Mattapoisett has become a favored location for road races, according to the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen. There is the now well-established and very popular Fourth of July race, the Lions Club Triathlon, as well as a Mother’s Day Tiara 5k, Veterans Day race, and the most recent Santa Run. Add to that the festivals, car shows, and an assortment of other events, the village streets of Mattapoisett see a lot of action.
“As we close out the event season we need to look at the number of events taking place in the center of town,” said Selectman Jordan Collyer.
Faced with neighborhood concerns over parking, pedestrian and motor vehicle congestion, and post-event clean-up, along with expenses they say are shouldered by taxpayers for police and fire services, the selectmen believed it was time to take a hard look at how the town permits such activities.
“In the summer, people are trying to get to their boats, the beach or just around town,” Collyer said. “When is enough, enough? We need a written policy.”
Selectman Paul Silva echoed those sentiments: “I felt it was time to bring the concerns of the neighborhood forward,” Silva told Collyer. “You are right on.”
Silva said that if he lived in the village he’d be upset by the number of events – events that make getting around the village streets difficult.
“We need feedback from the community,” Silva suggested.
The selectmen discussed ways to solicit community input to help them craft guidelines for the future. And while they believed the number of events should be reviewed, they also believed that charity events were worthwhile.; however, the cost to taxpayers was also a factor.
“Whatever we do,” Silva said, “there’s money involved.” As for charity runs, Silva said he wants to make sure non-profit events would get the lion’s share of any monies generated. “Are they getting a good percentage?”
Collyer said he didn’t want policy to be exclusionary.
“I struggle with this,” said Collyer.
Silva noted that the cooler seasons are not so much of an issue, but he returned his attention to the people living in the village neighborhood, saying, “People pay good taxes to live here.”
They discussed how efforts to keep for-profit events out of Shipyard Park had worked, and that the ice cream trailer located in Shipyard Park – a permitted for-profit venue – contractually has to request permission via a Request for Proposal every three years.
The selectmen agreed to do their due diligence, consolidate their thoughts, and, as Collyer said with a chuckle, “Go on a fact-finding safari.”
Board of Selectmen Administrative Assistant Melody Pacheco said that recently a group of Old Rochester Regional High School students had approached her office with a request to consider a Memorial Day run. The students were invited to attend the selectmen’s meeting to discuss their ideas, but on this night the students were not present. Collyer said he would not be so concerned over high school students putting on an event to support their activities. He asked Pacheco to pull together a list of all activities taking place in public spaces, saying, “We’ve got to get this on the table.”
The selectmen proposed having event organizers and residents meet in a workshop environment to help flesh out policy.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for January 7 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.
Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen
By Marilou Newell