“I beg to differ,” stated James Spader, Marion resident and well-known Hollywood actor when the public comment phase of the hearing of Shea Doonan’s application for an aquaculture license off Meadow Island was opened.
Doonan said that he had searched throughout the coastline of Marion for the right location to place an aquaculture operation and none was better than waters off Meadow Island.
“I own Meadow Island,” Spader told the Marion Board of Selectmen on the night of July 12. “We’ve enjoyed Meadow Island, paid taxes on it for decades,” he continued, “…this will impact Meadow Island.”
Spader told the board that navigation, along with swimming and small boat recreation, will be affected by having an industrial operation between Meadow Island and Planting Island. He went on to say that Marion would not positively benefit from having an aquaculture industry in this sensitive location.
“I look at the community, and I wonder how this project enhances the community in any way,” he said. Spader said that fish farming has been proven to have a negative impact on the environment.
Then his comments became more personal.
“We owned the island so it could look like it does forever.” Speaking of the proposed project he said, “In the morning, I’ve got to wake up and look at that all day and all night and so will all the rest of the people in that cove.” Spader added, “I’m very, very concerned about this.”
He told the selectmen that Marion was about housing, living, boating and 30 minutes prior to the meeting, “I was staring at this spot watching racing.”
Spader was reminded that the harbor and waterways do not belong to Marion but to the Commonwealth for the use of all persons. Doonan said, “There will be navigational issues, but it will be placed closer to Planting Island well north of the channel.”
Harbormaster Isaac Perry said, “It will have an impact on navigation, but it is a good compromise.”
Resident Bill Washburn asked, “What income does Marion get out of this?” Perry replied, “Twelve dollars and fifty cents,” the cost of a permit fee – costs established by the state.
“Marine Fisheries has Okayed it, then it goes to the DEP and has to run the gamut, Army Corps of Engineers and Natural Heritage,” said Perry.
Selectman Stephen Cushing told Spader, “This is step one in a fairly long process, not a done deal.”
“I do have some concerns about navigation,” said Chairman Jody Dickerson.
Doonan responded, “I looked everywhere. It was the one place where I could put this.”
Spader asked again, “What can it bring to the greater community? I don’t think there’s a burden on the town to bring in industry…. The town has the power to say no,” he concluded.
Town Counsel John Witten said, ‘’There’s always an appeals process.” He suggested the board could wait to make their decision.
“I don’t think it’s the best location,” said Dickerson.
Cushing said, “I don’t think it detracts from boating. We have to make a decision based on fact.” He was in favor of allowing the application to move through the process to the next step, involving various state agency approvals.
With only two members present for the hearing, the selectmen cast votes that cancelled each other out. It was decided that a new hearing would be held on August 16 at 7:05 pm, at which time Selectmen Steve Gonsalves would be available to hear the new application and assist in rendering a decision.
Another matter garnering most of the evening’s meeting time was Ladd Thorne’s appeal of the harbormaster’s revocation of his mooring permit.
Arthur Kreiger of Anderson Kreiger represented Thorne while Witten represented the interests of the town.
Kreiger laid out a chronology of events that ultimately lead to Thorne becoming delinquent in paying the mooring fee, setting in motion the revocation of his permit. Kreiger pointed to the town’s not following their own regulations by sending the second notice regular mail versus the established certified mail.
Perry said he had inquired at town hall and learned that about five years ago the town stopped using certified mail due to costs.
Kreiger said that several domestic matters within the Thornes’ home interfered with their timely response and also pointed to the fact that the town had used an incorrect address for at least one of the mailings, if not more.
Perry defended his action by saying that the Thornes missed the appeals date, that there are 10 other permit holders in the same situation as the Thornes, and that he needed to proceed following the town’s protocol in fairness to all concerned.
Once again, the two sitting selectmen were not in harmony but due to procedures in how the votes could be cast, the decision was not to reinstate Thorne’s permit. They did agree to allow Thorne to keep his boat on the mooring until August 1, giving Kreiger time to appeal their decision to the Department of Environmental Protection.
Before the hearing was closed, Perry added, “One of the Thornes’ sons is third on the mooring waiting list,” indicating that the family would have a mooring rather soon even with the loss of the one in question.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for August 16 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Marilou Newell
Lol his son looks bored
He doesn’t live in Hollywood. He lives in Marion.