Printer Friendly Layout

News/Events - Meeting Minutes

Waterways Commission Meeting
Wednesday, January 5, 2011

MEMBERS PRESENT: John Murphy, Chairperson; Bill Schmid, Vice Chairperson; Larry Niland; Peter Toppan; Dick Eckhouse; Keith Walo; Dave Glancy. ALSO PRESENT: Rick Murray, Selectmen Liaison; Jamie Noonan, Recreation Department Liaison; Bob McHugh, Don Hourihan, Fran McMillen, Howie Kreutzberg, Associate Members; Chuck Toohey; Ed Vachon, Sailing Director; Brian Curreri, Scituate Boatworks; Mike Larusso, Herring River Marina.

1) Call meeting to order. Chairperson John Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:25 PM at the Scituate Maritime Center on Edward Foster Road.

2) Acceptance of November 3 and December 1st minutes. Mr. Schmid made a MOTION to accept the November 3 and December 1 minutes as written, Mr. Toppan SECONDED the motion, all voted in favor and the motion passed unanimously.

3) Harbormaster’s report. Mr. Patterson was not present at the meeting.

4) Old business

a) Scituate Marine Park update
1) Scituate Boat Works. Brian Curreri said that there was no flooding in the lot during the recent storm, water came into the middle area of the travel lift area but there was no harm and the entire area weathered the storm very well. They continue to haul boats out. He said that they have some conceptual designs of the proposed building. Construction start is planned for 1st week of July.
2) Upland park engineering. Workshop met December 18 to go over the 100% plans. Town engineer Kevin Cafferty and Harbormaster Mark Patterson’s approval will be sought and then the final plans will be seen by the WWC at a special meeting perhaps in a week prior to sending to the Selectmen for the final approval of the contract.
3) Life Saving Museum & Mossing Shed. David Ball said they have received a bid to move the lifesaving museum 16 feet north of the mossing shed. If they have the funds to move the mossing shed thereafter they will also do this. This is scheduled for April 15 and will be done shortly thereafter so as not to impact the rest of the upland park construction. Mr. Niland had a question about the proposed height of the building and the current height

b) Scituate Maritime Center update
1) Mr. Eckhouse thanked Mr. Larusso for his donation. There will be a flare and fire extinguisher demo end April. A flea market permit for mid May has been requested. Many new applications for rental of the building have come in. Mr. Eckhouse said they are looking into offering some scholarships for the sailing program.

c) Other business
1) Scituate sailing program. Mr. Noonan and Mr. Vachon said they have a new chase boat that they have been working on and that the sailboats also weathered the storm well. They will need a place to keep the new chase boat this summer.
2) Harbor Management plan. This is awaiting finalization.
3) Jericho ramp funding/planning. This has been funded $430,000 and the hope is that construction will begin in early April and be completed before the boating season.
4) 224 Central Ave – Dock. This was reviewed last month. Although the dock doesn’t appear to impede navigation, there are some erosion issues to the south of the dock and this has gotten worse after the storm. Mr. Hourihan said that a coastal engineer is needed to look at the situation with the water at high tide flowing under the roadway. There was a discussion about erosion issues in Humarock. Mr. Schmid made a MOTION to approve the dock as on the plans with the understanding that if and when there are mitigation funds applied that they are applied to the area of erosion south of the project, Mr. Niland SECONDED the motion, the motion passed 6-1 (Mr. Toppan opposing).
5) Future dredging/permitting. Mr. Murphy said that maintenance dredging in the Harbor will be looked at in conjunction with the Mill Wharf dredging project. Docks and pilings will be looked at. Mr. Hourihan mentioned dredging needs on the South River and that perhaps Marshfield would share in the cost as they are also affected.

5) New business
1) NOAA – Harborwalk. Mr. Kreutzberg said that a walkway from the SMC to the boathouse is being looked at. Mr. McHugh said that a parcel has been purchased by NoAA near the boathouse and they have received a grant to use the boathouse as a scientific facility and an educational destination. Specialists were brought in from around the country regarding the design etc. There is a nonbuildable parcel the Town may consider for parkland and a walkway via CPA funds, but the price is too high (it is currently $1 million).
2) Mr. Eckhouse said that there isn’t a transient dinghy dock and asked if this has been looked at. This was discussed.
3) Next meeting: February 2.

6) Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote at 8:32 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Jean Martin