Mattapoisett Police Chief Mary Lyons commended two young men for their help in assisting the town with emergency response after the blizzard Nemo hit the Tri-Town this past week. The two young men were presented certificates of appreciation at the Board of Selectmen’s regular meeting on Tuesday, February 12 in the Mattapoisett Town Hall.
“They were a really big help,” said Lyons. “It was a great relief to know that we could count on some young volunteers to help out the town.”
Ben Coucci, an intern at the Police Station, and his brother Will, stepped up to the plate to help monitor Village Court during the power outage. Due to the demands of the regularly staffed police and fire officials in town, there was no one left to stand watch in the overnight hours. That’s when the Coucci brothers decided to help out, working 12-hour shifts to relieve some of the other workers.
“Your parents should be very proud of you,” said Selectman Paul Silva.
Selectman Tyler Macallister took the time to personally thank NSTAR for their quick response time in restoring power to the vast majority of Mattapoisett in a short amount of time.
“I kept watching as the power was restored in Mattapoisett,” he said. “It was kind of amazing how fast it was coming back.”
One of the biggest factors in the response time was the nerve center, which NSTAR had established on the second floor of the Police Department in order to closely monitor where the majority of the outages were. They sent their workers out to survey the affected areas, making it easier to delegate where the restorations needed to happen. Additionally, trucks from Delaware and Vermont came to help restore power.
On Saturday morning, 99 percent of Mattapoisett had lost power with only 28 residents being lucky enough to maintain it throughout the storm. By Tuesday evening, there were only 21 residents without power.
Town Administrator Michael Gagne commended the police, fire, Department of Public Works, school faculty members and other boards in town for their effort and response time during the blizzard.
In other news, the Board voted to approve two motocross events at the Mattapoisett Landfill this year for the Pilgrim Sand Trail Riders. The events, both which will be held on Sundays, are scheduled for April 21 and October 27.
“In actuality, a lot of people have gone and watched the event and enjoyed the day,” said Gagne. “I’ve never received a single complaint. It’s all very favorable.”
Lyons added that there were no issues last year when the events first took place. Also, when asked whether or not the event would interfere with the potential solar panel project that is in the works, Gagne answered no.
The Board also approved the dates for the 2013 Harbor Days celebration. It will begin on Friday, July 19 and last through Sunday, July 21. The annual triathlon will be held the week prior, as always, on Sunday, July 14.
The Lions Club, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in June, raises money year-round to give to different organizations in town. This year, they used the money raised from Harbor Days 2012 to fund the new co-ed Swim Team at Old Rochester Regional High School.
“We’re always looking for different community service opportunities,” said Lions Club President Don Bamberger.
The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen will meet again on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.
By Katy Fitzpatrick
