A hearing to grant both an entertainment license and common victualler license for the new Inn at Shipyard Park was postponed until Thursday, April 26, after nearly 100 concerned residents turned out to voice their opinions. With such a large turnout, the Mattapoisett Town Hall was well beyond capacity, as pointed out by Building Inspector Andrew Bobola, ultimately leading the Board of Selectmen to reschedule the meeting.
The new inn, under the ownership of Nlls Johnson and Andrea Perry, will replace the current Kinsale Inn. The establishment has been a topic of hot conversation among abutting residents, who have voiced concern about the noise levels emanating from the inn’s bar after closing.
The rescheduled hearing will begin at 7:30 pm and is open to all residents. There has been no decision on location, but the selectmen agreed on either the Old Hammondtown School or the Center School depending on availability.
In other news, the board voted to grant three high school students a common victualler license to sell concessions at the beach during the summer. Lars Eklund, Sean Hardwick and Tyler Shjarfeiden all went before the board asking permission to sell water, soda, chips and candy to beachgoers between the hours of 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. A portion of the proceeds would be donated to a local organization, such as the Food Pantry.
The board granted the license conditionally, provided that the three boys meet with the Board of Health to discuss regulations.
Dr. Lisa Hagberg of Body and Mind Yoga in Mattapoisett proposed holding yoga classes during the mornings at Shipyard Park beginning in June. The board was hesitant to grant permission.
“The land is for the public, not for private enterprises,” said Selectmen Paul Silva.
Selectmen Jordan Collyer also pointed out potential scheduling conflicts. Collyer said the park is open to the public, and if certain non-profit organizations wish to use the park to hold a specific event, they might not be able to because of the class schedule. However, they said that early mornings could potentially work.
The board advised Hagberg to iron out a specific schedule and to meet with the Mattapoisett Land Trust to discuss the possibility.
Town Administrator Michael Gagne gave an update on the Mattapoisett Road Improvement Five Year Plan. Phase I of the project is near complete, and Gagne said Phase II has been authorized to begin. Phase II will repair roads near North Street and Church Street. The overall plan for the project is to take care of all the roads in Mattapoisett within five to seven years, and so far, it’s off to a great start.
“It’s working exactly the way we wanted it to work,” said Gagne. “It’s exciting. We’ve had a very successful first year.”
Gagne also informed the board that Robert McNamara will be resigning from the Planning Board. Any interested candidates looking to serve the rest of McNamara’s term must submit a letter to the Board of Selectmen, who will meet with the Planning Board during a special meeting and vote to appoint the replacement.
The articles for the Mattapoisett Town Meeting, which will be held on Monday, May 14, should be finalized by the end of the week, according to Gagne. The Town Election warrant was approved and signed at the beginning of the meeting.
Gagne also encourages residents to pay close attention to the article that has the new FEMA flood maps. Two-thirds of the residents must vote to approve the new maps at the town meeting. If community does not accept the maps by July 12, the town is not eligible for flood insurance coverage. The Planning Board meeting on Monday, April 30, will review the new flood bylaws in detail.
The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen will meet again on Tuesday, May 8 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.
By Katy Fitzpatrick