Decas Tailwater Pond Approved

Scott Hannula, project manager for Decas Cranberry Corporation, along with Brian Grady of G.A.F. Engineering returned October 6 to the continued hearing on the tailwater pond project proposed for the Snipatuit Pond area.

Hannula told the commissioners, “I was brought to Decas to bring a cultural change to do the appropriate things…. This project will be done in an appropriate manner.” Hannula, who owns family cranberry operations in Carver and Middleboro, also provided clarity on the goal of digging a tailwater pond.

“We want to cut ourselves off from Snipatuit and Long Pond,” he explained. “We depend on clean water and a good source or cranberries won’t grow.” By having their own water reservoir, the surrounding bogs will be much less dependent on public water sources and more able to sustain themselves in a closed loop.

However, Hannula also said use of the public ponds will continue. “During winter storms, we’ll have too much water and will have to pump into Long Pond which is a commonplace activity; otherwise, we’ll use the tailwater pond.”

With all the needed permits and documents in place, including a review of the project by the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee, the commission voted for a positive acceptance of the Notice of Intent to construct the tailwater pond with over 30 conditions primarily ensuring the safety of the public drinking water supply from contamination.

Present for an unrelated matter was Town Counsel Blair Bailey. He provided clarity to the commission on the matter of ConCom members holding membership or being board members of other agencies that might place them in a real or perceived conflict of interest. He provided the commissioners with a State Ethics Commission form to complete. The form allows the commissioners to disclose their memberships on other boards or agencies. This document will be kept on file if needed during future commission business.

Bailey also assisted the commissioners as they weighed the pros and cons of accepting an invitation to accept a gift of land off Snipatuit Pond Road. The land is situated behind the proposed site for a solar farm. Bailey explained that the only question for the commission to ask themselves was whether or not they wanted the town to have the land. Bailey pointed out that any other issues related to how the parcel would be acquired and under what considerations was a matter for the Board of Selectmen and the Assessor’s Office. They voted to accept the offer with the caveat that the town be given easement rights to access the property from the main road.

Also in attendance was Daniel Gagne. Gagne had submitted of letter of interest for an open associate’s seat on the commission. They learned that Gagne holds a civil engineering degree and has designed stormwater plans and wanted to “do something for the town.” The commission voted to accept Gagne and invited him to attend the next meeting and join them at the table.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for October 20 at 7:00 pm in the Rochester Town Hall meeting room.

By Marilou Newell

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