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2007 - 2001 SB/OB Petition News & Updates
Ocean Bluff Residents and Property Owner complaints about hazardous construction
debris, dumped and buried on Sunrise Beach and Ocean Bluff Beach, were DISMISSED and IGNORED until the 2006 petition.
Below
is the account of the Sunrise Beach/Ocean Bluff (SB/OB) Beach Battle to enforce The Town of Marshfield Public Seawall
Contracts and rid the beaches of construction debris. In addition, countless hours of phone calls and emails to the DPW, BPW,
Conservation Commissioner, Town Administrator, BOS, EPA and MCZM were also required. Although debris remained on the beach:
in November 2006, the Marshfield MA Board of Public Works CLOSED the contract and paid the contractors in FULL.
To date: minor efforts have been made by the Marshfield BPW
and DPW Adminstrator to correct their lack of oversight and remove the concrete and rebar materials that continue to be uncovered
with each and every tide. Since the seawall contracts were not enforced, now expired, the Town is unfortunately left with
2 beaches littered with construction debris (materials that were paid to be removed). Ocean Bluff inhabitants are now left
on their own to continue seeking solutions to clean-up the hazardous debris.
"Lessons Learned"... May the Sunrise Beach fiasco
never happen again. We hope the information and facts contained in this web site provide assistance to our neighbors in Fieldston,
Brant Rock and Green Harbor.
October 29, 2007
Board of Selectmen Meeting
6:30 PM Selectmen's Hearing Room
Action Items: Appointments to Marshfield Seawall Committee
• Meeting Agenda
September 2007 - The Marshfield Seawall Committee
The
Marshfield MA Board of Selectmen seek volunteers to serve on the new Marshfield Seawall Committee. The work the committee
does to develop an action plan could result in funding for the town’s seawalls. Marshfield residents are encouraged
to submit a written letter to the selectmen.
• Step Right Up For Seawall Committee. © Marshfield Mariner, by Kathryn Koch
Saturday, September 15, 2007 - Take a Day to Leave a Legacy!
Comb
The Beach For MA CoastSweep & ICC.
This years Massachusetts CoastSweep marks the State's 20th annual state-wide
coastal cleanup sponsored by The Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). This years global ICC will remove
millions of pounds of trash and debris polluting our shorelines and inland waterways, from beaches, rivers, lakes and streams
too. With over 1,500 miles of MA shoreline to clean, we need your help! Registration not required, YOU can be part of the Global
Solution To Pollution by cleaning up any Marshfield beach near you.
• Massachusetts CoastSweep
• Ocean Conservancy - International Coastal Cleanup
July 30, 2007- Marshfield Seawall Committee
Marshfield
MA Board of Selectmen Meeting
The Marshfield MA Board of Selectmen met at 7:30 PM. The discussion included: appointments
to the Marshfield Seawall Committee.
July 24, 2007 - Beach Access Ramp Handrail Installed!
Sunrise
Beach / Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
The handrail, scheduled for Spring 2007, was installed along the Brook Street
beach access ramp that provides access to the public beaches of Sunrise Beach and Ocean Bluff Beach. Many Thanks to the Marshfield
Highway Department for installing this public handrail.
Local residents are still left wondering "If and When" the Spring
2007 Beach Ramp improvements, as promised by The Marshfield DPW, will be fulfilled.
May 21, 2007 - BPW Meeting
Marshfield MA Board of Public
Works Meeting
The Marshfield MA Board of Public Works met at 6:00 PM. Action items included discussion and progress
of "The Marshfield Seawall Committee". Reults of meeting are not known: The BPW Chairman Bob Shaughnessy and DPW Superintendant
R. Jeb Deloach have not responded to our requests for public information.
- NOTE: see June 7, 2006 update. "When it comes
to repairing Marshfield’s seawalls, it’s best not to wait". That was the message put forth by Selectmen and the
Board of Public Works’ recommendation to form a seawall committee last year.
