In its May 26 special, remote-access meeting, the Marion Select Board passed new water and sewer rates for Fiscal Year 2022, and the new rates will include higher cost for larger consumers.

            According to Town Administrator Jay McGrail, the town took on new debt last year due to the drought and the global pandemic, so more water was used and at a higher price. Marion approved a $220,000 subsidy from free cash last year, a first for the town.

            Consumption during the 2020 summer months saw a 31 percent increase, and overall usage went up 15 percent over 2019, according to McGrail, who said residents saw “extraordinarily large bills…. Our main focus in FY22 is to keep rates as low as possible.”

            In order to accomplish that for the majority of residents, he and Finance Director Judy Mooney proposed a fourth tier to the rate system. Even so, McGrail said managing water usage is the best way to keep bills in check and urged residents to stay alert for breaks and leaks.

            Marion surveyed surrounding towns and, despite billing on a quarterly basis (other area towns bill biannually), maintains rates that McGrail says approximate surrounding communities.

            In making her presentation to the Select Board, Mooney showed that a continuance of FY21 rates under the preexisting three-tier system would leave debt at the end of FY22. She recommended keeping the lower tiers (i.e. fixed income) as low as possible and adding a fourth tier.

            The proposal was for a 3-percent increase on the first, second, and third tiers, and a new fourth tier with a 15-percent increase. The end game, explained Mooney, is trying to establish a $100,000 surplus.

            “We’re hitting the larger users, not the fixed income,” said Mooney, who recommended breaking up the preexisting third tier from its 494 ratepayers into 345 in the third tier and 149 in a new fourth tier. “We’re trying not to hit those lower tiers (fixed-income people).”

            Both Mooney and Select Board member John Waterman acknowledged there are moving parts going forward with substantial ramifications.

            Citing $200,000 of retained earnings to subsidize rates, resulting in a budget sheet showing a surplus, not because of rate increases but because of the subsidy, Waterman noted “a lot of uncertainty in this budget.”

            “We need to be as conservative as possible here,” agreed Mooney, pointing out that a dry FY22 would throw off the numbers.

            In a slightly more conservative scenario, the new sewer rates include a 2-percent increase on the base rate, a 2.5-percent increase on tiers 2 and 3 and a higher increase for the fourth tier.

            A $147,000 budget surplus is projected, but Mooney said the town needs the surplus more on the sewer side and targeted $150,000. Like water, the new rates will be based on consumption and usage. “We hope that we’re very conservative with our numbers; I think we are,” said Mooney.

            Sewer debt increased by $250,000 (15 percent) over last year.

            “We added a fourth tier, but it’s a $140 difference between the first and second tiers, but only a $22 difference between the third and fourth tiers,” said McGrail.

            Waterman said that the FY22 budget is being subsidized by $150,000 in retained earnings from the sewer enterprise fund. “Some of the debt is tied to the lagoon project, which is something none of us have control over,” he said, thanking McGrail, Mooney, and Meghan Davis and Becky Tilden of the Department of Public Works for their time spent in three-hour meetings and what Select Board Chair Norm Hills called “many iterations” of the proposal.

            On June 1, the members of the Mattapoisett Select Board, seasoned veteran and Chairman Jordan Collyer and newly elected member Jodi Bauer met to discuss various aspects of reopening the town for business both commercial and public.

            With the board members seated in the conference room at Town Hall alongside Town Administrator Mike Lorenco and Assistant to Town Operations Christine Richards, the remote meeting access granted a bridge for those wishing to participate from home, a bridge that may become permanent. Collyer and Bauer heard from Lorenco that Governor Baker is allowing use of remote meeting platforms until June 15, while legislation may grant continued use of remote meetings for greater public participation.

            “It’s most likely the governor will mandate that a quorum of a committee must be present in a public location but that those wishing to participate remotely will have that option,” said Lorenco, who added that the governor may be looking at making some virtual meeting modes permanent options. He reiterated, however, that for such matters as public hearings, participants would have to be in attendance where the meeting is taking place. They would not be allowed to participate remotely.

            The Select Board members both believe it is a good idea to grant public access via remote platforms. Collyer said it works well for people with children who want to participate but are unable to leave their homes.

            Lorenco also said that current state guidelines mandate the wearing of masks by those who have not been vaccinated and are inside a commercial or public structure and cannot maintain 6 feet of social distance. He noted that on May 29 the mask mandate was lifted by the governor but left in place were masking requirements for the unvaccinated, as well as masks for everyone entering congregate and health care facilities and public modes of transportation such as buses and taxis.

            The board met with members of the Lions Club to affirm their approval for the annual Harbor Days fundraiser. Bob Saunders said he has been working closely with Public Health Nurse Emily Field. Collyer said that all sanitary guidelines for handling food served at the event must be upheld.

Collyer also said that, should the pandemic conditions escalate, “We reserve the right to cancel it.” He said vendors should have hand sanitizers available for themselves and the public. Saunders said that, given that the number of vendors has been reduced, there would be plenty of room for people to move around in Shipyard Park.

