Mattapoisett partners with residents to strengthen climate resilience

MATTAPOISETT — To improve its climate change preparedness, town government staff and community members are partnering to plan ahead for the future. 

Mattapoisett was one of several towns that received a $100,000 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Planning Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 

The state grant supports climate resilience projects, and with a focus on social resilience, equity and community participation. It helps communities find ways to address climate risks while considering factors — such as housing and food insecurity — that can affect how people prepare for and respond to environmental changes. 

There are two phases to the project. First, town and community representatives will collaborate on identifying areas of concern associated with sea level rise and storm surge and propose several possible projects addressing these concerns. 

In the second, the two groups will select one of these projects and use part of the grant funds to complete it. 

The town has created a core team of municipal representatives, and is now gathering community members to collaborate on the project. 

Katie Stephanian, the assistant town administrator, applied for the grant on behalf of Mattapoisett and has been part of the project since the town received the funds. 

She said it’s been a chance for people in different departments to work together in a unique way.  

“It's been a great way to get cross-collaboration between our Council on Aging director and the highway department and the water department — they don't always work together, but now they're all on this team,” Stephanian said.

She said the town has already developed some physical infrastructure to handle flooding, so this grant allows Mattapoisett to be even more prepared for future changes while keeping with state and regional planning. 

Stephanian said she encourages residents to engage with the project through community listening and information sessions, when people can share their experiences and ideas. 

The town has partnered with Barrett Planning Group, a Hingham-based strategic firm, to conduct the project. Jill Slankas, Barrett’s principal planner, said she’s enjoyed working with Mattapoisett to encourage community engagement.

She said it’s important to move beyond just relying on municipal employees to make planning decisions and involve the community. 

“The residents have lived experience,” she said. “Those perspectives are valuable to shaping and building that community resilience, which will allow the climate resilience to follow.”