Times they are a-changing, or so the song goes. But change is inevitable as the push and pull of surrounding events, or in this case big-ticket municipal projects, have the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee ready to dig deeper and more expansively into requests than ever before.

            On March 31, committee Chairman Chuck McCullough opened the meeting by saying, “Now that FY22 in behind us, the heavy work in is front of us.” McCullough went on to say that it is imperative that the committee structures a more-inclusive, fact-finding philosophy, one that would give the committee all the data necessary to make informed recommendations to the town administrator and the Board of Selectmen. “We need to add value.” He said by becoming a more proactive, fact-finding driver, the committee would also become more of a partner in helping advise decisionmakers.

            McCullough pointed to the recent revelation that the Fire Department is using an engine that was just short of being permanently sidelined due to serious structural integrity issues. “We can do better,” he told the committee members.

            Historically, the Capital Planning Committee would receive a list of needs costing more than $10,000 and with a lifespan of at least 10 years. They would then meet with the department heads, ascertain the rationale for the request, and, once all had had their say, the Capital Planning Committee would debate the merits of the requests and then prioritize them.

            But probing dialog, requests for supporting documentation that gives the full picture of the need, and making department heads provide hard data, had not been part of the committee’s routine. Now it would be and needs to be, according to McCullough.

            The fire engine, McCullough has determined through a series of questions asked of Fire Chief Andrew Murray, should have already come before the committee long before the need became dire. Estimated at $500,000, the engine had been plugged into the FY23 column. “We were told of the critical condition of the fire truck. Department heads need to give us the real hard facts sooner,” he said.

            On the theme of vehicles, McCullough said that police cruisers are routinely purchased every year with one being funded by the department’s budget and the other from free cash via the Capital Planning list. But he said there isn’t any data supporting the purchases. “There’s no information on what the new cruisers will replace, or any value placed on those coming out of service.” He said he did not know where retiring cruisers would end up. Town Administrator Mike Lorenco said that previous cruiser purchases at $48,000 are now estimated at $55,000, but he was without details behind the increase.

            McCullough moved on to explain that the committee had not been involved in the largest infrastructure project the town has ever embarked upon, the bike path. He wondered aloud who is in charge of such a large project. “The bike path never hit our radar. We need to be quantifying the value of needs.”

            Continuing to emphasize total involvement with big-ticket items and projects, McCullough again said, “We need to quantify the value of needs. What if something doesn’t get purchased? We need to know how that impacts an operation.” And touching on municipal buildings, he added, “We need to ask more questions. … I see us expanding our ability to dig into these things.”

            Committee member Mike Rosa said he now believes the committee had a baseline on a number of capital needs but added, “We need to get more consistency from department heads.”

            Adding to the discussion, committee member Mike Dahill said, “Yes, we need consistency with complete lists of assets.” He said that while the Fire Department had done a good job in light of its new station construction with asset lists down to the copy machines, conversely, the Police Department has not provided sufficient data. It was further pointed out that some questions on request forms were left unanswered and that one harbormaster boat never appeared on an asset list.

            Lorenco said the town purchased an asset-tracking software tool, but that it had never been fully deployed; not all departments have received training on how to use it. He said, “I will do a better job communicating to department heads.”

            McCullough responded, saying, “We need the details to help you. We shouldn’t be coming to you for answers. We can do some of the legwork, we can all work together. I want to be more proactive.”

            After noting that his time has been primarily focused on drafting the FY22 budget that got off to a late start due to the pandemic, Lorenco said, “I plan on starting the FY23 budget in September … so that by January I have a vetted [capital needs] list for you.”

            Committee member Alan Apperson suggested that showing department heads how another department has prepared its data to formulate its capital expense requests would be beneficial. The Highway Department, under the guidance of retiring surveyor Barry Denham, was cited as a prime example of a department providing thorough detail.

            The committee thinks starting with the town’s fleet of vehicles could be the jumping-off point, and that collecting mileage and maintenance data for a baseline is necessary. Rosa suggested updating the municipal vehicle policy might prove helpful, along with the development of an asset spreadsheet.

            Lorenco said he could provide asset lists for items requiring insurance coverage.

            Turning to other long-range needs, the topic of a new town hall was discussed. Committee members wondered who would make the decision to move forward on a new town hall building and considered the importance of understanding the scope of repairs to the existing building if, in the future, it would be closed.

            McCullough said that study of the town hall can run concurrently, as the study of school consolidation is being done by consultants.

            “I don’t know what’s around the corner,” said Lorenco, noting that surprises could pop up as he learns what the town hall building needs to last another four or five years. Lorenco said that even school consolidation would carry costs. Committee member Bob Bergman planned to meet with Building Inspector Andy Bobola to discuss the Town Hall’s current physical condition.

            Lorenco said that a new meals tax will help offset expenses for such items as roadway repairs and town buildings, and that those new monies would not go into free cash.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, at 6:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Capital Planning

By Marilou Newell

            Town Administrator Jay McGrail and Finance Director Judy Mooney appeared before the Finance Committee at its March 31 Zoom meeting to explain changes to two articles for the Spring Town Meeting warrant. The committee members voted to approve the changes to Articles 2 and 20, part of their meeting including votes to approve warrant articles for the May 10 Town Meeting.

            Under Article 2 on the main budget, Mooney displayed two adjusted figures, $1,516,446 representing money ORR was paying the town, and $25,301,061, the total level-services budget figure.

            “The overall net effect did not change,” Mooney told FinCom, explaining that the old numbers were misleading because they were based on a methodology derived from an old contract with the bus transportation company. “We decreased the operating budget, but we also decreased the net receipts.”

            Where it shows up, said Mooney, is in the Sippican School subtotal adjusted to show $6,330,071 for FY22 as opposed to $6,353,539 in FY21. The negative 0.37 percent, she said, in reality, is closer to negative 0.24 percent. The FY21 figure for Sippican includes the money under the former methodology; the FY22 figure does not.

            McGrail noted that Mattapoisett and Rochester have made the same systematic change in their budget processes. “ORR will pay their transportation directly to their bus company rather than go through the towns,” he said.

            Marion’s school budget increase is down to a 2.13-percent budget increase. “It’s basically an accounting change. It makes things easier,” he said.

            FinCom Chairman Peter Winters asked for clarification.

            Mooney explained that the $170,000 for Sippican transportation was included in ORR’s assessment. “It was like a double-accounting; it was a pass-through,” she said. “It made no sense,” said McGrail.

            In Article 20, Marion contracted for a survey of the bottom of the Wastewater Treatment Plant lagoon meant for greater accuracy in determining the amount of sludge remaining. The exercise yielded 70 more tons, bringing the total to 370 tons remaining and needing removal.

            Including what was removed, the original estimate is off by over 1,000 tons, since when the cleanup is complete, approximately 1,450 tons of sludge will have been removed from the lagoon.

            “This is actually the first time we’ve ever gotten in the bottom of the lagoon,” said McGrail.

            Marion chose a 15-percent contingency, bringing the number for the appropriation up to $2,740,000.

            “We’re spending $10 million to remove the sludge … for $10 million, we probably could have upgraded every septic in the town, and it probably would have been better for the bay,” said Selectman John Waterman.

            Chairman Peter Winters clarified that the approval is necessary to comply with the consent decree with the state Department of Environmental Protection and Buzzards Bay Coalition. McGrail told FinCom it was difficult to secure an extension to the end of the year to complete the cleanup.

            Other warrant articles discussed included Community Preservation Commission funds to expand the waterproofing of the entire basement of the Town House without adding to the original expense. McGrail credited Shaun Cormier for finding the financing mechanism.

            The next meeting of the Marion Finance Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, April 28, at 7:00 pm.

Marion Finance Committee

By Mick Colageo

            In a Zoom meeting held on April 6, the Rochester Conservation Commission continued a discussion related to extending a previously issued Order of Conditions for the construction of a bituminous concrete (asphalt) processing facility along King’s Highway.

            Stephen Meltzer of Edgewood Development Company, LLC, representing the project, explained that he conducted a successful site visit with Rochester Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon, and the commission to provide an update on the site and refresh the memories of the involved parties.

            The site itself totals roughly 5 acres in size with numerous access roads in order to allow trucks to transport raw materials into the facility. Commission members were generally concerned with drainage on the site, as the materials transported to the facility could pose a risk to the surrounding wetlands if they were to spill.

            Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering, the principal engineer and designer of the plans, explained that the site itself includes numerous components to limit negative impact as a result of spilled material. These primarily include numerous basins around the facility designed to catch runoff before it could spill into a vegetated wetland area. In addition, Madden explained that the pumping system running throughout the site employs a gate system so that, in the case of a spill, damaged pipe could be isolated to prevent further leaks.

            Gerry Lorusso joined Madden in the presentation to explain the types of materials used on the site. Mainly, sand and crushed stone are transported to the site and then mixed with liquid asphalt. Lorusso explained that one of the benefits of this material is that it is washed upon arrival, meaning harmful substances are removed from the material before it reaches the site. Further, the liquid asphalt could not reach a wetlands area because it needs to be heated in order to be in a liquid state. Therefore, by the time any material would leak, it would already be in a solid form.

