Approximately 30 municipal officials, employees, and state representatives met for their annual Massachusetts Municipal Association breakfast hosted on March 13 at Mattapoisett’s Center School with opening remarks by Town Administrator Mike Gagne.
This regional meeting brought together attendees from the south shore and Cape Cod, as well as the Tri-Town area, to meet with state officials to learn about state funding and other matters that have an impact on cities and towns. Representatives attending the working breakfast were William Straus (Mattapoisett), Chris Markey (Dartmouth), Susan Gifford (Wareham), and Paul Schmid (Westport).
Gagne, in a follow-up interview, said the meeting included “an excellent presentation by John Robertson, (legislative director with MMA),” touching on such diverse issues as the condition of the state budget, deficit accounts, and fiscal issues.
“There was good news, too. Governor Baker the day before had signed a $200 million Chapter 90 (bond) expressly for roads and highways,” said Gagne. “In light of the predicament we have right now with road conditions, this couldn’t come at a better time.”
Calling the discussions with the state representatives in attendance as “very candid,” Gagne said important issues such as changing EPA requirements, FEMA flood mapping problems, and regional transportation were all touched upon during the nearly three-hour event.
Robertson told the attendees about an MMA letter written to Governor Baker urging him to try and gain swift passage of funds.
The Chapter 90 bond bill in the amount of $200 million for fiscal year 2016, paired with $100 million in new Chapter 90 monies authorized by Baker in January, would bring the total available funds to cities and towns to $300 million.
The letter stated that the previous administration delayed distribution of Chapter 90 funding, causing many municipalities to hold off on much needed projects.
The MMA has also petitioned the State House to release emergency funds to cities and towns reeling from snow removal costs. In a letter written to the administration on March 3, the MMA reported that it is collecting snow removal data that is estimated in the tens of millions of dollars and asked the state to engage FEMA for up to 75 percent reimbursement.
Gagne shared that it now appears there will be a slight increase in unrestricted state aid to cities and towns, but, “We’ll wait on the fiscal numbers (to come out) and use last year’s figure for planning purposes,” not wanting to over-estimate until the state funds have been committed.
By Marilou Newell