May 17, 2007 - FEMA, MEMA, & Governor Announces Disaster
Assistance
April 2007 Nor'Easter - Federal Relief Funds
Eight MA counties (including Plymouth County / Marshfield)
were made eligible for funding to repair roads, seawalls and bridges. Reimbursement to these communities with a 75 percent
federal share of the costs for the repair, restoration and/or reconstruction of public facilities and infrastructure, as well
as flood-related overtime costs for first responders. For more information visit the following links:
• Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA
May 15, 2007 - CZM Report Released
Town
of Marshfield MA
The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) released two copies of the final
reports for the "South Shore Coastal Hazards Infrastructure Project" to The Town of Marshfield. The purpose of this project,
surveyed during Summer-Fall 2006, is to inventory, assess the condition of, and begin to prioritize maintenance and repair
requirements for coastal hazards protection structures owned by the Commonwealth, maintained by the Commonwealth, and/or otherwise
the responsibility of the Commonwealth. The facts contained within this report will assist The Marshfield Seawall Committee
with attaining State and Federal seawall infrastructure grants and funds.
• MA Office of Coastal Zone Management
• Marshfield Coastal Survey
MARSHFIELD'S ANNUAL RID LITTER EVENT
May 5th &
6th 2007
Many Thanks to all of the "community minded citizens, neighbors and friends" who participated in this year's
Rid Litter cleanup on Sunrise Beach and Ocean Bluff Beach. Rid Litter Day results: glass beer bottles, lobster cage material,
buoys, lines, misc trash were removed from the beaches. We were not able to remove the remaining rebar that is embedded in
concrete or buried & protruding from the sand.
Additional THANKS to The Marshfield Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring
this annual town wide cleanup event.
• The Marshfield Chamber of Commerce.
May 4, 2007 - Beach Access Ramp OPEN!
Sunrise Beach
/ Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
The Brook Street beach access ramp leading to Sunrise Beach and Ocean Bluff Beach
is now open. Many Thanks to the Marshfield Highway Department for removing the concrete barriers and wood seawall gate.
February 2007 - Marshfield Person of the Week
The Marshfield
MA Board of Selectmen have honored and acknowledged Cindy Castro, Marshfield Beach Supervisor, as Person of the Week. "Cindy
Castro, in recognition of her tireless efforts to restore and protect Marshfield's public beaches."
• Town of Marshfield - Person of the Week
January 15 - 19, 2007 - Sunrise Beach Report
Sunrise
Beach / Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
The Brook Street beach access ramp was slightly improved with pouring of additional
concrete. This Spring (before Memorial Day) when the gate and barriers are removed, both ambulances and residents will have
safer access to the public beaches of Sunrise Beach and Ocean Bluff.
Many Thanks to Cindy Castro
and Rod Procaccino! Without their assistance and tireless efforts, this ramp would not have been improved
November 29, 2006 - Sunrise Beach Report
Sunrise Beach / Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
Vine Associates
and S.M. Lynch Corp once again returned to Sunrise Beach to remove seawall construction debris that they dumped and buried
during the 2005 Seawall Reconstruction Project Contract. In order for the construction vehicles to safely reach the beach,
a sand ramp had to be created over the Brook Street beach access ramp. The new DPW "6 inch rule" was followed. Only concrete
debris 6 inches or larger was removed from the beach.
Although the 2005 Seawall contract clearly calls for removal of all
construction debris, Marshfield MA Board of Public Works Chairman, Bob Shaughnessy stated during the Nov 27 BPW meeting that
this is the final clean-up effort and the contract will be closed.
• Concrete, filter fabric, and seawall
construction debris remains on Sunrise Beach.
November 29, 2006 - Marshfield Mariner
Beach cleanup
leaves residents dissatisfied
By Kathryn Koch/ kkoch@cnc.com
While acknowledging that there have been
mistakes, Department of Public Works officials say they don’t have the money to clean up Sunrise Beach to the extent
that neighbors would like.
Residents upset about pieces of construction material left behind on
the beach by S.M. Lynch Corp., a contractor working on a seawall project, do not believe the DPW has done enough to answer
their petition from the spring and make sure the beach is free of debris, and two residents who led the petition drive left
Monday night’s Board of Public Works meeting frustrated.
Residents said the DPW officials have had plenty of time
to properly clean up the beach.
"They’ve been aware of it since the springtime," she said. "They’ve had all
summer."
Board of Public Works member Bob Shaughnessy said the work was not
properly inspected, but as long as he’s on the board, he will make sure that similar mistakes in oversight are not made.
"We
learn from our mistakes," he said.
Resident Eileen Penella, however, said the DPW didn’t
learn when there was lack of oversight on a prior seawall project.
"But this is the second time
it’s happened," she said. "You keep making mistakes."
