By GAYLA CAWLEY
SWAMPSCOTT — A large portion of Monday’s special Town Meeting is expected to be devoted to discussing funds needed to clean up sewage discharging onto King’s Beach from Stacey Brook.
Town Meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Swampscott High School.
There, town officials will be asking members to vote to allocate $2 million for the purpose of funding design and construction costs to eliminate non-stormwater pollutants from entering the town’s drainage system.
The funds would be used to clean up the sewage discharging into the ocean at King’s Beach at the Lynn-Swampscott line. Two separate outfalls have Lynn and Swampscott discharging right next to each other. Sewage is getting into the drainage pipe and then goes into the ocean.
Funds are needed to keep the town in compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consent decree, that requires the town to eliminate non-stormwater pollutants from entering the town’s drainage system. Last June, the town submitted its plan to the EPA to complete the first phase of construction work in 2017, according to town documents.
“I think the Stacey Brook article will get the most discussion only because it’s seeking the most appropriation,” said Gino Cresta, interim town administrator and department of public works (DPW) director.
Cresta said he expects Town Meeting members to want some explanation of the expenses of the project and appropriation needed going forward. He said that Phase 1 of the Stacey Brook project includes four phases of work, which when adjusted for inflation, will cost $10.7 million over eight years. Town Meeting members will be asked to approve $2 million every other year for the project.
The first two parts of Phase 1 of the project will include relining sewer mains and replacing sewer infrastructure that is more than 100 years old.
The DPW plans to procure a contractor for construction this winter, with work expected to begin by next spring, according to a presentation from Cresta at a recent Board of Selectmen meeting. But he said that can’t be done without the funds being approved at the special Town Meeting.
A two-thirds vote is needed to pass the appropriation, with the seven other articles on the Town Meeting warrant only requiring a majority.
Another article that might warrant discussion includes one centered around asking voters to approve $128,750 for the purpose of redesigning beach entrances to alleviate flooding.
The town was awarded a $103,000 reimbursement grant from Coastal Zone Management, which requires a 25 percent matching contribution from Swampscott. Despite the town only being responsible for $25,750 for the project, the total cost of the redesign has to be approved by Town Meeting members. Coastal Zone Management requires design completion by end of next June, according to town documents.
The Finance Committee did not recommend this article, but the selectmen did.
Selectman Peter Spellios said at a recent board meeting that he disagreed with the finance committee, and that it would be a “black mark” for Swampscott to receive the grant and then turn it down, if the appropriation was not approved. He said it would make the town less competitive for grants in the future.
Other major funds that Town Meeting members will be asked to appropriate is an additional $408,587 for trash and recyclable collections. The funds would make up the difference from the larger contract the town negotiated with their new trash hauler, Republic Services, after their former company, Hiltz Waste Disposal, abruptly ended garbage collection service on Aug. 31. Republic Services was hastily hired a day later. Hiltz has since declared bankruptcy.
With a special Town Meeting, Cresta said there could possibly be a quorum issue. To start the process on Monday, about 160 members need to show up.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.