Westport regroups after would-be engineer's history surfaces

By Ted Hayes

Members of the select board will take another look at Westport’s unfilled town engineer position, the lone candidate’s qualifications and whether now is even the right time to hire someone, after the potential appointment of candidate Roger Fernandes blew up at the board’s most recent meeting Monday.

Fernandes, the only candidate to apply for the $123,400 position created by voters at the 2024 Town Meeting and funded at this year’s meeting, did not attend Monday. In his absence, chairwoman Shana Teas said it was inappropriate to speak about him directly.

But by the time the meeting started at 6 p.m., word had already gotten out about the possible appointment, after board member Jake McGuigan raised questions about Fernandes in a social media post Friday.

"We are talking ab