Penella and Ahola argued that
safety is still an issue, but DPW superintendent Jeb DeLoach said other projects take priority, particularly work on the seawalls
in Brant Rock and at Hewitt’s Point. Marshfield recently received $360,500 for seawall repairs with help from state
Rep. Frank Hynes, D-Marshfield, and state Sen. Robert Hedlund, R-Weymouth.
Town Engineer Rod Procaccino
said efforts have been made to remove the construction debris from Sunrise Beach, but there are sure to be pieces that were
missed that will turn up because of the ocean’s tides. He said he believes the big pieces have been removed, and that
it would not be viable for the town to pick up pieces less than six inches long.
Penella said she
understands what the tides can do, but took issue with the six-inch rule. She said all debris could be dangerous to beach-goers.
DPW
officials repeatedly cited budget constraints as a roadblock to more work on the beaches. Shaughnessy said more work would
be done as money becomes available. The Board of Public Works has submitted a capital budget request for $1 million for seawalls,
Shaughnessy said, but he cannot say if or when money will become available.
Residents are also
concerned that the town hired Vine Associates of Hingham to engineer the Brant Rock and Hewitt’s Point seawall projects
because it’s the same company that supervised Lynch’s work on the Sunrise Beach seawall repairs and their opinion
failed to properly supervise.
November 28, 2006
7 or 7:30 PM - Cable
Channel 15
The Nov 27 BPW meeting that included discussion of "Status of Sunrise Beach cleanup and ramp issue access"
will be aired on local cable access channel 15.
November 27, 2006 - BPW Meeting
Marshfield MA Board
of Public Works Meeting
The Marshfield MA Board of Public Works met at 7:15 PM. The discussion included the Brook Street
beach ramp issues and if private contractors SM Lynch Corp and Vine Associates Inc will remove the remaining seawall construction
debris that they dumped and buried on Sunrise Beach during the 2005 Seawall Reconstruction Project Contract.
Reults
of Meeting:
• Beach Cleanup Status - Roderic Procaccino, Town Engineer, identified seawall
construction debris including: steel, cable, concrete and black filter fabric found on Sunrise Beach. SM Lynch might return
to remove concrete debris "6 inches" and larger. Smaller concrete pieces will be left on beach.
• Ramp Status - Jeb Deloach, DPW Superintendent, stated that the Brook Street beach access ramp is "Not a priority.
Ramp permits are not a priority." and there is no construction timeline or deadline for the progress of the new ramp plans
that were announced on October 2, 2006.
More meetings to follow...
November 21, 2006 - The Patriot Ledger
Residents fret
about oversight of sea-wall job;
Officials say repeat hiring of Hingham company is no reason for concern
By John
Zaremba / jzaremba@ledger.com
Marshfield public works officials are promising effective oversight of upcoming repairs
to the Brant Rock sea wall, but some residents wonder why the town picked the same company they say did a poor job supervising
similar work in the past.
The public works board has chosen Vine Associates of Hingham to oversee
the contractors who will fix portions of the crumbling wall. The company will also do engineering work for the project.
Vine
Associates was in charge of seaside projects in Ocean Bluff and at Sunrise Beach between 2002 and 2005. Residents in those
neighborhoods complained that construction crews left behind chunks of concrete, rebar and other debris.
‘‘These
guys have done it over and over and over again,’’ Foster Avenue resident said. ‘‘We’re just
worried about what’s going to happen.’’
Public Works Superintendent Jeb DeLoach
said Vine was chosen for its engineering capabilities. The previous work did not receive proper oversight because the town
cut spending, he said.
‘‘The issue with the oversight was not really their fault,’’
DeLoach said. ‘‘It was our fault. Lesson learned for us is: don’t cut back.’’
Vine
was chosen for the Brant Rock project last week. The contract has not been finalized, but the company will be paid about $50,000,
DeLoach said.
The engineering work is the first step toward doing badly needed sea-wall work at
Brant Rock and Hewitt’s Point.
Money from the state will help pay for the two projects -
$245,000 for the Hewitt’s Point work and $115,000 for the Brant Rock work. The grant, announced last week, requires
that the town match the state contribution, and the money can be spent only on construction.
The
state allocated a total of $5 million for urgently needed repairs to seaside structures across the state.
Under
the terms of the grant, work must be completed by July 2007. DeLoach said he hopes the contract with Vine Associates will
be signed next week and that work will begin immediately afterward.
Copyright 2006 The Patriot Ledger. Transmitted Tuesday,
November 21, 2006
November 13, 2006 - BPW Meeting
Marshfield MA Board
of Public Works Meeting
The Marshfield MA Board of Public Works "awarded and approved" a contract with Vine Associates
for the Brant Rock and Hewitts Point seawall projects.
