2021-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Base, with discharge facilities also shared with Falmouth and Bourne.Discussions of that concept have Report of the gone on for more than 15 years,but to date nothing has Department of been resolved.Should that facility not become available by the time the western portion of the town has been Veterans Services sewered,the Plan identified an alternate site for a Town treatment facility on Back Road. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the While, as its name implies, the Watershed Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: Nitrogen Management Plan is focused on reducing The following report is of the activities of the nitrogen loads to our estuaries as specified by the EPA, Department of Veterans' Services for Calendar Year phosphorus, another nutrient, is of increasing concern 2021. Our duties are categorized in two basic areas: regarding its impact on our freshwater ponds. Santuit Benefits and Services. Pond in particular,has long suffered from algae blooms related to excessive levels of phosphorus. While the Commonwealth Low-income Benefits: majority of that phosphorus is being regenerated from the shallow pond's bottom sediments, a portion of This program is covered and authorized under ongoing phosphorus inputs likely comes from nearby Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 115. It provides residential septic systems. While sewering of the area financial assistance to honorably-discharged veterans is not currently called for (based on nitrogen loads) who establish need and worthiness, and are residents until Phase 3 of the WNMP, as the Town develops a of the Town of Mashpee. During the year, the Town, plan for dealing with the Pond the Commission will through our office, extended benefits to qualified consider moving up sewering of those homes to an veterans totaling $93,905.64 for housing, food, heat, earlier Phase of the Plan as part of the first 5-year medical and other related costs. The amount expended review.More recently, a new problem has turned up in was reimbursed to the Town by the Commonwealth at large growths of an alien Japanese red algae,probably a rate of 75°Io of total expenditures. enhanced by excessive nitrogen, along the south coast Federal Benefits and Services: of the town, particularly impacting the beach at Popponesset. That is a problem which did not exist We assisted veterans and their dependents in when the Plan was completed. Scientific studies will obtaining federal, state, and local benefits under the have to be done to determine the cause of that problem broad umbrella of the Department of Veterans Affairs. and possible solutions. Should sewering of These services included payments for service- Popponesset be recommended,the result would involve connected disabilities, pensions, education, medical, a wholesale change to our Plan, as the area was not burial,medals and records. During the year,this office even included in the fifth, and last, phase of the assisted in obtaining $6,706,887.12 in cash payments sewering plan. for service-connected injury compensation and for non- service-connected disability pensions for Mashpee As noted in previous years, the Commission and veterans and their dependents. These alternative Mashpee officials and residents have serious work cut sources of income are at no cost to the Town and out for us.It took decades for our waterways to get into greatly reduce the need for the M.G.L. Chapter 115 their current poor condition and it may take a longer benefits noted above. time to clean them up, but we have a Plan and must summon the will to fund and implement it. Your We encourage any veteran or dependent of a continued support for our work and participation in this veteran to contact us or make an appointment at our decision-making process, as in past years, will be main office in Hyannis at 1-508-778-8740, Monday greatly appreciated. through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. For those Mashpee Residents who may have difficulty getting to the Hyannis office, we also have office hours at the Mashpee Senior Center and you can call their office for an appointment at 508-539-1440.We can also schedule appointments in one of our other office locations, which now includes the Cape & Islands Veterans 160