            Returning this summer and approved by the board are band concerts in the gazebo at Shipyard Park beginning on July 7 through August 25 from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm under the leadership of bandleader Jim Farmer.

            Also returning will be a night of square dancing on the wharves on July 10 at 6:00 pm, but the annual Mattapoisett Fourth of July Road Race was postponed until August 21.

            Continuing on the theme of “things seem to be heading in the right direction,” Lorenco said that the Council on Aging is slowly resuming its activities to pre-Covid levels and that the library is now fully open. “All businesses can operate at 100 percent capacity,” he said.

            The board discussed whether to sell one-day beach parking passes for the two public beaches located on Water Street and Aucoot Road. After serious consideration that included the need to continue to use the Water Street parking area for boat trailers given that construction materials are still be stockpiled at the Depot Street public parking area for the bike path construction, the board decided to limit beach parking privileges to residents only.

            Regarding beaches, Lorenco said that the parking area at the beach at the end of Reservation Road is strictly private property owned by the Reservation Golf Course and that violators would be ticketed and cars would be towed. He also said that a full-time attendant will be posted at Aucoot Beach this summer.

            Collyer acknowledged that planning will have to resume for Good Speed Island when the new section of the bike path opens. He said that late member John DeCosta had been spearheading those plans, but that such matters as trash receptacles and policing need to be addressed.

            In other business, the board decided to delay the annual town appointments process until after the July 27 special election to fill the seat vacated by the passing of DeCosta. They feel that a full board is necessary given that Select Board members often recuse themselves from voting on appointments. The board did, however, appoint six shellfish constables: Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh, John Delenanty, Adam Perkins, Wayne Ferreira, Gerald Beaudion, and Robert Clavin. Collyer said this is the beginning of transitioning the responsibilities for the shellfish program from the animal control officer to the harbormaster.

            There was conversation with resident Colleen Trahan, who said she is interested in a seat on the Finance Committee, but after submitting her letter of interest had not heard anything in return. Collyer encouraged her to resubmit her letter of interest and resume after explaining that seats on that committee are based on neighborhoods – one member from each of the designated neighborhoods plus two member-at-large seats.

            Collyer said anyone interested in volunteering for a town committee seat should send their letter of interest to the town administrator and copy the Select Board.

            Lorenco announced that the state of Massachusetts now recognizes Juneteenth as a holiday and as such town services will be closed. He said that Juneteenth is a day that commemorates the June 19, 1865 event when Union Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to alert slaves that they were emancipated.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, June 22, at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

            On May 24, the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission heard from peer review consultant Jonathan Niro of BETA regarding their review and technical study of the proposed solar array off Randall Lane planned by Randall Lane, LLC. The project, as designed, will have 800 panels spread over a 28-acre site producing 7.5 megawatts of electric energy. The site is being developed by SunRaise Investments of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

            Niro spoke to two letters that have been submitted to the commission and the Planning Board from his office outlining a variety of issues primarily centered around the exact location of wetlands and other jurisdictional areas, and the width of the access road.

            Niro said that a great number of the issues raised by his team had been addressed by the applicant’s engineering firm, Beals & Thomas, to BETA’s satisfaction. However, a major sticking point is the absence of a boundary survey for the three lots that make up the site. He said that, normally, boundary surveys come before any permissions are granted to the applicants. Eric Las of Beals $ Thomas, the applicant’s representative, indicated that this client wanted to get a sense of whether the project might receive permission before making the investment in an expensive boundary survey.

            Las confirmed that some 88 acres of the property owned by Randall Lane, LLC will go into conservation restriction with the Buzzards Bay Coalition agreeing to be the holders of the restriction.

            Conservation Commission Chairman Mike King said that, given the amount of data the volunteer commission and part-time agent had to digest for this project, time would be needed. For now, he was satisfied with the initial presentation. He also noted that the commission needs to confirm that the Fire Department has sanctioned the access roadway at 16 feet versus the traditional 20-foot requirement. The review was continued to June 14.

            Also coming before the commission was William Clapp for property off of Mattapoisett Neck Road. Represented by David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon, & Leone Inc., Davignon said his client merely wants to cut down some invasive phragmites so that the property could be used as a seasonal family campsite.

            Abutter Michelle Gregoire was against any cutting of vegetation, saying it was helping to stabilize the coastal bank, barrier beach, and associated dunes. Davignon said there would not be any removal of root systems, simply the cutting of some areas to allow for recreational use of the property. The Notice of Intent application was continued until June 14.

            In other business, a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by Rebecca Sears, 165 Acushnet Road, for the construction of a garage received a negative determination, as did Tom Jackviez’s RDA for property located at 17 Third Street for the installation of a kayak rake.

            Two Request to Amend NOIs, one filed by Craig and Elaine Bovaird, 26R Pine Island Road, and another from Andrew and Sarah Bishins, 20 Winnatuxett Road, were approved.

            An NOI filed by Stephen Baptista, 6 Perkins Lane, received conditioning for the removal of dead trees. Also approved was a Request to Amend an NOI submitted by Steve Goulson, 27 Nashawena.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for Monday, June 14, at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell