Mattapoisett Board of Health withdraws from sticker fee revamp

Dec 12, 2012

Discussion on how to revamp Mattapoisett’s sticker system continued on Tuesday with no solution.

Selectmen asked Police Chief Mary Lyons and Town Treasurer Brenda Herbeck to be part of a committee to overhaul the system. In November, the pair brought several suggestions from the group, including a switch from stickers to a hangtag that would be more visible.

They also suggested creating a single $30 tag that would encompass landfill access and parking at Town Beach and Town Wharf. Approximately 800 landfill tickets are sold yearly compared to 1,900 for parking.

While the former idea was well received, Selectmen said the latter would be unfair to residents used to paying only $10 for parking.

On Tuesday, Lyons and Herbeck returned to speak with Selectmen.

“We went back to the drawing board,” said Herbeck. “We’re back to square one to come up with a new way to do parking."

Herbeck said the Board of Health, which had previously agreed to waive $5 of its usual $25 fee for the combined tag, stepped back from the discussion and decided to keep using stickers.

“We discussed a combo pass for whoever wanted to buy one and to keep the parking pass, but they thought they would be losing money,” explained Herbeck.

Selectman Paul Silva suggested, “Go to 12 bucks on the parking and 30 on the combo and be done with it.”

Selectmen Chair Jordan Collyer asked to setup a meeting with the Board of Health to discuss options for it to be a part of the new system, which is meant to streamline the current multi-department arrangement.

Herbeck also returned to the idea of a transferable beach guest pass for $35 that residents could purchase in addition to their own permits.

Selectmen were favorable to the proposal. Colllyer also asked Herbeck and Lyons to write up a revised set of rules and regulations for the system.

He proposed that the Selectmen would take a final vote on the matter during the January 29 meeting.