The Marine Advisory Board presented a draft of the town’s Waterfront Management Plan at Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

The document, which determines what areas are suitable for recreation, navigation and mooring, has been in the works since March. If an area is not suitable for these three conditions, there is a possibility that it could be opened up for aquaculture.

Areas deemed not suitable for recreation, navigation and mooring include Eel Pond and the rock jetties around Ned’s Point. A portion of Brandt Island Cove and Nasketucket Bay are already being used for aquaculture.

In other town business:

Resident Ray Andrews appeared before the Board discuss the Center School Clock Restoration Project. The Clock Restoration Project involves the complete restoration of the 1898 Seth Thomas weight-driven Pendulum clock, currently stationed in the Center School clock tower.

In addition to repairing damage the clock sustained in the mid 1990’s, the plan includes having the clock fitted with automatic windings and relocating the clock to the Center School music room where it would be placed on public display for the first time in 113 years.

The project is slated to cost an estimated $67,500 dollars which Andrews hopes will be raised through fundraising and donations.

“I can only do so much and I need help,” Andrews said. “I would like to see this be a contest between the various [Center School] classes to see who can raise the most money.”

If funding for the project cannot be reached, the town’s Historical Commission will consider “electrifying” the dials, doing away with the pendulum mechanism completely.

Harbormaster Horace Field met with the Board of Selectmen in order to discuss plans for additional moorings and gridding in Mattapoisett harbor. Current plans call for the addition of more than fifty new moorings to the town harbor.  New moorings, as well as existing moorings will be placed according to new gridding in an effort to maximize harbor space, improve navigation and increase town revenue.
Field, along with town officials hope the plan will also help to shorten the town’s mooring waitlist by increasing mooring availability.