This contract was approved even though Vine
Associates engineers are responsible for 3 recent Marshfield seawall contracts that resulted in tons of seawall reconstruction
debris dumped and buried on Ocean Bluff and Sunrise Beach from 2002-2005.
October 31, 2006 * * DPW Meeting CANCELED ! * *
Marshfield
MA Department of Public Works Meeting
Meeting was to discuss if private contractors SM Lynch Corp and Vine Associates
Inc will remove the remaining seawall construction debris that they dumped and buried on Sunrise Beach during the 2005 Seawall
Reconstruction Project Contract.
October 4, 2006 - Beach Access Ramp CLOSED!
Sunrise
Beach / Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
9:00 AM - The Brook Street beach access ramp leading to Sunrise Beach and
Ocean Bluff Beach is now closed. Entrance to this ramp was closed early with a wooden gate and blocked by concrete barriers.
38 hours before ramp closure, local beach residents asked the Board of Public Works questions regarding the ramp reconstruction
and if it meets the 2005 contract specifications .
A Marshfield MA Town Engineer stated that
early closure of this ramp was necessary due to safety concerns that beach residents made during the Monday BPW meeting. Beach
residents find this early ramp closure to be a spiteful act. The DPW has been aware of beach and ramp safety issues since
before the June 23, 2006 Beach Petition.
October 4, 2006 - Marshfield Mariner
Ocean Bluff
residents make waves...
By Kathryn Koch/ kkoch@cnc.com
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Ocean Bluff residents
are still worried about the rebar in the concrete on Sunrise Beach, but plans for changes to a ramp to the beach aren't going
over too well, either.
A group of residents who petitioned the Department of Public Works to take
action after they found pieces of construction material left on the beach by a contractor hired to make seawall repairs joined
other residents at Monday night's Board of Public Works meeting to scrutinize the plans for the Brook Street ramp.
One
of a group of residents who petitioned the DPW in June to clean the debris left behind on the beach by seawall contractor
Lynch Construction of Weymouth in 2005, said she doesn't know what to believe if it comes from a DPW official. "They
change their story like the tides."
October 2, 2006 - Marshfield BPW Meeting
Marshfield
MA Board of Public Works Meeting
The Marshfield MA Board of Public Works met at 7:15 PM. The discussion included removal
of seawall construction debris from Sunrise Beach and announced "new" plans for the Brook Street beach access ramp.
Reults
of Meeting:
• Ramp reconstruction that started in June 2005 "might" be completed in Spring 2007 "if" new Conservation
Commission permits are granted.
(NOTE: DPW was aware of ramp issues before June 2006 Petition;
no ramp work progressed, resulting in expiration of permits.)
• Jeb Deloach now declares the Brook St beach
access ramp for "heavy equipment access only".
(NOTE: June 2006 - 2 DPW town engineers that
supervised the seawall project stated this ramp was for "emergency access".)
• Beach residents and property
owners questioned the 2005 Contract and Site Design Plans for the Brook St beach access ramp vs the Ocean St beach access
ramp.
(NOTE: Although both contracts contain the same language and same ramp site plan,
each ramp was constructed different.) See photos submitted to BPW ... Beach Access Ramps
• DPW announced they will "police" the beach for additional seawall construction debris: further removal of
debris to be discussed at Oct 31, 2006 meeting.
(NOTE: August 22 & 23, 2006 - Jeb Deloach
and Bob Shaughnessy stated that S.M. Lynch Corp will return in October 2006 to remove the remaining debris.)
DPW
& BPW Previous Public Statements Were Changed During This Meeting...
More meetings to follow.
August 28, 2006 * * BPW Meeting CANCELED ! * *
Marshfield
MA Board of Public Works Meeting
Both Jeb Deloach and Bob Shaughnessy stated that the topic of improving beach access
via the Brook / Foster Ave access ramp would be discussed during this meeting. Meeting was canceled without notice to Petition
members.
• Results, agenda and minutes of August 21 & 28, 2006 meetings have not yet been made available to the
public.
August 22 & 23, 2006 - Sunrise Beach Report:
Sunrise
Beach / Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
S.M. Lynch Corp digs 2 feet down in cofferdam area and removes
2 tractor trailor truck loads of concrete and rebar materials from Sunrise Beach / Ocean Bluff. DPW Superintendent - R. Jeb
Deloach and Board of Public Works Chairman - Bob Shaughnessy state that S.M. Lynch Corp will return in October 2006 to remove
the remaining debris.
