2015-07-15Harbor Management Authority
Minutes of July 15, 2015 Meeting
CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
Board: Harbor Management Authority
Date: July 15, 2015
Location: Beverly Public Library -Fogg Room
Members Present: Chair Paul Earl, David Suminsby, George Simon, Chris
D'Alfonso, Don Neuman, Rinus Oosthoek, Scott
Houseman, Pat McAleer
Members Absent: David Lang, Paul Miedzionoski
Others Present: Bob Albano
Recorder: Aileen O'Rourke
Earl called the meeting to order at 7:05pm
Public input
No comments.
Approval of Minutes
There was no quorum at the June meeting so May meeting minutes still needed to be approved.
D'Alfonso made a motion to approve the May meeting minutes as written. Seconded by
Oosthoek. All in favor, motion approved unanimously (7 -0).
Facilities Committee Report
Earl read an email from Mike Collins providing an updated status report. Collins states he is
finally done with other projects and can now focus on the Brown building, he apologized for the
schedule delay as he had more projects on his plate than expected. The first phase electrical
work has been completed, plumbing is next to finish the bathrooms then pouring the floor and
putting up the walls. He will also work on the outside landscaping. On slow days his team will
work on the upper floors to get closer to demo on the McDonalds building. Collins thinks he
will have the Harbormaster in the new building by winter. HMA members will send any
comments they have to Earl. HMA members wonder if future projects might best be completed
by contractors versus with the City because of continuing project delays.
Earl ran through the customer report. The recreational marina is full. There are 19 of 27 slips
occupied by paying customers on the Commercial side. The kayak and dingy racks are full as
well. Neuman would like the policy enforced that if a customer has a balance, they can't put their
boat in the slip. Discussion ensued, and Earl noted there are only 3 people who haven't paid, this
is better than last year and money should be in soon. Many customers keep boats year- round.
HMA members agree to make it an item on the November meeting agenda when rates are set up
to modify the contract to deal with delinquent payers, possible look at fees or interest, mostly
looking at rec side. Neuman questions some of the numbers for the commercial side, will double
check with the Harbormaster on this. Suminsby asks if the website should be modified as it still
Harbor Management Authority
Minutes of July 15, 2015 Meeting
states there are available slips. Members decide to change messaging to say currently full but
accepting applications for the waitlist - only applies to the recreational slips. D'Alfonso
comments that the marina feels safer because it's full though after the assistant harbormasters do
their rounds it can get a bit unruly.
Houseman enters the meeting. Earl recaps what was covered so far. Earl complimented Police
chief on patrols and he stated security cameras supposed to be going in soon. The new building
will have a police kiosk but the priority is finishing the bathrooms.
D'Alfonso notes that it is currently unsafe to walk from the parking lot of the old McDonald
building and cross the street as the cycle lengths are too long. D'Alfonso will get a customer
letter to the City Engineer and /or Police to interface with Mass Highway.
Financial Update
There is currently a fund balance of $240K, $155K more than originally expected. There is a
projected $30K fund balance at the end of this year. This will allow HMA to spend $185K for
professional services and the pilings project. This does not include Algonquin money, may be
more left over. Members agree that with the Recreational marina they will need to allocate funds
for the pilings project and also use Algonquin money. GZA needs to firm up cost estimate.
Neuman will meet with Cheryl first to go over the numbers and different scenarios. Possibly
change contractors for the project. Neuman motions to include in the minutes that HMA has a
healthy financial position for the end of year budget, seconded by Earl. All in favor, motion
passes unanimously (8 -0).
Active Projects
Pilings Project
D'Alfonso will share photos with HMA members on how Newburyport secures its main dock to
the land without the use of pilings.
Gruppe Mural
Oosthoek met with Aaron Clausen from Planning and Development and David Gelineau from
Purchasing. David will prepare RFP, not sure when it will go out. Question to the Oliver
Brothers on whether the mural can go around a corner. It is 20 feet in length. What kind of
storage will there be during the restoration work and where it will go once restored? Exploring
the Lynch park carriage house, the new harbormaster building? Because it is city property it
should likely stay within a city building. The mural needs to be removed as soon as the
Harbormaster is moved to the new building.
