SWAMPSCOTT — The Town has received a grant of $100,000 from the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program (MVP), administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, with the goal of using the funds to support an environmental/open space project.
As Community and Economic Development Director Marzie Galazka explained it, $50,000 of the funds will be used to retain the services of a consultant to assist the Town with the process; the other half of the funds will be utilized toward a specific project, which will be later identified as the process continues.
Created in 2017, the MVP provides funding for community-driven climate resilience planning. Galazka added that the Town has hired Climate Thrive Community Strategies, a local consulting firm for the project.
“The consultant will go through a community engagement process to really be looking at things like environmental resiliency and see what the community would want to focus on,” Galazka said.
She continued, explaining that once further feedback from the community has been received and analyzed, the remaining funds from the grant will go towards the implementation of the project.
“It could be anything from possibly additional work on a beach around town, or maybe looking into the ponds that we have. … Or it could maybe go toward something like climate resilience or open space, also possibly something for one of our playgrounds, or create new space,” Galakza said. “Anything that would be climate or community-related.”
She also said the goal is to determine what the community might need as the town prepares to look at possible directions to take the project.
Another element of the development will see the Town seeking members of the community to form a committee to help pinpoint potential uses for the funds.
“I think it’s a great time for us to kind of reflect on the kinds of projects that we’ve done up to date, and then to also try and figure out how we can move forward,” Galazka said. “And with the assistance of the consultant, maybe they can help us look at different populations in town to see if other projects or services might be needed.”
Galazka added that the Town is still working through what the application will entail in order for community members to join the committee.
