The Marion Select Board met publicly on Tuesday following an Executive Session.
The board began with a Public Hearing for Eversource Energy to locate underground cables, conduits and manholes along and across Water Street and the installation of 227 feet of 1-to-2 inch conduit. Jessica Elder, an agent for Eversource, represented the corporation and the proposed project.
Board member Randy Parker, an electrician by trade, questioned the work being done and offered technical recommendations on the sizing of the pipes, stating they may be too small for their proposed output.
Elder stated, “it will provide more power, and they will have fewer outages.”
A resident from 52 Water Street was worried the work would damage the granite near the road on his property. The company representative stated all removed material will be replaced.
Chair John Hoagland made a motion to approve, which was accepted by the other members.
Following the approval of minutes from their April 29 and May 5 meetings, Hoagland stated Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman has been reappointed to another three years in the position.
The board discussed the third read of the Blighted and Vacant Property Policy. Vice Chair Toby Burr argued against the policy, stating the 180-day deadline for properties to be classified as vacant was too short, and stipulations regarding negative impacts on the surroundings were “too arbitrary.” The board agreed to work on the policy and discuss it at their next meeting.
Hoagland recommended the Finance Committee attend their next meeting on Tuesday, June 16, to discuss various projects and budgeting.
The board then moved to discuss the Marine Resources Commission Charter. Chair Vincent Malkoski and member Scott Cowell were present to represent the MRC. There was a short discussion between the men, which culminated in the long-awaited and long-worked-on approval and adoption of the MRC Charter with a unanimous vote.
Next, there was an update on the work at Island Wharf. Gorman said the Island Wharf watermain project will be ready to go to bid in the fall. Currently, water and sewer input/output is too much for the system to handle.
Following work on the watermain, it was said the parking lot will be repaved. Parker recommended additions, such as electric car (EV) chargers. Gorman stated there is money in the budget for a feasibility study on much of the work. It was mentioned the Department of Public Works was beginning some work and evaluations the day following the meeting.
Hoagland then spoke on a new policy recommended from Town Counsel: a Public Comment Policy. The proposed policy would protect the town from litigation while also providing clear guidelines for expectations for public-meeting conduct. The chair also said he desired each Select Board meeting would start with a time for public comments.
Parker mentioned he didn’t understand the use for the policy, while the town administrator stressed it was a way to mitigate risk. “I think it needs work, if we need it at all,” Parker said. The board agreed to discuss it further in the future.
Work on repairing and repaving Delano Road was brought up, with the board being in consensus that work had to be done. Hoagland wanted to, “do as much of Delano as we can.” There was no vote on this, but the board and DPW are in agreement work will be seriously discussed going forward.
The next meeting of the Marion Select Board will be held on Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00 pm in the Marion Police Station’s conference room.
Marion Select Board
By Sam Bishop