A recent survey conducted to assess Marion residents’ outdoor recreational preferences further supported the interest in installing a bike path connector from Mattapoisett, but the project still has many hurdles to jump.
Marion Selectmen met with the Marion Open Space Action Committee on May 1 to hear about the survey, in which 152 residents expressed a strong interest in walking areas – including bike paths, sidewalk and nature trails. The report also looked at the conditions of town recreational facilities, environmental concerns, the need for open space, etc. to guide MOSAC in its land purchasing decisions and to direct focus of the new Open Space and Recreation Plan.
“We want to be sure the pathway becomes a reality and we are offering our help to the Selectmen,” said John Rockwell of MOSAC. Last fall the town authorized $300,000 in Community Preservation Funds to the Board of Selectmen to negotiate contracts to purchase parcels for conservation that would harbor the pathway.
This does not include the acreage of conservation land obtained as part of the Bay Watch 40B project off Route 105, on which a bike path is expected to be built.
Selectman Roger Blanchette alluded to some past attempts at negotiations, and the need to change language from an initial agreement.
“The Louisiana Purchase is far less complicated,” said Selectman Jon Henry. Paul Dawson said many pieces still need to come together before the land purchase and the engineering work take place.
In other business, the Selectmen turned down a request from the Sippican Lands Trust for a one-day alcohol license. A recently discovered bylaw that prohibits alcohol on Silvershell Beach blocked the Selectmen’s ability to approve the request.
Selectman Roger Blanchette urged residents interested in overturning the bylaw to submit such an article for the fall special town meeting.
Town Administrator Paul Dawson informed the board of a sewer main break at the Town House that shut down sanitary facilities for a good portion of the day. Although it has been temporarily corrected, he said he has asked the Department of Public Works to price the cost of replacing the line.
In other action items, Dawson informed the board that the Cumberland Farms project is moving along, but the company needs a “field change”, or modification of the approved site plan, because there are some problems installing the ADA-compliant sidewalks. He said the sidewalks require a “precise elevation” to work and there is a risk of installing the sidewalk aprons incorrectly.
Instead, Dawson received authorization from the Selectmen to allow Cumberland Farms to replace 60 to 70-feet of 10-inch piping in Front Street with 12-inch pipe. The 10-inch pipe is connected on both ends to 12-inch piping and has created a bottleneck, Dawson explained.
The field change request also requires approval by the Planning Board.
The town has received $81,804.94 from FEMA to reimburse the town for repairing damages caused by Hurricane Irene, Dawson announced at the meeting.
The town administrator credited the work of Judy Mooney, Finance Director for the town, who navigated through the “extremely cumbersome” process to acquire the federal funds.
“It’s a job well done of Police Chief Lincoln Miller and Judy Mooney,” he said.
By Laura Fedak Pedulli
The selectmen met with The Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission and the Marion Pathways Committee.