During the October 24 meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board, the members met with Jamie Pisano of the engineering firm VHB, which has been charged with creating village-street, roadway-improvement plans for approximately two years.
In September, when VHB’s representatives came before the board, they brought the troubling news that some 36 trees would need to be felled in order to achieve a 25% design model acceptable to the state Department of Transportation. Pisano and his team left that meeting with a goal that had often been asked for: to find a way to save as many trees as possible.
On this night, Pisano presented three design options he believed would satisfy the state but which quickly left the public and the board disappointed. What ensued was more like a brainstorming session, as each person in the room was given an opportunity to express an opinion to the board. But the session did not produce the solid decision-making needed to keep the project on track to funding.
Town Administrator Mike Lorenco cautioned that during a discussion he had with the DOT’s team handling the project, it was made clear that the clock was running out for Mattapoisett to get its 25% design submitted.
Select Board member Jordan Collyer offered that possibly sections of the project could be funded by the town, such as the roadway along Munroe Preserve, a Mattapoisett Land Trust property. He said, by doing it themselves, the proposal to remove a grove of trees to make way for a sidewalk would be unnecessary. Pisano was asked to discuss an option like this with DOT.
After further discussion, the board determined that on Tuesday, November 14, it would hold a working session to delve into this matter one more time. Between now and then, Pisano will reach out to Eversource to explore the possibility of replacing old utility poles with taller, newer ones that might help to spare threatened trees. Pisano will also submit another plan updated with information from his Eversource discussion.
The village street improvement project has a projected $8,000,000 price tag. Funding is planned in part to come from the Massachusetts TIP program. Before moving on to other agenda items, Collyer asked the public to submit detailed letters with ideas and opinions to the board for its consideration on November 14.
Earlier in the meeting, the board met with Eversource, which is planning a two-phase, gas-line upgrade project, the first to begin as early as November along Mattapoisett Neck Road and Fairhaven Road. When asked, the Eversource representative said that service to users will not be interrupted and that all customers will receive new gas lines to homes and business structures.
The Mattapoisett Land Trust gifted the town with $20,000 to be used for new sidewalks and a parking area on the west side of Mattapoisett Neck Road. Present to offer the gift was MLT president Mike Huguenin. Reading from a letter to the board he said, “The funds to be transferred were raised by MLT from private donors in 2016 to 2018 as part of efforts to acquire the Hammond Quarry.” He said that because that property was subsequently acquired by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. “The funds were set aside to support improvements for quarry visitors …” The board was unanimous in its gratitude as the members accepted the gift.
The board approved the transfer of an all-alcohol license held by the Village Package Store to new owner Jason Silva, doing business as J&S Wine and Spirits. They also approved new management for the Stowaway.
Lorenco reminded the public that real estate taxes are due on Wednesday, November 1, and that Town Meeting is taking place on Monday, November 6, at 6:30 pm in the Old Rochester Regional High School auditorium.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14, at 6:30 pm.
Mattapoisett Select Board
By Marilou Newell