Mattapoisett voters overwhelmingly support a minor amendment

Jan 14, 2020

MATTAPOISETT — Voters overwhelmingly ruled in favor of an amendment to a public works improvement article at a Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

The article had already been approved by a Special Town Meeting on Oct. 21, but the wording of the article needed to be changed after the town failed to receive a Mass Works Grant, and sought out other means of funding. 

The article approved provisions for the town’s share of the replacement cost for the bridge north of the bogs on Acushnet Road, road and drainage improvements for Industrial Drive, improvements to the intersection of North Street and Industrial Drive, and other roadway and facility improvements in the town. 

The original wording of the article mandated that the town only proceed with these projects upon receiving funds from both the US Economic Development, and Mass Works Grant. The town received the former, but not the latter. 

According to selectmen, and Town Administrator Michael Gagne, the town has received funding from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and will also seek out funding from other sources, such as a federal Land and Water Conservation Grant. 

The only change to the article that was approved on Jan. 14 was to delete “This work shall only proceed if the town is in receipt of a Mass Works Grant and a US Economic Development Grant both totaling $1,470,000,” and to add “The town’s share of the project cost $1,665,000 must be matched dollar for dollar from Federal and State Grant/ funding sources to be used towards the project.” 

Residents in Mattapoisett voted 178 to 6 to approve the change in wording. 

Just prior to the vote, Selectman Jordan Collyer said that out of fairness, the vote was left to residents, and that “Town Meeting is one of the purest forms of town government.”