During her monthly report to the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board, Harbormaster Jill Simmons said, “Bob Ringuette has done everything that was asked…” referring to an Enforcement Order from the Conservation Commission, as well as clean up of the cove where his marina business is located.
Deteriorating Styrofoam floats, encroachments into marshes and eelgrass beds, fuel in the water, and sanitation problems – all matters of a longstanding nature – had forced the Conservation Commission to mandate repairs and remediation as fast at possible. Ringuette had sought a more measured approach by doing clean up, but not changing out all the deteriorating floats as quickly, citing costs as an impediment.
However, Simmons said, on the advice of his sons, Ringuette has removed all the offending floats and completed clean up. Now, she said, he was asking for moorings.
“I personally would be in favor of giving them a couple of business moorings,” Simmons told the MAB.
That prompted a conversation about mooring wait lists, two in fact – one for the inner harbor and one for the Brandt Island area.
Bob Moore said to Simmons, “You are aware that there are people on the mooring wait list.” He said the inspector general’s rules mandated that names on a mooring wait list were to be used when distributing moorings in public waters.
Simmons said there was one name on the wait list for the Brandt Island area. The issue of two lists then prompted another round of discussion and concern over the two lists and the appropriateness of having two. There was a question as to whether or not a person on either wait list should be required to take a mooring in either mooring field, or if they could, in fact, decline a mooring because it was not in their preferred location.
This point was tabled as the group decided to allow Ringuette to place his name on a wait list. But there was more they wanted from this marina.
Vice Chairman John Cornish said, “He still doesn’t have any way to handle his waste…. All marinas need to handle the waste from their customers.”
Pump out services provided by Mattapoisett Boat Yard had been hired by the Town for the 2015 summer season. But the board members felt that service was inadequate, or possibly not being made available to Ringuette’s customers. Simmons said there was a sign at the marina that instructed boaters on how to access pump out services in the inner harbor.
In the end, MAB elected to invite Ringuette to their next meeting to discuss moorings and waste management at his business. They also decided to send a letter to Town Administrator Michael Gagne, asking about pump out services provided by Mattapoisett Boat Yard.
Simmons also reported that she is working with the Town Assessors’ Office to identify private piers that have not been reported and are taxable structures. She said a pier’s taxable base is measured in square feet and can bring to the town’s coffers as much as $4,800 per year.
Regarding a concern voiced by the selectmen at their last meeting referencing hours of operation for the Harbormaster’s Office, Simmons said staffing had been assigned for 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. She said she would be following up to find out whether or not that schedule has been followed. Simmons shared that, for several weeks, she had been unable to arrive at the office herself until 9:00 am due to personal matters she was required to attend to. However, she was displeased to learn that the staff members may not have been arriving on time.
In other business, the MAB received an email from Gagne requesting placement on their August meeting agenda to discuss several items. He identified those items as future needs and repairs to the wharves, work that is presently taking place by the town’s Highway Department on the wharves and supporting structures, and revenue streams for the Waterfront Enterprise.
Chairman Alan Gillis surprised the board when he announced he was stepping down and leaving the board “due to things that have come up recently.” The board members expressed sadness upon hearing this unexpected news and gave him a round of applause for having been a “terrific chairman.” Vice Chairman John Cornish said he would fill the void, but asked for a full election in the coming months.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board is scheduled for August 25 at 7:00 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall meeting room.
By Marilou Newell
