Meeting on May 23, the evening following Bob Rogers’ announcement that he would be departing from the Conservation Commission, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen heard from commission member Mike King.
King will soon be the most senior member on the commission when Rogers’ term ends on July 1. He told the selectmen, “I’m concerned about the commission’s ability to function with only myself and two new members.”
Selectman Paul Silva said that in the absence of a formal letter from Rogers, they couldn’t make plans to replace him, but with the departure of Mike Dubuc from the commission, at least one more commissioner was needed.
King said that newly appointed commissioner Trevor Francis is not always available to attend commission meetings, causing King to be concerned that a quorum might fail. “I take this very seriously,” he told the board members.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the Conservation Commission may submit letters of interest with resumes to Melody Pacheco, administrative assistant to the Board of Selectmen.
Earlier in the evening the selectmen met with three members of the Plymouth County Commissioners office. Coming before the board were Commissioner Dan Pallotta, Treasurer Tom O’Brien, and Administrator Frank Basler to discuss the county’s FY18 budget.
Before discussing the numbers, the three representatives acknowledged that the public had a lack of understanding as to just what the county services were, the past administration mishandling of time and resources, and current health of the operating budget.
Basler noted that the county could help the 27 cities and towns in Plymouth County with such diverse needs as procurement, tourism, fire suppression training, capital improvements, and even public health issues. The county is also responsible for the district courts and registry of deeds.
O’Brien said the county was in the process of hiring an entomologist to assist in education regarding tick-borne diseases, gypsy moths and other insect-related problems.
“Plymouth County is number three in the state for Lyme disease,” O’Brien stated. He also noted that Massachusetts is third in the nation for tick-related illnesses, with the Town of Marion ranking No. 1 in the entire state for the number of reported tick-borne diseases.
O’Brien said the county was paying into OPEB funds and had established a municipal fund with 25 other entities. “No other county is doing this,” he said.
Of accomplishments, O’Brien also pointed to the establishment of a stabilization fund that now holds $300,000.
Selectman Jordan Collyer, the town’s county representative for the past 14 years, said, “This is helpful. Some towns are hesitant to use county services because they don’t understand it.”
The BOS agenda also included a number of recognitions and citations.
Mary Scott was lauded for her 15 years of service to the Town. Presenting her with a certificate of appreciation and a bouquet of flowers was Andy Bobola, director of inspectional services, and Robin Shuffelt, building department administrator, who thanked Scott.
Bobola said, “She has been an absolute true professional and a valuable employee.” Scott, who turned 90 years of age, was alarmed when she was asked to attend the selectmen’s meeting.
“I thought I was getting fired,” she chuckled.
Henri Renauld, superintendent of the Water and Sewer Department, announced that his office had received two citations from the State for the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District that his department oversees. The district serves the Towns of Fairhaven, Marion, and Rochester, as well as Mattapoisett. The citations were in recognition for outstanding service.
Silva read a proclamation from Governor Baker proclaiming June 11 as “Race Amity Day,” a day set aside to celebrate the diversity of the state’s multi-cultural composition.
Also noted were the number of young men who have successfully completed Eagle Scout projects in the community. Pacheco read off the list of Troop 53 Boy Scouts recently achieving this rarified ranking. They are Drew Robert, Adam Perkins, Davis Mathieu, Matthew Kiernan, Justin Sayers, James Demay, and Zachariah Mooney.
On this night, Boy Scout Billy Osborne attended the meeting as a requirement for his citizenship badge. Collyer explained the role of selectmen and town meetings in what he said was the “purest form of democratic government.”
The selectmen discussed a potential “Food Truck” day at Ned’s Point and asked Pacheco to develop a plan for their further consideration. King asked if the board would consider including the farmers’ market in the discussion. King suggested that the addition of prepared foods at the farmers’ market might drive up attendance numbers and add a new dimension to the markets.
The summer farmers’ markets will be held on Tuesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm starting on June 6 and continuing through October 24. On June 13 during the market hours, Eversource will be conducting a lightbulb exchange program.
The selectmen voted to have Town Administrator Michael Gagne complete an application for a National Resources Protection Land grant for the Mattapoisett quarry land project, a project spearheaded by the Mattapoisett Land Trust in partnership with the Buzzards Bay Coalition.
The summer Board of Selectmen’s meetings will be held on June 13, July 11, and August 8 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell