capable building commissioner.
“By his reputation and resume, he’s quite an accomplished building official. He’s done quite a bit,” he said.
Taylor said that he isn’t sure what his next career move will be after Feb. 16 but that he intends to “go home and sit on a beach” for a few weeks. He is currently going through the permitting process to build two community housing apartments at 29 Alden St. However, his initial application to demolish the former garage on the site was turned down by the historic district commission. (Taylor is appealing the decision, see story this week’s Banner.)
Taylor said that since he began as Provincetown building commissioner in November 2004, he has increased revenue to the town through permitting fees from $158,495 to $585,110 in 2006.
psowers@provincetownbanner.com
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Guertin fined for conflict of interest
In the News
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Feb 8th, 2007