Public meetings in Mattapoisett rarely require overflow rooms to accommodate attendees, but such was the case when the Mattapoisett Tree Committee held its February 29 meeting. The Fire Station training room was packed, requiring Town Administrator Mike Lorenco to open up Town Hall. A streaming of the meeting via Zoom granted those audience members audio and video coverage.
Tree Committee Chairman Sandy Hering expressed her delight at the turnout, giving validation to her belief that townspeople wanted and needed more details on the proposed village streets project.
The project, now heading towards the 25% design as required by Massachusetts Department of Transportation, is on the 2026 TIP list for state and federal funding. However, the Tree Committee believes the loss of old oaks and other mature trees that line the waterfront area would be a “tragedy.” Hering said several times during the meeting that the removal of trees to comply with state and federal regulations would change the character of the village area for a lifetime.
The information offered was detailed in scope, outlining specific trees that would be slated for removal, width of sidewalks for ADA compliance, location of new sidewalks and where new trees would be planted.
Presenters for the evening (including Hering) were Bonne DeSousa, Carlos DeSousa and committee member Dianne Tsitsos. While Hering carried the bulk of information to the attendees, Carlos DeSousa spoke to a redesign of the project that would include underground conduits for electrical and network cables. He asserted that by placing these utilities underground, the need to remove so many trees (some 30 at last count) would be mitigated, shade canopies would be untouched and critical services would become more viable during storm events.
Tsitsos shared images of the village area in full summer mode with events being enjoyed where sidewalks currently exist and shade trees are in full, leafy bloom.
Noting that the Fire Station planning and associated costs had necessitated the inclusion of a steering committee to navigate all the moving parts, Hering wondered aloud why a steering committee had not been put in place for a project with such wide-ranging impact.
Hering also stated that public hearings under the jurisdiction of the Planning Board regarding the fate of each and every tree currently tagged for removal should be scheduled. In a follow-up with Lorenco, he stated that the Scenic Streets Bylaw will require the trees scheduled for removal to follow the tree-removal process of public hearings.
Rising to speak once questions and answers began was Select Board member Tyler Macallister, providing a timeline of how the project has progressed thus far and the need to move the project along to the final funding stages.
Pointing out the number of public meetings the project has undergone, 20, that began in 2014, Macallister said that since April 2021 there had been six public meetings not including this one. He said that the November 2016 Town Meeting approved the spending of $300,000 for the project’s engineering and permitting and again during the May 2021 annual Town Meeting another $450,000 to reach 75% design.
Macallister further noted that original estimates for the project had been around $4,500,000 but now were closer to $11,000,000. From prepared notes, Macallister stated, “The average annual debt impact (should the town decide to pay for the project from borrowing) would be approximately 35 cents on the tax rate, which would calculate to approximately $257.48 for the average single-family home. Over 20 years, the taxpayer would pay $3,862.” Culvert replacements have also impacted total cost estimates.
Regarding underground conduits, Macallister said that Eversource is unwilling to entertain that option due to the high costs, some, if not most would be passed along to the town.
In the beginning, 2014, the seed was planted for the village streets project. Concerns and considerations resulting for aging gas and water lines propelled the town and the then-sitting Select Board of Paul Silva, Jordan Collyer and Macallister to explore design and funding options for the large road-improvement project. Mike Gagne was the town administrator.
When asked what their next steps might be, Hering asked that the public let their voices be heard by writing to the Select Board.
As for now, the town awaits a final acceptable 25% engineered design, as requested from its consultants, VHB. A variety of tweaks were discussed at their last meeting with the Select Board, including trees to be removed and new trees to be planted.
Mattapoisett Tree Committee
By Marilou Newell