The only mystery regarding trees being cut down in Washburn Park is why some town officials denied they knew about the work, according to a former Conservation Commission member.

At the board’s May 20 meeting, Town Administrator Paul Dawson said the state’s Department of Environmental Protection notified the Conservation Commission about illegal work done in Washburn Park.

He showed board members photographs of the clear-cut area and evidence that the Wetlands Protection Act had been violated.

Dawson described the work as “vandalism.”

Sherman Briggs disagrees.

“Don’t mention vandalism. That’s not the right term,” the former Conservation Commission member said. “As far as I’m concerned, we’ve lost the trust of our Selectmen and Town Administrator. That’s the vandalism that’s been done.”

Photographs given to Sippican Week from Briggs show Department of Public Works employees using equipment to clear that same area behind the park’s ball fields in late winter and early spring.

Dawson said two weeks ago that an “extensive area” was cleared of trees near a pond behind the park’s ball fields. He noted work had been done up to the pond’s shore in violation of wetland bylaws.

“Nobody knows who did it,” Dawson said at the time. “You can see by the amount that was cleared that this took, at a minimum, a full days worth of work if not more.”

When reached for comment last week, Dawson said he was unaware of the photographs.

“It’s an ongoing investigation that I can’t comment on,” Dawson said.

Briggs served on the commission for 20 years before he resigned one year ago.

Two years ago, he said his board started to collaborate with Recreation Department Director and Selectman Jody Dickerson about rehabilitating that part of the park.

The area in question had been home to a sandy beach and picnic area in the 1950s and 1960s before becoming overgrown. In 2012, brush had been cleared from the site and progress was being made.

“I had complimented them on the work being done there the past few years,” Briggs said. “And now all of a sudden they don’t know what’s going on? It’s been a long time.”

A third generation resident of Marion, Briggs took an interest in the park because his ancestors had maintained it in the past.

“This was kind of a pet project of mine,” Briggs said.

The cutting might have been unreported because it’s unlikely someone would notify authorities that town crews were working on town-owned land. However, an unknown person alerted the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) in May. Town officials were forced to respond.

Per policy, when the department receives a complaint it notifies the town’s Conservation Commission about the potential violation, said Joseph Ferson of MassDEP.

“From there enforcement is decided on a case-by-case basis,” said Ferson. “If the Conservation Commission determines it can proceed with local enforcement action then it will. If they feel the Wetlands Protection Act has been violated then they could contact [MassDEP] who will then investigate.”

Members of the Conservation Commission visited the site last Saturday.

Briggs said while he was on the commission its members outlined where crews could work to not violate the act. An unpaved road cuts through the area placing the pond on the south side and drier land on the north side. Briggs said crews had permission to work on the north side, but overstepped their bounds near the pond.

“They had permission to be down there,” Briggs said. “But we put parameters on where the work could be done and those were not met.”

For Briggs though, the work being done isn’t the main problem. Selectman Jody Dickerson was aware of the work being done and should have spoken up, Briggs said.

“It makes you wonder what else they are keeping a mystery. Why did they cover this up?” he said. “Why would they jeopardize their integrity over this?”

Department of Public Works Director Rob Zora was unavailable for comment as were members of the Conservation Commission.