In the 1990s, the flagpole out in front of the Municipal Maintenance Department was dedicated to Antone “Tony” L. Fernandes Jr., the town’s first director of Municipal Maintenance.

“He thought the (Police) Chief was just taking him for a ride,” said Leonora Fernandes, Tony’s wife. “He was shocked when he saw that.”

What Leonora referred to was a plaque placed by the flagpole with Fernandes’ name on it, honoring him for his work with the town. Not only was Fernandes’ the director at Municipal Maintenance, but he also responsible for consolidating the Cemetery, Highway, Park and Tree Departments under one roof. In his twenty year tenure, he also was responsible for the landfill, rubbish collection, and organizing and implementing the Water Pollution Control facility in Bourne and Wareham. During his retirement, he served as consultant to the Selectmen/Sewer Commissioners, and freely shared his expertise and knowledge of the town.

But over the course of the last 20 or so years, the condition of the plaque dedicated to Fernandes, who passed away in December of 1994, had deteriorated. On Thursday, family and friends of Fernandes, as well as several representatives of town departments, gathered at the Municipal Maintenance Department for a rededication of the the flagpole. The ceremony was part of a recent effort by the town to honor those who have spent time trying to make Wareham a better place to live.

“We’ve got an awful lot of people to catch up on,” said Selectmen Alan Slavin, who was present at the ceremony for Fernandes.

Slavin said they plan to honor at least four more people over the course of the next month or so.

“They don’t [volunteer] with the idea that they’ll get a reward,” said Slavin. “We do it out of respect more than anything else.”

Slavin said that current Director of Municipal Maintenance David Menard and Municipal Maintenance worker James Maxim had removed the plaque from its place on a stone near the flagpole to refurbish it. It was then placed back where it was, and Municipal Maintenance, along with Selectman Judith Whiteside and Sandy Slavin, Alan’s wife, cleaned up the area around it and added flowers to it for the rededication.

“We’re trying to recognize people for their efforts,” said Whiteside at the rededication.

“This could not have been done without Municipal Maintenance workers,” she added.

“It’s beautiful,” said Leonora after the seeing the newly refurbished plaque, adding that her husband, a lifelong resident of Wareham, would have been proud to see it. “We appreciate the work these guys did to get the plaque cleaned up and everything.”