2022-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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ensure that we have the staff and resources to rebuild Report of the and expand our staff and service. Special recognition is due to the individuals who work alongside them and Department of Natural support their efforts. Theresa Cook and Stephanie Resources Coleman were frequently called upon to play critical roles in coordinating board and committee meetings, provide essential guidance to residents and town To the Honorable Select Board and the Citizens of the staff on a wide variety of issues, and maintain the Town of Mashpee: highest standards of excellence. Their daily efforts to respond promptly to requests for information or Water Quality: clarification with a positive and supportive reply are Mashpee's water quality continues its trend often unrecognized,but are so much appreciated. We toward further impairment.The occurrences of anoxic thank you! events, thick algae and microalgae blooms, and We would like to express our gratitude to the shellfish area closures is now the new normal. For the leadership and staff of our fellow Town departments sixth consecutive year,the persistent blue-green algae who supported us in navigating our daily needs and bloomed at Santuit Pond throughout the summer.DNR duties. The Finance Department offered endless staff and volunteers will continue to closely monitor patience as it responded to questions concerning all freshwater ponds for cyanobacteria weekly during accounting practices. The Human Resources the warmer spring, summer, and now fall months. Department shouldered the responsibilities related to There were no other cyanobacteria advisories posted staffing and support and were also on hand to provide this year, however there were additional postings for resources for those who needed assistance. elevated bacteria levels.In 2022 Santuit Pond had two incidents of elevated bacteria levels at both the Town The Information Technology department educated Landing site and Bryant's Neck. Visitors to the pond us and offered training related to the growing threat of were advised to not swim or make contact during these cyberattacks. Our first responders at the Mashpee Fire bacteria closures. and Police departments continue to provide guidance and support on safety and security matters, and we The Department had another successful Summer value their expertise and professionalism immensely. of Water Quality Monitoring. The DNR along with The Department of Public Works always answers the multiple volunteers sampled bi-weekly during the call for maintenance, custodial, and buildings and months of July and August. These samples were sent to UMass Dartmouth's School of Marine Science grounds initiatives and services. and Technology (SMAST) for their yearly report Our Library Board of Trustees have shown their on the health of Waquoit and Popponesset Bays. All support in many ways as we have moved forward in a embayments are being closely monitored through the constantly evolving time,and acted as a constant source use of deployed water quality monitoring equipment, of strength and encouragement. We are all looking which are serviced and maintained by both the Town's forward to a successful new year, and to a time when Natural Resources Department and the Mashpee the Library can open its doors and once again fulfill its Wampanoag Tribe's Department of Natural Resources. role as a community center and gathering place. The diagnostic study on Mashpee-Wakeby Respectfully Submitted, Pond will continue into the New Year. This summer SMAST was able to deploy multiple sensors in both Kathleen M.Mahoney the Mashpee and Wakeby basins of the pond. These Library Director sensors will remain in place and continue to take water quality parameter measurements throughout the next year.SMAST has reached out to abutting agriculturists to capture any nutrient input from their site,they have collected sediment samples,and have also taken profile nutrient samples this past year.SMAST plans to present year 1 findings in the near future. 148