Rays River
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Harbor Management Authority
Minutes of July 15, 2015 Meeting
Neuman provided an update; the regulatory folks have reopened the mitigation issue. Ron
Bourne thinks what they are requesting is inappropriate - they sent him a letter requesting:
calculating the shellfish bed area based upon new computation, redoing water quality for the
upper river which is already permitted, and not starting before National Grid finishes. Bourne
wants to start when the money is in and doesn't want to be held back on this timetable. Bourne
sent a response, awaiting feedback from Clausen. Neuman will send a copy of Bourne's
response letter to HMA members.
Houseman reported he met with Counselor St. Helair about the Seaport Authority moving to
Economic Development. This could be a positive change for Beverly.
Public Walkwav
Neuman provided an update on the public walkway, work has begun on the Salem side, and
Beverly will begin next week. It looks like the barrier is up, trees have been taken out and there
will be a park with a wooden structure for high tide fishing.
Harbor Fest
D'Alfonso provided an update on the food vendors. Rowands is in, Scotty Dog needs to think
about it, D'Alfonso is still waiting on callbacks from other vendors. He called all of last year's
vendors first. Vendors will need to get health department approval. Dick and June and Boy
Scouts are going to be there as well as Cook. It was noted that the magician would be good to
book again for the kids.
Earl saved $150 on printing costs by going with a new vendor called Print and Copy. 2500
postcards printed - will distribute at the Block Party and Homecoming on August 1st - and will
post large posters at Lynch Park. Suminsby made an event on Facebook for Harbor fest. At the
August meeting the remaining tasks will be distributed among HMA members to complete.
Tuck Point Marina
Earl received a call from the Tuck Point manager regarding the Pump Out boat, he's concerned
customers are pumping illegally into the Harbor. City may need more flexible hours for the
Pump Out boat or find a way to pump when the boat owners are not there.
The town of Hull has a pump out boat that pumps when the owners are not there, owners put up
a flag and the pump out boat takes care of it. Salem comes out and does the pump outs for
Beverly on Wednesdays from 3 -7pm.
Glover Wharf
RFP due by Aug 14 t ''. According to Neuman's conversation with City Hall, there is limited
activity so far. The City will actively advertise the RFP more. Will let Leone know the DPA is no
longer there. Key differences from previous RFP are there is a 30 year lease instead of 40 years
and there is a higher score given for a bidder who puts in at least $2.4 million which is higher
than the last time.
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Harbor Management Authority
Minutes of July 15, 2015 Meeting
Neuman spoke with Stephanie Williams, the City Solicitor about public access across BPM.
Mitigation for the Red Barn required a 10 foot walkway be built but according to Williams that
public right may be extinguished.
Cummings Apartments
Neuman spoke with Ben Lynch about the Cummings Apartments. When the plans changed from
a hotel to condo development, it was considered new use which requires a new license and
mitigation to be done because it's on filled tidelands. Clausen will remind them they need to deal
with Chapter 91; may be able to do mitigation at Greenhill.
Greenhill
No money has been spent yet.
Rice's Beach
The 7 abutting residents of Rice's beach and 4 additional deeded rights residents met with the
Parks and Rec Director, Police Chief, and Counselor Houseman last week. Earl attended as an
observer. The meeting seemed productive though the next day DPW widened and cleared the
public entry way which irked some of the neighbors. Neighbors were fine with people hanging
out at the beach for years until recently when the sheer number of people increased because of
social media and the beach goers become more disruptive, loud, and engaging in public drinking
and possibly other illegal activities. The public may end up losing access to this resource unless
the area can be patrolled properly.
Grants
Grants manager has not found additional funding sources so far. Senator Lovely appointed an
aide (Anna Roy) to be knowledgeable about Beverly issues such as finding funding for the Bass
River Dredging.
Adiournment
There being no further business before the Harbor Management Authority this evening,
Oosthoek makes a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Suminsby. Motion was unanimous.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:38 pm.
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