The Marion Board of Selectmen voted on November 3 to move forward with an application for a New England Program Water Quality Management grant, although voters at the October 26 Special Town Meeting tabled the article to appropriate $50,000 to obtain the $200,000 grant to study the feasibility of expanding municipal sewer service to Aucoot Cove residents of Marion and Mattapoisett.
Voters expressed concerns about such a project, asking who would pay for the sewer expansion, why should the Town provide service to Mattapoisett, and how could the town expand sewer services with a current moratorium on new sewer tie-ins?
Even though the selectmen were denied the $50,000 at Town Meeting to contribute to the grant, Town Administrator Paul Dawson said he subsequently discovered that instead of contributing the cash, the Town could contribute in-kind services totaling $50,000. An example of in-kind services would include the pro-bono assistance of the engineering firm in applying for the grant, as well as assistance from the Buzzards Bay Coalition in preparing the grant application.
The sentiment of the selectmen was that we will never know if the expansion is possible unless we move forward with the engineering study.
The pressure was on with a Friday deadline, just three days to submit the final application. Selectmen and Dawson maintained that pursuing the study with grant funding would show a good faith effort to reduce nitrogen pollution in the harbor on behalf of the town to the EPA, which is still considering the final terms of a new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
“It is very important [to know] that we have to give something to get something,” said Selectman Jonathan Henry. “In a nutshell, I think … it’s critical for us to get this grant … and do this with a view toward reducing nitrogen in Aucoot Cove.”
Dawson posed the question on public policy: “What exactly is the will of the voters here?”
Chairman Stephen Cushing pointed out that moving forward with the grant application does not commit the Town to the sewer expansion project. Dawson commented that no one was even sure whether it was possible or not. They all agreed on one thing, however – going for this grant might reflect positively on the EPA as it makes its NPDES decision.
“We’re trying to deal with a federal agency that has a really large hammer and they’re about to hit us with it,” said Cushing. And the selectmen are looking to shield the town from taking “one hell of a hit,” as Cushing put it.
Furthermore, the motion made by Town Meeting was to table the article – not reject it, as selectmen pointed out.
Unanimously, the board voted to pursue the grant, using the value of $50,000 of in-kind services instead of the cash as the town’s contribution.
In other matters, selectmen voted to offer the harbormaster position to current Assistant Harbormaster Isaac Perry, although Henry first recommended the Town move ahead with a formal application process “to see what’s out there.”
“I have spent some time at the harbormaster’s office. I observe what goes on,” said Cushing, who said Perry could easily move into the position with competence and confidence. “I don’t see a real need to go through the whole posting and interviewing when we have a very, very strong person in … the position.”
Selectman Jody Dickerson agreed.
“I just think this person is perfect for the job,” Dickerson said. “I think, if we’ve got steak, why have hamburger?”
For the record, Dawson said, Perry has submitted a letter of interest in retiring Harbormaster Michael Cormier’s position. Cormier officially retires January 1, 2016.
Also during the meeting, selectmen accepted the recommendation of the Board of Assessors to raise the tax rate by 20 cents and to keep a single tax rate rather than split the tax rate between residential and commercial properties.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen in scheduled for November 17 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
