05/07/2018 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Article 10 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and transfer the sum of $39,000 from revenue available for appropriation to the Department of Natural Resources to fund the third and final year of a monitoring contract with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for monitoring water quality associated with Shellfish Aquaculture in Popponesset Bay and Waquoit Bay and its effectiveness in reducing water-column nutrient concentrations, or take any other action relating thereto. Submitted by the Board of Selectmen Explanation: The Town's wastewater program relies heavily on aquaculture to reduce nitrogen in the bays. While the Town has an excellent understanding of the nitrogen reduction reductions from each clam or oyster, it is less clear what nitrogen reductions occur in the sediments beneath healthy shellfish populations. This study will quantify the additional nitrogen reductions that are a distinct benefit from the aquaculture program. The results of this study will enable the Town to understand the additional incremental reductions in nitrogen that it can take credit for with state and federal regulatory agencies, and therefore, offset and avoid additional and more expensive means of nitrogen management. This is the third year of a three year analysis. The Board of Selectmen recommends approval of Article 10 by a vote of 5-0. The Finance Committee recommends approval of Article 10 by a vote of 6-0. Motion made by Selectman John Cotton. Motion: I move the Town vote to appropriate and transfer the sum of $39,000 from revenue available for appropriation to the Department of Natural Resources to fund the third and final year of a monitoring contract with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for monitoring water quality associated with Shellfish Aquaculture in Popponesset Bay and Waquoit Bay, and its effectiveness in reducing water-column nutrient concentrations. Motion passes unanimously at 7:53 PM. Article 11 To see if the town will vote to appropriate and transfer the sum of$19,000 from the Waterways Improvement Fund to the Great River/Little River Extension Account for the purpose of conducting an engineering survey of the channels area from the center of Waquoit Bay to the existing Little River Channel then continuing from the existing Little River Channel to the entrance of Hamblin Pond and extending from the end of the existing Little River Channel to the end of Great River and entrance to Jehu Pond, or take any other action relating thereto. Submitted by the Waterways Commission Explanation: This Article will transfer funds from the Waterways Improvement Fund to cover engineering survey costs to establish the location of the entire channel complex to be covered in a future dredging permit application. 15