11/20/1990 FINANCE COMMITTEE Minutes

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Minutes Mashpee Finance Committee November 20, 1990 An emergency meeting of the Mashpee Finance Committee was called to order by Chairman Jim Vaccaro at 6: 10 PM. In attendance were members Tony Gallo, Carl Heller, Carole Dunivan and Chairman Vaccaro . Members Deirdre Greelish (6: 50 PM) and Vern Polka (7PM) arrived late . Invited participants included Executive Secretary Kevin Harrington, Town Counsel Joseph Reardon, DPW Director Ernest Virgilio and residents of Popponessett Island. The sole purpose of the meeting was to consider a request for transfer from the reserve account to' the DPW Road Maintenance Account for the purpose of repairing the abutment to the Popponessett Island Bridge. Chairman Vaccaro questioned Town Counsel as to whether he (Vaccaro) and member Gallo were in conflict of interest due to their residence in New Seabury (see page 3, paragraph 7, Exhibit A) . Town Counsel advised there was no conflict. Ernie Virgilio explained the problem. Essentially, on Saturday, November 17, 1990 a wash-out occurred as the result of an undetermined event which caused the abutment and some pilings to the Popponessett Bridge to shift thus resulting in a dangerous public safety situation . The DPW is monitoring the situation and the problem is worsening . Ernie explained it would cost approximately $15,000 to $16,000 to repair the situation and possibly as much as $20,000 . See Exhibit C . Ernie indicated that the repairs needed to be made immediately and if repairs were not made he would have to recommend that the bridge be closed. It was noted that because the bridge is privately owned, the Town could not force the bridge to be closed . The Board of Selectmen, by a vote of 4 to 1 at their meeting of November 19, 1990 instructed the DPW to repair the abutment and asked the Finance- Committee to transfer the funds . Town Counsel addressed the Committee and offered his opinion that the Town should not engage in this repair and that the Town should expend no funds on this project. He had offered a similar opinion to the Board of Selectmen. See Exhibit B. There was a lengthy discussion among all present relative to the legal status of the bridge and adjacent roads and concerning a dispute among the parties involved (residents of Popponessett Island and Bright Coves) . Chairman Vaccaro suggested the establishment of a "donor account" through which the Town could pay for the work to be done. Mr. White, a resident of Popponessett Island, indicated that some residents were prepared to make a good faith effort to reimburse the Town for expenses . In fact there was $21 ,000 in a "bridge" account, but this money could not be accessed readily because the contributors were not in the local area. Thus the time factor in placing funds in the "donor" account would preclude the timely repair of the problem. DPW