Waterways Committee Meeting

TOWN OF       HARWICH

WATERWAYS COMMITTEE

Harwich Fire House Conference Room

Wednesday July, 19,  2017

6:30 PM

Waterways Committee Minutes  

Members Present:  Jay Walpole, Mort Terry, Roger Peterson, Steve Root, Fred Clancy, Tom Themistos.

Members Absent: Dan Casey (excused), Dan Hall (excused), Joe Johnson (excused)

Others Present:  John Rendon, Harbormaster; Samantha Parker, Asst. Harbormaster; Heinz Proft, Natural Resource Director; Matt Hart

Call to Order:  Vice Chairman Steve Root called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.

Minutes: Motion made by Tom Themistos to approve the Minutes of June 19, 2017. In discussion, a spelling correction was made. Motion amended to approve corrected minutes. Seconded by Mort Terry. Motion passed unanimously.

Consent Agenda: Nothing this month

Open forum: Mr. Hart has not been reappointed as a member/Chairman of the Waterways Committee. He explained that the delay is a result typographical of a private citizen complaint that his email distribution of waterways information was potentially a violation of Open Meeting law.  A reappointment decision is schedule for the next Board Of Selectmen meeting on 24 July.

Financial Report YTD & Monthly: Presented by John Rendon and Steve Root (copy included with Minutes).   Revenue well exceeded the previous years without any fee changes. Winter B permits and visitor dockage were a large portion of the income. Close out of expenditures for the year… $65,000 had been added to the operating budget for the dredge. The total operating budget was approximately $450,000 to run the department which includes the $65,000 for dredging and $80,000 that the department pays in lieu of taxes. The Harbormaster Department made $1,026,327 for YTD’17 compared to $993,996 for YTD’16.

Old Business:

1. Updated progress with landside project. The Harbormaster went before the Selectmen on July 10 to answer questions and give an update regarding the project. The Selectmen seem to be wary of the Snack Shack idea as well as the new estimate being $3.6 million. The cost is still being finalized and ways to cut down the budget are being looked into.  It is being split up into three separate contracts being put up for bid. Contractors were on site on July 19^th to look over the property. Many companies are interested in doing this project. Bids for the first contract, buildings and boardwalk, are due on August 16^th.  The other two contracts will go out soon which are the septic system and site work project, respectively. Snack shack, estimated at approx. $300K, is an add alternate and will be eliminated if needed to remain within budget. Another alternate is not paving the Downey Property which is estimated at $100,000.  Also the funds from selling the old fire station on Bank Street could potentially be used to offset the cost of the project. The Planning Board, Board of Health, and Conservation have all given their approval on the project. The project is estimated to start in mid-September, most likely the 13^th, during the boating season. Space has been secured at the middle school through the winter for the office staff to reside while the project is underway.

1.  The Section 408 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) is supposed to be coming in on Aug. 1^st, 2017. Oct. 15^th will be the end of the boating season this year. The Harbormaster Department staff are reaching out to boaters to let them know so they can make plans. Each contract has a penalty provision if they are not completed on time. The waterside project must be done by Memorial Day of 2018, and the landside is due for mid-June of 2018.

New Business:

1.  Last November the Harbormaster requested to be able to provide winter boat storage to customers using the Downey Property. When the Downey Property was originally purchased, a bid was put out to local marinas for a piece of the property, split into three sections, to be used for storage of boats. Only Allen Harbor Marine put in a bid. The Harbormaster presented the argument that using it for boat storage for a customer, through the Harbormaster Department is additional source of revenue which could go towards paying for the landside project. It was approved by the Selectmen and was put into the Harbor Management Plan (HMP). On July 10^th, the approval for this was revoked by the Selectmen. The Town will allow the property to go out to bid for a three-year lease of the land to marinas for boat storage.

1. Motion made by Tom Themistos to remove the Winter Boat Storage fee from Appendix B Sect. J of the HMP. Seconded by Mort Terry. Motion passed unanimously.

Monthly Reports:

Board of Selectmen: Request by BOS to change the HMB reference: Town of Harwich Harbormaster not renting landside winter storage to private boat owners.

Harbormaster: At the Next meeting the Harbormaster will be bringing forward the recommendation for fee increases. Roughly a 10% fee increase across the board, a few fees will not be included in this. Fees haven’t been raised since the 2009 adjustment. The department has been emailing boaters since the beginning of the season regarding the fact there is going to be a potential increase.  

Natural Resources: Brief update of plans for season

Correspondence: None

Next meeting: Wednesday, August 16^th, 2017 at 1830 at the Harwich Fire Station

Adjournment: Motion made by Tom Themistos to adjourn at 7:44 PM.

Seconded by Mort Terry. Motion passed unanimously.

Minutes transcribed by Samantha Parker; Asst. Harbormaster

The committee may hold an open session for topics not reasonably anticipated by the Chair 48 hours in advance of the meeting following “New Business.” If you are deaf or hard of hearing or a person with a disability who requires an accommodation, contact the Selectmen’s Office at 508-430-7513.