At the request of the Marion Pathway Committee, the Marion Board of Selectmen October 7 authorized the submission of the project initiative form to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation – the first step in the process to solicit federal and state funding for Phase I of the Marion Pathway.
Marion Pathway Committee Chairman Jeff Oakes told selectmen that the form was a standard DOT form, and walked acting Chairman Jody Dickerson and Selectman Stephen Cushing though each part and attachment of the form.
Phase I of the proposed bike path will run 3.84 miles from the Mattapoisett border to the Interstate 195 overpass on Front Street. Oakes explained that the Town would need to acquire the funding for engineering services – estimated at $300,000 – in order to receive any further federal or state funding.
Oakes requested that the selectmen authorize the form, which needs to be submitted on official Town letterhead to both the Mass DOT and the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development Division (SRPEDD) by October 16 in order to make the SRPEDD Project Review Committee meeting on November 6. According to Oakes, that committee only meets two or three times a year, so if the form is not submitted by October 16, they will have to wait until April of 2015.
“So that gets us on the radar,” said Oakes, “and gets us in the queue for funding.”
Town Administrator Paul Dawson said all the form needed was some minor changes to the language that pertains to an easement near the intersection of Spring Street and Front Street, and he would seek advisement from town counsel.
Oakes said the Marion Pathway was one of the Mass DOT’s Priority 100 Projects that would create a vital link between the bike paths of Mattapoisett and Wareham.
“We’ve been working on this for, what, 20 years?” asked Cushing. “I think by now we finally got our act together.”
Also during the meeting, Dawson addressed an enforcement order that the Marion Conservation Commission issued the Town of Marion for an unpermitted rock wall placed above the high tide mark at a section located between Sprague’s Cove and near Silvershell Beach.
The Army Corps of Engineers issued a letter to the Town ordering it to either remove the 100-foot by 150-foot placement of rocks, or file for an after-the-fact Notice of Intent with the Conservation Commission. The board chose the latter option.
“It’s not even a wall,” said Dawson. He described it as a placement of rocks intended to control erosion at the site, specifying that there was no malintent in placing the rocks. “I guess we got a little too close [to the high tide line].”
Dawson said there has been “talk around town” that the intent was malicious, but dispelled the rumors.
“It just wasn’t that,” said Dawson. “It was just the DPW trying to shore up a little erosion.”
Dawson said it was possible that with the way the rocks were placed and the angle at which the rocks were laid, the rocks could have caused further erosion to the shoreline rather than inhibiting the erosion.
“And we will fix it,” said Dawson, adding that the Town would be soliciting the assistance of JC Engineering of East Wareham.
Cushing and Dickerson briefly debated the term “rock wall,” saying they did not consider the rocks a wall, per se.
In a follow-up interview, Dickerson denied having any prior knowledge of the placement of the rock wall near Silvershell Beach, and denied authorizing Marion Department of Public Works Superintendent Rob Zora to build the rock wall.
Dickerson is also the Director of the Recreation Department, which oversees operations at Silvershell Beach.
In other matters, the Town is considering regionalizing its Veteran’s Services Department in light of the retirement of current Veteran’s Agent Bill Titcomb.
Mattapoisett and Rochester regionalized their Vet’s Services Departments, and Marion may join the two other towns as an alternative to filling the position.
“It’s a system that works really well for them,” said Dawson, “and I think this is a perfect opportunity for us to tap into a well-established resource.”
Also during the meeting, the board authorized Dawson to execute the fiscal year 2015 On-Call Consulting Agreement with the engineering firm CDM Smith, not to exceed $30,000. Dawson called this a retainer of sorts, and no money will be expended just by authorizing the execution. As services are required, the Town will expend from the $30,000.
The board also authorized Dawson to execute the Phase I contract with CDM Smith for the DPW Garage Master Plan, as authorized by a Town Meeting vote back in May. The contract estimated at $46,500 is for feasibility studies of the Benson Brook Road location.
The board authorized Top of the Hill Package Store to sell alcohol starting at 10:00 am on Sundays after a new state law passed, allowing liquor stores to sell alcohol earlier on Sundays beginning October 23.
Selectmen accepted the Town Meeting approved gift of Lot 44 at Indian Cove.
A contract to purchase a surplus boat motor was given to Extreme Marine, the highest bidder at $2,800.
The board signed the warrant for the State General Election on November 4, and Comcast announced in a letter to the board that it would be closing its 149 Wareham Road location.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for October 21 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
