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Report of the Report of the Sewer Commission Leisure Services Department To the Honorable Board of Selectmen To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and The Citizens of the Town of Mashpee and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee The Commission has been working for a number I am very pleased to submit to the Board of of years toward developing a solution to the Town's Selectmen and the citizens of Mashpee, the Annual wastewater and nitrogen loading problems. The Report as Leisure Service Director. Commission's Watershed Nitrogen Management Plan l Effluent Pipeline Preliminary Design, for which a MISSION: $405,140 zero interest loan was secured from the To meet the needs of our community by promot- Commonwealth, is intended to identify the most cost- ing quality continuing education programs,recreation- effective approach to reducing nitrogen in each water- al activities, and special events that are designed to shed to levels that do not harm the bays. The engi- enhance personal growth, learning opportunities, and neering firm of Stearns & Wheler, along with Dr. community development while focusing on the educa- Brian Howes of the UMass-Dartmouth School of tional and recreational interests that influence our Marine Science & Technology (SMaST), were con- health and well-being. tracted to complete the project. PROGRAM GROWTH: Our project,however, has been stalled by delays Mashpee Leisure Services has again continued to in the Commonwealth's own Estuaries Program, develop its programs during the past year to meet the which proposes, using SMaST as well, to do similar needs of our expanding community. However, the modeling of nitrogen loading and pathways, and to demands of limited space and funding, along with a establish nitrogen loading targets, for 83 estuaries in drop off of volunteerism continue as our prime con- southeastern Massachusetts. We were advised that we cerns for our future. Space, especially outdoor field would have to wait until the Estuaries Program deliv- space, is of prime concern. With our escalating youth ers its nitrogen targets for our bays before the state population, it has become more and more significant would endorse our developing the mitigation measures that we to be recommended by Stearns & Wheler. The deliv- find additional fields as well as gym space not ery date for those targets has continuously been only for school-related activities, but also for Leisure pushed back, with February 2004 most recently Service programs, developing adult sports leagues, promised. In the interim, our State SRF loan has and all our town youth sport leagues. lapsed, although we have been assured that it will be renewed when the time comes, as the state itself has Not withstanding of these issues, Leisure been responsible for preventing our completion of the Services has again continued to expand opportunities project. Suffice it to say, it has been a very frustrating in the following areas: community use of all Schools; year for the Commission. additional field-use scheduling; Pre-School develop- ment; After-School childcare & Summer Camp pro- The Commission was also very disappointed in grams; Adult Continuing Education; trips program; the proposed town charter, which it has unanimously programs for Older Youth; and Special Events. voted to oppose, as the charter eliminates the voters right to choose your Sewer Commissioners, as well as Youth from ages 3 to 14 continue to be our major numerous other currently elected boards, and appears area of concentration with most program registrations to require that at least two of our three members be pro- filling up in a short period of time. Our signature hibited from continuing on the Commission. The char- "Kids Klub" programs are the backbone of our youth ter also suggests a permanent "Building Committee" programs. Presently we have over 50 youth ages 3-5 whose powers appear to seriously conflict with the -years participating in our nationally accredited Pre statutory responsibilities of the Sewer Commission. School program, and over 100 youth participating in Such a change, in the midst of our work on the our Kids Klub and Adventure Club programs. Our Watershed Nitrogen Management Plan, would be very Kids Klub Summer Camp and the Adventure Camp disruptive and can only further delay our efforts to deal for older youth again was a huge success for the 3 to with the Town's serious wastewater problems. 12 year old segment. A major concern is not having Respectfully submitted, our own facility to handle these programs,which lends us to utilize our schools for this need. Be that as it F. Thomas Fudala, Chairman may, the programs function extremely well within John J. Cahalane, Vice Chairman these confines, albeit a scheduling concern for both Dennis H. Balzarini, Clerk our staff and school staff. We again provided the 136