As the Mattapoisett Finance Committee wends its way through department budgets in preparation for the spring annual town meeting, they heard from Planning Board Administrator Mary Crain on April 6.
Crain’s overview of the planning board’s FY17 accomplishments and FY18 budget included thoughts on how the Planning Board will fit into the conversation of what to do about recreational marijuana sales establishments in Mattapoisett.
Crain said that in discussing the topic with Town Administrator Michael Gagne, the uncertainty at the state level gave cities and towns a bit more time to figure out if and how this type of business might integrate into Mattapoisett’s rural seaside image.
“It’s premature at this point in time,” Crain told the committee members. She said that while she is preparing bylaw language for the Planning Board to consider, with the state’s temporary moratorium in place, there was time to consider all the pros and cons. But she cautioned, “As a town, we don’t have a plan in place … we could be caught off guard,” and in the absence of zoning restrictions, the FinCom members ponder what might happen. One member apparently thought a retail pot shop might want to move into Ropewalk. Crain said that most likely after further study, the Planning Board would have something prepared for the fall special town meeting.
Crain presented a budget that reflected a change in the position she now holds with the Planning Board, increasing the FY18 budget by just over $8,000 on that line item. She wrote that “…the position has assumed all the duties of the planning board secretary plus expanded planning activities including drafting proposed zoning amendments, preparation of an updated subdivision rules and regulations, and, research into downtown improvements…”
Other increases include up-ticks in legal advertising, postage, and in-state travel for conferences and meetings. The total stands at $31,369 versus $21,440 in FY 17.
Also meeting with the committee was Harbormaster Jill “Sarge” Simmons.
At the outset of her comments on harbor-side needs, Simmons said she had not yet received projected earnings from the waterfront enterprise account, but she provided a summary of FY17 completed projects and FY18 plans.
Simmons said some critical piling repairs had been completed but that the wales were not fixed. She said repair to the horizontal support beams had been contracted out and that the highway department would also be completing some wharf repairs.
Simmons reported that channel markers had been purchased for Brandt Island Cove at a cost of $8,200. This became necessary, she said, when the Coast Guard was ordered to reduce aids to navigation by 50 percent on the eastern seaboard.
Along with the Marine Advisory Board, Simmons assisted in the updating of the waterways rules and regulations that was many months in the making. She said that documents were awaiting review by the Selectmen. The new rules included a more realistic mooring billing cycle.
A chronic problem of not enough dinghy spaces for the nearly 1,000 moorings in the inner harbor would be eased a bit, Simmons said, when additional spaces are created at Barstow. She said ongoing proceedings with the Conservation Commission were needed but that she had acquired floating docks at no cost from Marion.
Also in her report Simmons wrote, “With the assistance of town counsel we have put together a contract for boaters who have assigned spaces … on the piers and wharves.… The town never had one…. As a result, the town was exposed to significant liability.”
Simmons discussed the need for more dinghy spaces in her written presentation, saying, “Launch service is not satisfactory to many people due to the amount of time it takes for the launch to arrive at either the dock or the boat for pickup.” The additional spaces planned for Barstow would help ease that problem she believes.
Simmons wrote that a float installed at the end of the timber pier is used for the public safety boat, but that the fire boat will be kept at Barstow, a location where parking for responding fire personnel is available.
In her report, Simmons pointed to a second year of success in assigning moorings to everyone on the wait list. She said the FY17 season ended with 20 moorings still available.
Simmons said her department needs a small working skiff, and the harbormaster boat was good for open water activities such as rescues; however, for inshore work it was just too big. She’s asking for a Carolina Skiff which she described as “bare bones and pretty rugged.”
With the rising popularity in kayaking, Simmons hopes to install additional kayak racks at the landing. “I can’t build them fast enough,” she said.
The waterfront enterprise FY18 budget is projected at $171,368 versus FY17 $169,089.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee is scheduled for April 13 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell
