SWAMPSCOTT — The Select Board discussed potential upgrades to the fish pier during the Select Board’s meeting Wednesday night, with the aim of the project based around improving the safety for community members.
Community and Economic Development Director Marzie Galazka was the first to speak during that segment of the meeting, where she gave an update on the situation.
“Last year, Town Meeting allocated $150,000 to make improvements to the pier… We received a report and analysis of the conditions of the pier from Smith Marine, which was done last year,” Galazka said. “The Harbor and Waterfront Advisory Committee was able to review the proposal and worked with myself and other town officials on the procurement of the bid for the project.”
Galzka added that out of that $150,000, 10 grand was used to replace the cameras around the fish house, and the remaining $140,000 will be allocated toward the pier repairs.
She continued, saying that the Town held a bid opening in August and that there was only one bidder, White Marine, Inc.
Galazka noted that Director of the Department of Public Works Gino Cresta has been in contact with the bidder to adjust the scope of work and try to address the upgrades to the pier during this construction season, adding that the work would be done during the winter months.
“The discussion is ongoing. We hope to hear from the contractor by the end of this week on whether or not we can reach an agreement with them to do the work,” she said.
Select Board Vice Chair Doug Thompson asked how extensive the repairs to the pier would be.
Select Board member Danielle Leonard, liaison to the Harbor and Waterfront Advisory Committee, noted that “none of it is really critical.”
“I think they’re categorized by color. We didn’t have any red (critical) items, and it was more orange or yellow… The committee went through this, and there wasn’t anything glaring. There’s nothing urgent; it’s not going to collapse. It’s nothing of that nature,” Leonard said.
Galazka explained that the repairs would be for the safety of community members utilizing the pier.
“There’d be some decking repairs and to support the pillars (and) some fuel-line repairs… As Danielle (Leonard) mentioned, they’re not that critical… Now that we have the funds, we wanted to try and address them,” Galazka said.
Leonard added that the money allocated for the project is really for “stuff that’s been from the past couple of years that the Town has needed.”
“It got kind of put on the back burner because we had this grandiose idea of a new $5 million pier that ultimately we found wasn’t going to be something successful with the community,” Leonard said. “So, I think it’s definitely time to get those repairs made and put the maintenance work in that we needed.”
Chair Katie Phelan said that while the concept of an all-new pier was not well-received by the community, environmental groups expressed that the current pier “will be underwater in the not-distant future.”
“It will face potential storm surges in the next 10 years that could potentially demolish it, or put it in such disrepair that we’re looking toward a new pier anyways,” Phelan said.
Galazka said she’ll go back and speak with the Harbor and Waterfront Advisory Committee on the feedback from the Board’s discussion, with the hope of scheduling a meeting with other environmental groups and committees to further the discussion.
