Funding Requests Set for Fall Town Meeting

In spite of a fairly short list of articles on the Mattapoisett Fall Special Town Meeting warrant, there was still plenty of work to do and plenty of discussion leading up to the November 4 signing of the warrant.

And to that end on Wednesday, November 3, the selectmen participated in a working session with the members of the Finance Committee along with the fire chief, police chief, and highway surveyor to fine tune articles for the November 21 town meeting.

Shepherding the process along, Town Administrator Michael Gagne explained what these departments will be presenting for voters’ approval.

After discussions with Fire Chief Andrew Murray, Police Chief Mary Lyons, and Highway Surveyor Barry Denham, and review of the requests, Gagne said the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee members had achieved a consensus.

“The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee have endorsed $20,000 for a policeman to attend criminal justice training in January,” Gagne said in a follow-up interview. The 26-week course will be funded via free cash if voters also agree. Gagne said that Lyons had not yet determined which police department staff member would be taking the course. Article 10, which also includes a sum for fire department staffing, will require a majority vote to pass.

Another request coming from Chief Lyons actually originated from concerns aired at Board of Selectmen meetings regarding dangerous pedestrian/cyclist crossings on Mattapoisett Neck and Brandt Island Roads and Route 6.

Chief Lyons told the selectmen and FinCom members that the sub-committee she chaired to review traffic safety signals for those locations determined that lighted signals would benefit motorists as they approached the crossings. The new signals would provide motorists with greater visual awareness that they are approaching pedestrian/cyclist crossings.

The selectmen, as well as the FinCom, endorsed the request for $45,000 to purchase seven warning signals. Article 6 – traffic, pedestrian and cyclist crossing improvements – will require a majority vote to pass.

Regarding their meeting with Denham, Gagne said, “Barry came in to discuss the 2017 construction season.”

He said the highway department would be asking for “a substantial sum” to pay for 25 percent engineered design work mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation before consideration of grant requests.

Of the DOT, Gagne said, “They won’t advance you [grants] unless you have twenty-five percent completed.” Once the town submits the required drawings, it may then and only then hope to receive state funding, Gagne explained.

The substantial sum needed, Gagne said, would range from $250,000 to $300,000 and cover design work for Main, Water, Beacon and parts of Route 6. The project that will include infrastructure, paving, and sidewalk improvements is estimated at $4.5 million, Gagne stated, while adding, “There’s no way we could do this by ourselves.” Article 2 – appropriation for town road improvements – will require a majority vote to pass.

Murray will be requesting an additional $10,000 in order to hire a new full-time day shift fire suppression professional. Murray reasoned that by hiring a full-time staff member for daytime hours when volunteers’ availability is low, the community would receive better protection in the event of a fire incident. By shifting the volunteer hourly rate to full-time and adding the additional sum, Murray hopes to add a staff member whose assistance could be guaranteed. The fire department has struggled to have adequate daytime coverage during emergencies by relying solely on volunteers.

Other articles in the ten-article warrant include $70,000 for sewer enterprise expense to pay for sewer effluent treatment and the transfer of $60,000 from school roof repairs to construction of school security systems at Center and Old Hammondtown Schools.

The warrant is posted on the town’s website, www.mattapoisett.net.

The Mattapoisett Fall Special Town Meeting is scheduled for November 21 in the Old Rochester Regional High School auditorium at 6:30 pm.

By Marilou Newell

 

Leave A Comment...

*