Mashpee Environmental Oversight Committee
Minutes of Meeting
September 15, 2015 at 6:31 p.m.
Mashpee Town Hall
Present: Chairman Michael Talbot, Rick York, Dale McKay, Joe Cummings
Absent: Drew McManus, Selectman Andrew Gottlieb
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Talbot at 6:30 p.m. with a quorum.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES April 21, 2015 & August 18, 2015
There were insufficient attending members present to approve the April 21 minutes. Mr. York noted that although the August minutes were accurate regarding pond & estuary water quality, Mr. York stated that Santuit Pond had been restored a two meter visibility.
Mr. York made a motion to accept the minutes. Mr. McKay seconded the motion. All voted unanimously.
COMMUNICATIONS
Meeting Time Conflict
The Chair stated that he was in receipt of an email from Selectman Gottlieb indicating that he had a conflict with the EOC meeting time on Tuesday nights. There was discussion regarding available meeting days and it was suggested that the meeting be moved to the second Wednesday of the month, as it was preferred that the meeting be held earlier in the month. The Chair will confirm the change with other members.
NEW BUSINESS
Town Meeting Articles on Implementation of CWMP
The Chair referenced Town Meeting Articles that will assist with the implementation of the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan.
Article 3, in the amount of $100,000, would create the Natural Resources Department with two full time positions. Mr. York has been appointed the Acting Director of the department, which incorporates the offices of both Shellfish and Harbormaster.
Article 2 would include funding to establish an office for Natural Resources, the location to be determined.
Mr. York described Article 5, requesting $250,000 for oyster and quahog seed. Mr. York stated that all three articles had been supported by the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen. There was agreement that new Town Manager Rodney Collins was looking long term and was very involved with working with everyone.
It was also noted that Article 4 requested the hiring of an Assistant Town Planner, which would allow more time for the Town Planner to work on the CWMP.
Article 11, requesting $100,000, would hire a consultant to assess connecting municipal buildings to existing wastewater facilities.
Article 12 would request $80,000 to fund engineering and negotiations with neighbors in order to share in the Popponesset Bay clean up. Mr. York noted that the Clean Water Act, through the Cape Cod Commission, along with the lawsuit, provided an emphasis that the towns work cooperatively to clean up shared watersheds. The Mashpee Sewer Commission has met with Falmouth’s Nitrogen Committee. There is also the possibility of a collaborative oyster growing program in Shoestring Bay with Barnstable. Mr. York also referenced a Popponesset study during the 1990s regarding the shared responsibility for that watershed. There was discussion regarding the importance of Mashpee moving forward with their own watershed planning as potential protection from a lawsuit.
Article 6 would establish a contract with SMaST to provide additional monitoring and in the amount of $32,000. Mr. York explained that monitoring would determine the impact the shellfish project would have on nitrogen removal. It was possible nitrogen removal could be two times better than the nitrogen removed strictly from shell fishing, such as from bacteria consuming the nitrogen. It will be necessary to show data to confirm the effectiveness of the nitrogen removal. Mr. McKay inquired about the target for the shellfish project as compared to historic levels. Mr. York responded that the shellfish project would be within historic levels. It was noted that Mashpee was the first town to utilize quahogs to clean up nitrogen. Mr. York summarized the success of the oyster reefs and
restoring shellfish populations to improve the nitrogen loads.
Chairman Talbot inquired about how best to support the Articles. The Chair recommended seeking support from boards such as Conservation Commission and the Planning Board. The Mashpee Environmental Coalition has already supported the Articles. The Chair emphasized that the Articles reflected short money for the resulting benefits. Mr. York noted that the requested funds would provide the basic ability to implement the Plan.
Mr. McKay made a motion that the Environmental Oversight Committee support Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12. Mr. Cummings seconded the motion. All voted unanimously.
ACTION ITEMS UPDATE
Pond & Estuary Water Quality: Need for Additional Pond Monitors and Discussion with George Reichenbacher, Mashpee Environmental Coalition PALS Monitor, on Value and Use of the Collected Pond Data
Mr. York stated that water has been stable with no fish kills this past summer.
Santuit Pond was highly improved with clear water and twice as good as anticipated with the Solar Bee circulators. The ecology of the pond has improved. Weeds were growing thicker at the north end of the pond but the Friends of Santuit were awarded funds from the Conservation Commission to study the issue to find a way to mitigate it. It was also noted that the Solar Bee circulators had been leased to own and now property of the DPW, though maintained by the company.
Mashpee Comprehensive Wastewater & Nitrogen Management Plan (CWMP): Update on final approval and implementation
Still awaiting final approval from the Cape Cod Commission though it has been confirmed that Mashpee was in line with their 208 Plan.
Estuary Restoration/Shellfish Propagation - Update
Mr. York stated that the Shellfish Commission had requested a double wide boat ramp for Great River, critical for the restoration plan in order to harvest sufficient shellfish to remove the nitrogen. Mr. York has calculated that 40 shell fishermen needed to harvest shellfish daily, with a 3 minute launch, in order to meet their goals. Mr. York reported that it was taking 6 minutes to launch with the public also launching recreational boats. Mr. York emphasized that the double wide ramp was critical for the success of the Plan. The Harbormaster also supported the double wide design and the Town Manager was reconsidering the design that had been changed to the construction of a single ramp. A rack would also be constructed for dinghy storage as well as the addition of a kayak launching ramp. The DPW was currently taking a look at cost estimates. Permitting was expected to be costly.
Mr. Cummings made a motion that the Environmental Oversight Committee support the double wide boat ramp and separate kayak launching area at the Great River boat ramp. Mr. McKay seconded the motion. All voted unanimously.
It was stated that the motion would be forwarded to the Town Manager in support of the CWMP.
Fertilizer Bylaw for the Town of Mashpee: Discussion of implementation, enforcement, promotion & education of residents and professional companies
The Chair stated that he needed to follow up with Town Counsel regarding whether the MDAR could be included with the Town’s bylaw, in order to be able to enforce it. The Chair was working collaboratively with Mr. McKay to draft a letter to the CCLA to notify them that the regulations were in place and to provide a summary of the regulations. There should be further future discussion regarding notifying the public about the regulations for next year.
Phragmites and Algae Harvesting as Possible Nitrogen Mitigation Techniques
Remove item from future agendas as there were no updates. The issue could be discussed at a later date if it becomes an option.
208 Cape-Wide Water Quality Management Plan: Implications for Mashpee CWMP
Chairman Talbot reported that the Plan had been completed and responsibility had been placed on Cape towns for their estuary load.
Quashnet River Restoration: Update
No update
OLD BUSINESS
Land Steward Program: Update
It was announced that the Assistant Conservation Agent has been selected and would begin work at the end of the month. The Assistant would focus on land management.
Town-Wide Stormwater Management Plan: Update
No update
CORRESPONDENCE
DISCUSSION
MEETING ADJOURNMENT
The next meeting was anticipated to be Wednesday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Mr. York made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Cummings seconded the motion. All voted unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:03 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer M. Clifford
Board Secretary
LIST OF DOCUMENTS
None at this time
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