HAVERHILL —The city has hired Nicholas Aylward to serve as the city’s manager of solid waste, recycling and pay-for-parking programs.
Aylward succeeds Gunther Wellenstein, who the mayor hired in 2019 as the city’s trash and recycling coordinator and who resigned last August.
A Billerica native, Aylward resides in Haverhill with his wife Samantha and their nine-month-old daughter Bailey.
“Taking this job, for me, is an opportunity to work for my community,” he said. “My family lives here as does my brother and my in-laws. I love this city as it has a small town feel along with rural areas and a vibrant downtown.”
The job was advertised as paying between $80,591 and $94,280 per year and according to the city’s human resources department, Aylward will be paid $80,591. He began his job Feb. 13 and reports directly to DPW Director Robert Ward.
“This is a very important position in dealing with the public and overseeing our recycling and trash collections programs,” Mayor James Fiorentini said. “Nick is also going to help us with our downtown parking program and help us oversee snow plowing operations. We’re very happy to have him on board and I’m confident he’s going to do a great job for us.”
Aylward’s responsibilities are varied and include supervising the city’s solid waste and recycling programs; writing and submitting grants; managing and overseeing the recycling center at 500 Primrose St.; monitoring the Solid Waste Division operational and capital budgets, overseeing staff to manage resident inquiries of damaged, missing, or new city-issued trash carts; managing the city’s street light maintenance contract and managing and enforcing contracts for the city’s downtown pay-for-parking program.
He is also expected to attend city council and other meetings to represent the department or division on solid waste issues; work with citizen groups on public outreach programs to maximize landfill image to neighboring residents and the public and serve as a liaison to residential, industrial, and commercial waste generators and other solid waste agencies. And he will assist in the preparation of and during snow removal operations and oversee snow plow operations during the absence of the highway superintendent.
In his cover letter in response to the job posting, Aylward said that as a member and resident of the community, the job not only fits his qualifications, but it also of personal interest to him.
“I am most interested in this role because of its ability to interact with the community I live in while fulfilling my civil servant interests related to my bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management from Massachusetts Maritime Academy,” he said. “With over 11 years of experience in two similar positions, I believe my exposure to budget analysis, process improvement, safety and hazard preparation and contract management make me a key applicant for this role.”
An OSHA certified plant manager, Aylward previously worked as senior group leader for Werfen Instrumentation Laboratory in Bedford, where he managed a team of 42 line workers and was involved in planning, budgeting, creating reports and training new hires.
Prior to that he was Fill Plant Operations & Safety Manager for Middlesex Gases and Technologies in Everett, and prior to that Sales & Marketing Administrator for PalPilot International in Santa Clara, California.