Fresh off the good news of another $500,000 to support the nearly complete lagoon project at Marion’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Select Board voted at Monday night’s public meeting to approve a letter of support for the grant application for Coastal Zone Management funding of $250,000.
The money would fund the design of the parallel force water main that will run from the Front Street Pump Station to the Marion Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF.)
According to Town Administrator Jay McGrail, Aqualine Construction will be in town and will put the Front Street Pump Station offline for eight hours sometime around June 14. A pumper truck will be used during that period to deliver wastewater to the WWTP.
A preconstruction meeting was held including representatives of Tabor Academy where the station is located.
McGrail and Select Board Chairman Randy Parker publicly thanked Representative William Straus for his role in securing the $500,000 via the Environmental Bond Bill. The money will help offset sewer costs for ratepayers in Marion.
The lagoon project is in a holding pattern waiting on engineering firm CDM Smith for modifications on a submerged aeration system. The new deadline to complete all work is the end of the summer.
A Department of Public Works Facility Building Committee has been established. The town sent out a letter of interest to residents and received 11 applications. “We had some really tough choices so we tried to look at people not typically involved (in town politics,)” said McGrail.
The members will include Parker, Andrew Daniel of the Planning Board, Dana Nilson of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Casey Barros, Dan Crete and Sherman Briggs, plus town staff including McGrail and three DPW staffers including Director Nathaniel Munafo and Becky Tilden.
With the Select Board’s unanimous vote, Damien Amaral was appointed to the job of full-time Marion Police officer for a one-year probationary period effective June 8.
In the absence of Chief of Police Richard Nighelli, who was attending to an emergency and could not be present, Police Lieutenant Jeff Habicht advocated for Amaral, a graduate of the police academy in New Braintree and who serves in the Army National Guard with five years’ experience as a police officer.
“This is the biggest thing I’ve ever wanted to do in my life,” said Amaral, a Fairhaven High School graduate whom Habicht said has met all the requirements for the position.
Fireworks Committee Co-Chair Wendy Rocha and committee member Derek Tiago were asked to appear before the board for proper recognition in the wake of what McGrail called “an amazingly successful fundraising campaign.” He said when the committee was originally formed, the focus was on next year, but thanks to the work of the committee, the town will be holding fireworks on Friday, July 1, at 8:00 pm.
In an effort to more closely match the benefits in contracts offered nonunion town employees to those enjoyed by union members, McGrail announced tweaks to the town’s Personnel Policy.
The Police Department will get a full-time administrative assistant, eliminating the part-time position in the operating budget.
The board voted to approve Building Commissioner Bob Grillo’s request to increase the wages of daily inspectors from $25 per inspection to $30. The rate had not increased since 2011. As a local electrician, Parker recused himself and left the room. Hills and member Toby Burr voted to approve the increase.
The Select Board voted to approve the institution of a $25 fee to hang banners, a lower permit fee than for the $150 charge for permanent signage. At the suggestion of member Norm Hills, approval of size and position will be a condition of any such permit.
McGrail reported that business in the Food Bank operated out of the Cushing Community Center has increased. Last month, 93 households were served and 152 people including 104 in the 65-plus age category. The effort is 100 percent staffed by volunteers.
McGrail reported that work on staff reappointments, which are done either annually or every three years, are almost complete and will be on the board’s June 21 agenda.
The Independence Day parade is working on a June 27 deadline to submit applications to participate.
The board voted to approve two one-day liquor licenses for the Friends of Jack Foundation for June 24 and June 26 at the Music Hall.
Burr abstained from an abatement request filed for 11 Main Street. At the DPW’s recommendation, Parker and Hills voted to abate $727.25 (50 percent of the sewer portion of the bill.)
The board also voted to follow the DPW’s recommendation of an abatement for $1,764.82 at 8 Pie Alley, citing the fact that the water never entered the system.
The board also approved three Water/Sewer commitments: $155 for a sewer reconnection on May 19; $1,083.83 final readings on May 24 and $3,200 for new water services on May 24.
The board had scheduled a June 2 public hearing after the Marion Animal Control officer filed a report alleging an attack by a dog owned by David and Jennifer MacDonald, 40 Spring Street, but that hearing was continued at the applicant’s request.
The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21, at 6:00 pm.
Marion Select Board
By Mick Colageo