            Ultimately, Madden explained that the site goes above and beyond normal prevention measures related to drainage due to the desire to protect nearby water sources used by cranberry bogs. The Conservation Commission thanked Madden for providing an updated overview of the plans and voted to grant Meltzer a three-year extension to the Order of Conditions.

            David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon, & Leone, Inc. came before the commission to discuss a public hearing relating to a Notice of Intent filing for the construction of a new home on Clapp Road. Davignon explained that he had been working alongside Farinon to come up with a plan that will satisfy the commission’s concerns before the public hearing takes place.

            The proposed construction includes drainage features along a paved driveway, runoff areas on the roof, and the placement of stone boulders along the portion of the site that would border the wetlands area. Davignon told commission members that the placement of these boulders would provide a natural boundary to prevent work from taking place in protected areas.

            Farinon advised Davignon to review the site for large trees that might be hazardous, as they could be added to the proposal and removed from the site as part of the Notice of Intent filing. Davignon agreed to include that part of the work on his proposal and requested a continuance until the next Conservation Commission meeting.

            Prior to the conclusion of the meeting, ConCom Chairman Michael Conway took a moment to publicly thank Farinon for her continued work in helping the commission and for everything she had down for the Town of Rochester. This came after Farinon announced she would be leaving the role through the submission of a letter of resignation to the town.

            Farinon has worked as Rochester’s conservation agent for the last 27 years. She has spent much of that time advocating for the purchase of more open space areas throughout the town, as well as working closely with the town members to facilitate the speedy execution of their projects. Commission members echoed Conway’s sentiment and thanked Farinon for her commitment to the town. “It has been truly a pleasure to serve all of you and everyone in this town,” Farinon told commission members.

            Farinon will continue to work with the commission members as they transition and hire a new agent prior to her eventual departure from the role at the end of June.

            The next Rochester Conservation Commission meeting is set to be held via Zoom on Tuesday, April 20, at 7:00 pm.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Matthew Donato

            The April 6 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen may have been a brief 25 minutes, but the two items on the agenda represented opportunities to improve lives, both everyday life and, for some, the quality of a life being lived in the shadow of medical issues.

            One day motorists may be riding on smooth, newly-paved roadways along village streets lined with additional parking and new sidewalks, but first come the funding details as the board discussed ongoing design development for Main, Water, and Beacon Streets.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco told the selectmen that, currently, the engineering firm VHB had submitted the necessary 25-percent design to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for its comments. Not wishing to delay design development, Lorenco said that to achieve the next benchmark (75-percent design), $450,000 is needed. He said that although the project, which has been on the Massachusetts Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) list for several years, had been pushed out to 2026, it is important to move forward on the design.

            But how to fund the $450,000?

            Lorenco explained that a 15-year bond at 1.3-percent interest would cost the taxpayers approximately $10 per year over the life of the bond. He said that a bond anticipation note (BAN) is another avenue, but would preclude the town from excluding it from debt at a later date.

            Selectman Jordan Collyer and Chairman Paul Silva both wanted to think about a variety of options, including a tax levy, with Silva urging that, before they make any borrowing decisions, Selectman John DeCosta be given the chance to voice his comments. DeCosta was not present at the evening meeting.

            However, the clock is ticking. The board discussed putting a question before voters on the May 18 ballot, but without a decision on a borrowing method, it was unclear if they had time to wait for DeCosta’s comments. The town clerk is required to submit election details by April 12.

            “I just think we should get John’s comments,” Silva said. “He’s going to have to live with whatever happens; I won’t be here.”

            Collyer and Silva reached a compromise. They would wait until Friday to hear from DeCosta and then meet on Friday, April 9, at 12:30 pm to make a final decision.

            Earlier in the meeting, coming before the board were Barbara Sullivan, retired town clerk, and her granddaughter, Sophia-Lynne Bechard. Speaking on behalf of the two women, Collyer said they wanted permission to fly the Donor Life Flag outside Town Hall. April is Donor Month and the Ellis family wishes to heighten the importance of organ and tissue donation.

            Collyer said, “In every tragedy, there can be hope.” Samuel Ellis was a donor, which his family has found comfort in as they continue to grieve his passing.

            After proclaiming April as Donor Month, the selectmen approved the raising of the flag, which will take place on Wednesday, April 7, at 5:00 pm at Town Hall.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Friday, April 9, at 12:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell