On July 28, the members of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board heard Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh’s updated Emergency Management Plan. Although still in draft form, the board found the plan substantial, touching all the major areas that fall under his purview.
In a follow-up, McIntosh provided the following draft now ready for the Select Board’s review.
Targeting specific timeframes in a countdown manner, McIntosh wrote:
“(One hundred, twenty) hours prior to storm, notify all owners of wharf, skiff and dinghy spaces of impeding hurricane, and all dinghies must prepare to be removed from the Dinghy Dock.
“At 72 hours prior to the storm, drain up-weller tank and remove to upland facility, and relocate seed to Pine Island Pond. All dinghies must be removed from Dinghy Dock, remove dock and transport to Shipyard Park. Create one-way traffic system through the wharf area, restrict access to only emergency vehicles and vehicles hauling boat trailers, establish areas for commercial boat haulers such as Brownell and Triad.”
“Forty-eight hours prior to the storm, all wharf and skiff slips must be vacated immediately, boats up to 20 feet (in length) may be hauled out at Mattapoisett Town Landing during appropriate tide, all park beaches and trash barrels shall be removed and secured from Shipyard Park, Ned’s Point, Aucoot Cove and Town Landing, and remove CVA pump-out system from the end of Long Wharf.”
“At the 12-hour mark, remove all gangways from docks, notify permit holders, shut down water to wharf facility, lock all publicly accessible areas such as restrooms, shut down power to wharf facility, haul out all town marine assets, close wharf area, town beach, town landing, and Ned’s Point to through traffic. No vehicles allowed on wharves during the storm.”
This departmental plan is one of many currently being reviewed and updated in an effort to increase personal safety and the safety of assets the town is responsible for protecting. It is a massive effort that requires involvement by numerous town offices.
Police Chief Jason King is overseeing the effort.
“I’ve been working on an overall comprehensive plan for some time,” said King, who also said that the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has been working closely with the town on plans from where to shelter to emergency evacuation and medical assistance. “The departments involved are the Police, Fire and Harbormaster’s office but also the Water and Sewer and Highway Departments, Public Health, Building Department, Animal Control, ORR’s Superintendent Mike Nelson and Facilities Director Gene Jones and the Finance Department. Each Department has their own policies and plans.” He said the overall plan is referred to as CEMP, Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.
In other business, Marine Advisory Board Chairman Carlos DeSousa and board member Bob Moore did not quite agree that the updated version of the Harbor Rules was ready to move to the next stage review by the Select Board. Moore believed that the language regarding late fees and possible revocation of permits could be subjected to legal challenge, while DeSousa believed the language was unambiguous. It was determined after some debate that Moore would provide alternative language for consideration.
A request by a resident for the board members to consider the installation of a fish-cleaning station in the wharf area was soundly vetoed when put to a vote. It was considered by the board as unbeneficial to the community due to fish-waste issues and smell.
Regarding the engineering plans for repairs to Long Wharf, DeSousa reported that Charles Engineering is doing an economic-efficiency review for various aspects of the project. Another meeting is planned for August.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board is planned for Thursday, September 29, at 7:00 pm.
Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board
By Marilou Newell