MARION — The Department of Public Works is tackling $20 million in projects, and Town Administrator Jay McGrail thinks that they need an assistant director to manage the workflow. 

The department is currently working on a water main design project, a water distribution model that would help with firefighting, and another entrance for emergency access to Sippican School, among many other projects, McGrail said at an Oct. 1 meeting. 

In addition to overseeing all of those projects, Willett also manages the department’s Highway, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant divisions. 

With everything that was going on, McGrail said he was “looking at an additional employee between [Director] David Willett and the division foremen.”

McGrail said that having one person oversee so much has led to situations where the town has depended on engineers to be its eyes on the ground for a project. 

“Sometimes it’s nice to have a Town of Marion employee” on the ground, McGrail said. 

Selectman Randy Parker told McGrail to continue to work out the details on the position and to report back.