Waterways Commission Meeting

 

                                                     Harwich, Massachusetts

                                                     Meeting   December 17, 2002

                                                     (Town Hall Library Room)

                                                           

                                                            MINUTES

Members Present:  Paul Donovan, Eric Weiner, Charles Beggs, Lee Scarbrough & Matt Hart

 

Members Absent:   Alan McMullen & Fred Clancy

 

Other Attendees:   Tom Leach (Harbormaster), Ted Barrett (Finance Committee Rep.)

        Mike Schreibman and Arthur Cote

 

MEETING OPENED:  7:30 PM by Matt Hart, Chairman

 

MINUTES READ: Minutes for the November 19th 2002 Waterways Commission Meeting

were reviewed and unanimously approved.

 

COMMUNICATIONS: 

1) Letter from Alan McMullen ref. Boat Weight Displacements.

2) Email forwarded by Wayne Melville ref. “Abuse of Town Moorings”.

3) Response from Matt Hart, requesting specific information from Mr. Melville about the “Board of Selectmen –Mooring information and agreements”.   

 

OLD BUSINESS:      Discussion about the Winter Storage Regulations (Draft).

1) Change the rate of $12.00 in length to $4.50 per square foot.

2) Change Section 1A to delete “Harwich Based” from description.

            ( may be a conflict with State Regulations or Federal Regulations).

3) Change Section 4 to include protection of hardtop surface (parking lot).

4) Change Section 12 to include clean up requirements as a result of using pressure washers

 

Matt Hart asked members of the Waterways Commission, to discuss this set of Draft Regulations with any other interested individuals for their comments. Matt Hart will be responsible for providing a draft copy of the document to the Fire Chief, Police Chief, Planning Board, Building Commissioner and Conservation Board for their review and comments.

 

Discussion about the Vanguard System for Paid Parking. 

The members of the Waterways Commission were asked by Matt Hart to discuss this particular Parking System concept with any other interested individuals for their comments. Matt Hart will be responsible for providing a documented overview of this system to the Police Chief.

 

Both the Winter Storage and Parking System discussions will be continued at the next scheduled Waterways Commission meeting. The topic will be heard at Future Waterways Commission Meetings, and the findings will be presented to the Board of Selectmen

 

Initial Discussion about the 2003 and beyond (7 year) Capital Outlay Plan

Assignment of a Sub-committee, was suggested to investigate, evaluate and make recommendations for the Waterways Commission requirements (Dredging, Docks, New Mooring Fields & Wychmere Channel relocation are a few of the potential topics), will be a main topic of discussion at the next scheduled Waterways Commission meeting. Tom Leach will try to obtain a copy of Chatham’s Dredging Program for the Commissions review.

 

NEW  BUSINESS:   

Boat Weight & Displacement description

Charles Beggs and Tom Leach will work together to develop a description of the Weight & Volume description for discussion and review by the Waterways Commission at a later meeting.

 

Abuse of Town Moorings

Mike Schreibman asked to speak to the Waterways Commission about two subjects:

 

First, he feels the present agreements between the Harwich Board of Selectmen and Private Individuals/Contractors is inappropriate activities as far as the management of Boat Moorings in the Town of Harwich.

 

Second, he feels that the tax paying residents should have priority of Town of Harwich Mooring and Dock assignments. In addition he believes the contract between the Government and the Town of Harwich with regard to the financing of Saquatucket Harbor 30 years ago must have and end date. Ending that agreement with the Government, he believes would allow Harwich resident’s preferred allocation of dock space as compared to non-residents.

 

There were comments made by members of the Waterways Commission, the Harbor Master and attendees at the meeting both for and against the present arrangements. There were no conscientious recommendations or conclusions with regard to a next step. Matt Hart suggested that the members of the Waterways Commission should begin to investigate these claims and try to resolve the issues by taking the information before the Board of Selectmen at a later date.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

 

To date the Chairman has received 18 separate e-mail letters originating from Mr. Schreibman, to and from the Town of Harwich, various State, Federal and local authorities with regard to his assertions about the two points he introduced. Copies of these documents (along with any additional documents that are received) will be made available to members of the Waterways Commission, the BOS and all interested individuals. The contents of these e-mails and Mr. Schreibman’s comments along with any other interested individuals will be heard as part of the Meeting’s Agenda at the next scheduled Waterways Commission Meeting on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 at 7:00PM in the Library Meeting Room of the Harwich Town Hall

 

ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn at 9:30 PM, vote was in favor. Next Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18th 2003 at 7:00 PM in the Harwich Town Hall, Library Meeting Room.