Wareham assistant harbormaster offered Mattapoisett position

Jul 23, 2019

MATTAPOISETT — Mattapoisett Selectmen on Monday offered Jamie McIntosh, Wareham’s Assistant Deputy Director in the Department of Natural Resources, the town Harbormaster position. 

Mattapoisett recently elected to make its harbormaster position full-time. Current part-time Harbormaster Jill Simmons could not accept the position, as a full-time role would cut her off from pension benefits. 

Selectmen also interviewed Adam Murphy, the Deputy Harbormaster in Marion. After interviews, selectmen were torn between the two candidates. 

“Jaime might be the right choice by 1.5 percent. I’m that close,” Selectman Tyler Macallister said. 

McIntosh lives in Wareham and is a graduate of Bridgewater State. He started out on the water as one of the youngest captains for Hy-line Cruises and also serves as a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Wareham. 

Asked how he would look to add more revenue to the department, McIntosh drew on his experience in Wareham and said he might raise fees. As unpopular as that option is, it allowed Wareham to “provide services to the town and its boaters that they love,” McIntosh said. He also floated the idea of combining the Harbormaster position with the Department of Natural Resources if the town wants it, as Wareham has done.  

Selectman Jordan Collyer also asked McIntosh how he would lead a team with diverse ages. McIntosh pointed out that Wareham has a mix of retired gentlemen who volunteer with the department and staff as young as 18. 

“If you treat everyone the same and with respect, you shouldn’t have issues,” McIntosh said. 

Selectmen interviewed both McIntosh and Murphy last week, along with three other candidates. They said that McIntosh interviewed better than Murphy last week, but this week they felt the reverse was true. Still, Macallister said that McIntosh was genuinely enthusiastic about the position last week. 

The Wareham candidate also has experience with aquaculture. Wareham recently started an aquaculture program, which it is looking to expand. 

The decision to offer the position to McIntosh was unanimous. McIntosh will meet with selectmen on July 25 to negotiate his salary and determine whether he will accept the position. 

McIntosh said he is “Excited for a new beginning,” and described the job opening as “an amazing opportunity that doesn’t come around too often, so you have to seize the opportunity.”