Posted on May 29, 2018
By Tao Woolfe, The Sandwich Enterprise
John T. (KZ) Kondratowicz—the first occupant of the newly built harbormasters’ office at the Sandwich Marina—will be leaving the building.
His retirement, after less than two years at the helm, was announced last week by Town Manager George H. (Bud) Dunham.
“He has been ready to retire,” Mr. Dunham told the board of selectmen Thursday, May 17.
The harbormaster will stay until the end of June, Mr. Dunham said yesterday in a telephone interview.
“I think after a long military career, he wants to be working less,” Mr. Dunham said. “It surprised us, and we’re sorry to lose him, but these things happen.”
Mr. Kondratowicz said he wants to make time for his family.
“I have no future plans for work except some volunteer work and spending more time assisting my siblings with an aging mom and time with my bride and daughters,” he wrote in an e-mail yesterday.
He did say, during an interview this winter, that the harbormaster job was more difficult—and time-consuming—than he thought it would be.
“The team at the marina will continue to carry-on professionally as they have forever and will take on the NBC (Next Big Challenge) that they face,” Mr. Kondratowicz wrote. “They will concentrate on being great stewards to the slipholders and making the town look great.”
Even before Mr. Dunham’s announcement on May 17, the town had posted the $75,000-to-$89,000-a-year harbormaster’s position on the town website.
“The Town of Sandwich, MA seeks a full-time harbormaster to perform highly responsible administrative and supervisory work in planning, enforcing rules and regulations, directing and managing the operations of the Sandwich Marina,” the ad says. “The harbormaster oversees and coordinates management of the Sandwich marina’s personnel, finances, operations and budgets, including site improvements as required.”
The town’s preference is a Commonwealth of Massachusetts certified harbormaster; otherwise, the candidate must obtain that certification within two years of appointment, the ad says.
Mr. Kondratowicz had that certification and much more.
The longtime Sandwich resident spent 36 years as an officer with the US Coast Guard.
Before taking the job in Sandwich in September 2016, Mr. Kondratowicz was the captain and port commander for the Coast Guard’s Southeastern New England sector. He supervised more than 1,700 Coast Guard officers and their activities on Cape Cod, the islands and Rhode Island.
Mr. Kondratowicz said at the time he was looking forward to working in Sandwich as he transitioned out of the Coast Guard.
He also said at the time that he knew the vessels and personnel who frequent the Cape Cod Canal and local and regional waters. Over the years he had worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers, local fire and police departments, and emergency response and security teams, he said, adding that he believed his transition from military to civilian life would be smooth.
“I am extremely enthusiastic about the town’s focus on site improvement on the waterfront and would welcome the opportunity to contribute,” Mr. Kondratowicz said in his application letter.
Mr. Kondratowicz earned his master’s degree in national security and strategy studies from the Naval War College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Charter Oak State College in Connecticut. He also received an executive certificate in leadership in Homeland Security from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
During his long career, he managed maritime safety and security operations, monitored vessel movement and reporting, and oversaw environmental regulations and cleanups, among many other duties.
Mr. Kondratowicz was chosen from among 49 candidates for the harbormaster position, which had been open for many months. He replaced David R. Whearty, a popular town employee who worked at the Sandwich marina for 21 years before his unexpected death in 2015 at age 44.
Mr. Dunham said Mr. Kondratowicz had been a good harbormaster and has offered to serve as an emergency management consultant for the town.
“He did a lot in his 18 months and he brought a high level of professionalism to the office,” Mr. Dunham said.
Source: The Sandwich Enterprise
