On October 25, Bonne DeSousa and Robin Lepore of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path, along with Highway Surveyor Barry Denham, met with the Mattapoisett Finance Committee seeking support for a federal BUILD Transportation Program grant application.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced earlier in the year that $1.5 billion in discretionary funding was available to cities and towns for investments in surface transportation infrastructure that the DOT will award on a competitive basis for projects that will have a “significant local or regional impact,” such as roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, or intermodal transportation.
Originally, DeSousa and Lepore et al. were attempting to raise sufficient private funding to improve Industrial Drive where it would connect to the bike path planned by Marion. Unable to achieve that goal, the group discovered what they believe is a better solution for a much larger project – bringing roadway, drainage, sewer, and bike path improvements to Industrial Drive.
The group outlined the many steps involved in seeking the federal monies, one that carries an estimated price tag of $8.5 million. One of the top criteria is that the project be “shovel ready” before the grants are awarded. The grant award criteria also includes furnishing proof of economic development potential, location in a rural area, and that the project would provide connectivity.
According to DeSousa, projects such as alternative transportation were highly favorable for the BUILD grant, which has altered the project – originally focused on simply connecting the recreational dots – into a much larger project that also includes the potential for making the industrial zone attractive to future investors.
“The pavement there is over 40 years old, [and] the road needs to be replaced,” said Denham. He added that there is currently no working drainage system along the drive, but, with grant money, the road, the drainage, the sewer systems, and the bike path could all be done.
However, the clock is ticking.
With a December 18 deadline for submitting grant proposals, DeSousa and Lepore explained what was needed from the Fall Special Town Meeting.
Included in their presentation was a slide listing monetary commitments the town would have to assume: $18,000 for a cost benefit analysis, $20,000 towards municipal project management, $75,000 towards a preliminary design, $40,000 for an existing conditions survey, and a Natural Heritage Endangered Species Assessment for $10,000.
There were other costs listed on a slide titled “How Will It Be Paid For?” that noted another $400,000 for design, permitting, and project management expended between 2018 and 2019. The grant award, should that come to pass, would be awarded between 2020 and 2021.
“All of these things have to get done at some point in time,” said Denham. In this fashion, he said, “Everything could be done at one time.”
Currently, the Industrial Drive business area is serviced by private septic systems. If those properties could be connected to the public sewer system, land used as leaching fields could be cleaned-up and developed for new parcels that could be attractive to prospective buyers, the group concluded.
Town Administrator Michael Gagne said, “Federal programs are very specific, you have to be ready for the award date. Your development survey, 10-percent submittal review, wetlands, engendered species, the OPM all have to be done and everything ready. With a December 18 deadline, we’ve got to get going.”
There was further discussion regarding the potential of the massive construction project should the grant application fail. DeSousa said that there were other grant options, but that those too would require a similar level of financial commitment by the community in order to get “another bite at the apple.”
DeSousa expounded upon the economic benefit of having a vital industrial zone that could create new jobs for the area while providing alternative transportation options.
“You could attract some high-end investors,” said Gagne. “This is a strong potential.”
Denham reiterated, “It’s all stuff we’re going to have to do over time anyway. … It’s never going to be less expensive than it is now.”
When asked about the bike path connection between Depot Street and North Street, known as Phase 2, Gagne said that there were easement and wetlands issues yet to be explored. DeSousa said it would take some time before the Town would be ready to work on that piece.
DeSousa and Lepore thanked the Finance Committee members for their time and asked for their support at Town Meeting.
Earlier in the evening, Denham met with the FinCom to discuss the purchase of sidewalk snow clearing equipment. Gagne reminded the members that five years ago, there had been a citizen’s petition for the acquisition of sidewalk snow removal equipment, but that had not been funded. Now Denham presented equipment that could be used year-round for various tasks such as mowing.
“Last year we looked at the issue again,” Gagne said, adding that, while not all sidewalks could be plowed given width and location, some of the more critical locations could benefit from the new sidewalk plow. He specifically noted the intersection of Main Street and Route 6, and some sections such as the library and Center School where the Council on Aging is located.
Denham said the cost estimate was $85,000-$125,00.
Both Gagne and Denham said that Route 6 sidewalks are very difficult to maintain, and that the state had no obligation to keep them clean. There were no easy answers forthcoming on how best to keep residents safe when using those sidewalks in winter.
FinCom Chairman Pat Donough said, “I’ve lived [in] a lot of places, but Mattapoisett is the only place that doesn’t require property owners to keep the sidewalk clear in front of their homes.” Denham confirmed her statement.
Gagne sharpened the point that … “only certain areas would be cleared: the bank, the post office, the COA.” He told the committee that the request would be sent back to the Capital Planning Committee for consideration and ranking before returning to them.
Also during the meeting, Henri Renauld, superintendent of the Water & Sewer Department, discussed the Coastal Zone grant the Town received for the planned repair and improvements to the Pico Beach water and sewer system. He noted that, between grant money and retiring debt, no rate increase was imposed on property owners. Renauld provided a spreadsheet that listed grant money at $498,750, borrowing in the sum of $250,000, along with other funding sources such as leftover funding from other water and sewer projects, to pay for the barrier beach project. Renauld asked for FinCom support at Town Meeting.
Before the meeting began, Gagne introduced Town Accountant Heidi Chuckran. He said he and the Board of Selectmen have been discussing Gagne’s eventual retirement that he noted might be as early as July 2019. Moving forward, Chuckran would be attending FinCom meetings, Gagne said.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee is scheduled for November 1 at 6:30 pm in the Mattapoisett Library conference room on the first floor.
Mattapoisett Finance Committee
By Marilou Newell