Waterways Commission Meeting
REGULAR MEETING
Harwich, Massachusetts
Small Hearing Room 
MINUTES—July 19, 2006
Meeting Called to Order 7:07 PM
Members Present:  Paul Donovan Chairman, Murray Johnson, Matt Hart, Dave Plunkett, Fred Clancy, Lewis Williams, Bill McShane
Members Absent: 
Other Attendees:  Heinz Proft (Assistant Harbormaster), Larry Cole (Board of Selectmen), Alan McMullen, Nancy McMullen, and Gary Stephens
 MINUTES READ:  June 20,2006
Motion: by Matt Hart to approve minutes as written
Sec: by Murray Johnson
Action: Approved unanimously
                                    Dec. 20, 2005
Motion: to approve as written by Murray Johnson
Sec: by Paul Donovan
Action: Approved.
COMMUNICATIONS: none
Open Forum:
            Alan McMullen spoke to the maintenance dredging of Saquatucket Harbor, saying that money requests by the Harbormasters’ office would not get past the previous Town Administrator.
             Mr. McMullen also spoke of the condition of the pipes between dock floats in Saquatucket Harbor. Many are bent, causing the floats to be unsteady, and a safety issue for people walking on them. This is a problem with the Town Administrator’s Office request that commercial boats insurance cover the Town docks.
             There is no money for dredging, $20,000 in the dredging fund. To dredge Saquatucket Harbor would cost over $100,000.00. We need an Enterprise Fund for the harbors.
              Mooring fees and excise taxes on boats, by State law, are supposed to be going into a Waterways Improvement Fund, but in Harwich the funds are going into the General Fund.
              Matt Hart spoke that the Enterprise Fund is a good idea, but the Town should be putting money into accounts to fix or replace Town facilities. We need to be putting money away, something like a Condominium Fee. Harwich has a Gold Mine of waterfront facilities, how are we going to pay for maintenance.
              Lewis Williams suggested that 20% of money taken in by the Harbor dept. should go into the Enterprise Fund.
              Murray Johnson spoke to Mass. General Law Chapter 91A not being followed by the Town. This requires boat excise tax and mooring fees collected go into a Waterways improvement Fund. The Town needs to comply with the law and start the fund for the future. Start a maintenance plan for the future, instead of relying on Town Meeting action, which is an emergency action.
              Mr. Gary Stevens spoke to the dredging of Round Cove schedule. He town has to wait for the county dredge being in the area. He also spoke to the fact that the county dredge has made it impossible for private companies to compete with the rates charged by the county dredge.
Fred Clancy said the docks in Saquatucket are not the only ones in town that need fixing, Allen Harbor docks need work.
               Matt Hart said the current system has the Harbor Dept reacting to immediate needs, instead of planning for the future.
               Alan McMullen said the Board of Selectmen need to be informed of the harbor conditions.
APPEALS: 
1. Robert Russo: appealing being dropped from wait list
   Motion: by Matt Hart: to table appeal pending more info as to position on list, length of time on list
   Second: by Dave Plunkett, 
   Action: Appeal tabled to August 16, 2006
Action: motion to approve appeal carries
2. Peter Veal: appealing mooring forfeiture
   Motion: by Murray Johnson…to affirm denial of appeal
   Second: Matt Hart
   Action: motion carries unanimously
3. Tom Dolan: appealing being dropped from wait list.
Motion: by Lewis Williams…to approve appeal
Second: by Matt Hart … pending no further appeals on this issue.
Action: motion to approve appeal carries
4. Chris Pettengill: request for a mooring in front of his property off Saquatucket Bluffs, for a 17’ center console boat.
Motion: by Matt Hart ….to approve the request
Second: by Lewis Williams
Discussion: Harbor Master Tom Leach said this was all right with him. The mooring will be a so-called “ Sunday Mooring” used only temporary in good weather.
                      Commission member Murray Johnson says that a bad precedent is being set. This could lead to water front property everywhere wanting and getting a mooring. We are giving water front property owners more rights than those on the wait lists
Action: motion carries 5Y -1N
5. Kristen Stewart: appealing being dropped from the Wait list #RC 66
MOTION: by Murray Johnson … to denied the appeal
Second: by Matt Hart (for the purpose of discussion)
Action: 1 Y – 4N motion does not carry
Motion: by Matt Hart. To approve appeal.
Second: By Fred Clancy
ACTION: 5 Y – 1 N Motion carries

OLD BUSINESS: 
1. F permit transfer:
         Matt Hart suggested that this meeting should be for discussion of what should be done. Before next meeting he and Murray Johnson would word smith the proposal, submit it to the Chairman to forward it to the Commission for the next meeting.
         We should include a paragraph, as an introduction, to state why this is being done.
2. Peter Kreitler Mooring Request: This is for a mooring in front of his house in the outer harbor of Wychmere. He states that this is outside of the present mooring field, and in an area not wanted by anyone.
           Members of the Commission felt that this is in the Mooring Field, since there are no established boundaries, that Mr. Kreitler spoke of. Presently if the Commission granted this request, they would be ignoring the people that have been on the wait list for years.
       Motion: by Murray Johnson to table to the future
       Second: by Bill McShane
       Action: Motion carries
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Town Administrator request that “ the Town Of Harwich be named as an “additional insured” instead of loss payee as stated in Harbor Management Plan sec 7.26
Motion: by Murray Johnson to table for further information
Second: by Matt Hart
Action: motion carried

HARBORMASTER ITEMS: 

ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn at 9:00 PM 
Next Meeting Wed. August 16, 2006 Griffin Room Town hall






 




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