The Municipal Light Commission unanimously approved two motions, suggested by General Manager Joe Kowalik, at Tuesday’s meeting.
The first motion discussed was “to approve a project change order, not to exceed $200,000, to enable the construction of a concrete, below-grade land bridge across the Swampscott ROW at Village 13, that will isolate new underground electrical conduits from the force sewer main located beneath it,” and it passed unanimously.
“We’re going to construct what I will affectionately call ‘Land Bridge 2,’” Kowalik said, “and again, that’s going to be a reinforced concrete slab that’s going to go over the Town’s force sewer main that runs along the Swampscott right of way from Pleasant Street up through to Village Street.”
Kowalik said the expected duration of the project is two weeks.
“I think it’s an essential thing for the overall safety of the infrastructure of the Town of Marblehead,” he said. “The extent of this work was not planned, so I’m sort of proactively telling the board that this is likely to result in a change order. The last bridge… cost us $212,000. This one, I’m suggesting you pass a change order not to exceed $200,000.”
He added that the pipe is “made out of asbestos concrete” and “it’s at the end of its engineering design life, so the last thing we want to do is in any way damage that pipe during the construction,” hence the need for Land Bridge 2.
Commissioner Adam Smith asked Amy McHugh, director of Public Works, if there was any chance that “water and sewer would need to fix that pipe” and “not have to tear it up in the future.” McHugh emphasized that “everything we’ve done, speaking with Joe, is to protect the pipe right now.”
“The pipe is in full service. The pipe will be in design to be replaced. We are really cognizant of the fact that that pipe can’t break, right? So we’re ahead of the curve in having to replace it,” McHugh said.
She continued, “All these conversations we’ve had (are) to protect the pipe until that does happen, and then when we come through and either put a new pipe in or bypass piping and line that pipe – but most likely it’s going to be a new pipe – that we don’t interfere with your operations. So everything that’s been designed has been designed so that we can either go next to it or around it, but not affect you.”
The other motion discussed Tuesday was “to approve a voluntary payment to the Town of Marblehead for $360,000 from (Marblehead Municipal Light Department) 2024 Operating Income,” and it also passed unanimously.
In addition, Kowalik shared some hiring updates with the commissioners. Joe Acosta has accepted the position of MMLD Fleet Maintenance & Facilities Operation Specialist, and his first day on the job is scheduled for May 19. Kowalik added that he has identified one candidate for the Senior Substation and Operations Specialist position and intends to send them an offer letter.
He also addressed former Light Commission Chair Lisa Wolf’s desire to become the Energy Efficiency Product Marketing Manager at the Light Department by reading from the Disclosure of Appearance of Conflict of Interest document, which stated: “I am filing this disclosure statement to report the past relationship and to dispel the appearance of undue favoritism in the hiring process.”
“The applicant, Lisa Wolf, is a former Commissioner of the Light Board,” the document reads. “Ms. Wolf applied for the Energy Efficient Product Marketing Manager position as a sitting Board member. As a member of the Light Board and my superior, I was unable to act on her application without a Section 19 exemption from the Marblehead Municipal Light Board, which the Light Board did not grant. Accordingly, Lisa Wolf resigned from the Board on March 28, 2025, removing the Section 19 conflict of interest.”
To further elaborate on his ability to make a sound, unbiased hiring decision, Kowalik also wrote that “the applicant no longer has any supervisory authority over my employment. I also have assembled a hiring team of three other individuals with relevant experience, including two qualified individuals who are not MMLD employees, to ensure that the process is fair and unbiased.”
The board also mentioned at Tuesday’s meeting that it would be posting a job description and listing for general manager soon, as the board has decided not to renew Kowalik’s contract, which expires next April.