Beach Meeting Suddenly CANCELED !
Friday August 11, 2006
at 5:23PM: notification that the Monday August 14, 2006 9:30AM Sunrise Beach Meeting is cancelled.
The reason given
for this last minute cancellation: "Jeb Deloach, Rod Procaccino and The Board of Public Works refuses to meet with the residents."
August 14, 2006 * * Meeting is CANCELED ! * *
Sunrise
Beach / Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
9:30 AM Public Beach Meeting to be held at Brook/Foster Ave beach ramp.
Jeb
Deloach (DPW Superintendent), Jay Wennemer (Conservation Agent), John Clifford (Town Administrator), S.M. Lynch Corp (representative),
Board of Public Works (representative not yet confirmed), Selectman Patricia Epstein, and Selectman Michael Maresco will be
present to answer questions regarding the Town of Marshfield MA approval to dump private contractor seawall construction debris
on Sunrise Beach / Ocean Bluff.
The Town of Marshfield MA has a signed contract with 2005 seawall contractor: S.M.
Lynch Corp and engineer: Vine Associates Inc specifically stating: "removal of seawall debris and construction materials".
Monday
is a Public meeting. You are Welcome to attend and ask questions regarding who/how this project was supervised by each Marshfield
Town Department. This may be the last chance to publicly ask Marshfield Town Officials questions regarding this issue and
tax dollars spent on unsupervised seawall re-construction projects.
We, the Sunrise Beach / Ocean Bluff Beach Petition
members, strongly urge every Marshfield MA resident and registered voter to attend this public beach meeting. We hope that
the results of this meeting will rid Sunrise Beach of 2005 seawall construction debris AND will influence the Town of Marshfield
MA to STOP future seawall re-construction littering of Marshfield public beaches.
July 21, 2006 - Sunrise Beach Report:
Sunrise
Beach / Ocean Bluff, Marshfield MA 02065
Neighbors watch seawall contractor S.M. Lynch Corp remove 1 truck
load of construction debris: including concrete and rebar materials from Sunrise Beach. Large construction boulders (revetment)
and other seawall debris is relocated to low tide area of beach. This debris (leftover materials from the 2005 seawall construction)
was dumped in the middle of an area containing tidal pools that are swarming with children looking for: starfish, clams, crabs,
flounder and other sea life at low tide. See photos... Instead of removing the remaining revetment construction boulders (as written in the
seawall contract) Marshfield Conservation Agent Jay Wennemer directed the DPW and Lynch Corp to relocate the material to the
low tide area of Sunrise Beach. Jay Wennemer's intervention was given via a phone call to Marshfield DPW town engineer Charlie
Swanson, while Jay was on a 3 week sick leave with no on-site inspection of the beach since last Winter. Jay stated "When
these materials, consisting of natural rock, were placed on the beach, they instantly became part of the beach and could not
be removed. It is MA DEP law." Jay went on to state, the only possible way these boulders could be removed from the beach,
is if residents could "identify each individual rock and prove that it was construction material trucked in by Lynch Corp." Even
though there are Sunrise Beach resident eyewitness accounts, Jay stated "No revetment materials were trucked into the seawall
construction site by Lynch". He declined the offer to review the photos in this web site. Only
1 project engineer from Vine Associates Inc was onsite to supervise Lynch Corp. Although Marshfield DPW, Town Engineers, and
the Conservation Commission were aware of these activities, the project was not overseen by any town official. •
Concrete and rebar still protrudes from Sunrise Beach.
July 19, 2006 - Marshfield Mariner:
Town cements plans
for beach cleanup
By Ryan Bray/ rbray@cnc.com
Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - Updated: 10:39 AM EST
Two construction
firms will work to clean up stretches of Sunrise Beach near Foster Avenue and Brook Street starting today to remove concrete
and debris left on the beach from past seawall reparation efforts.
Selectmen Chairman Michael Maresco met with DPW Superintendent
Jeb DeLoach and Public Works Board member Bob Shaughnessy Thursday morning, to walk the beach and assess what needed to be
done to spruce up the area.
Maresco said Selectmen received a letter of complaint from a resident in the area at their
July 10 meeting regarding leftover pieces of concrete littering the beach, many of which contained pieces of rehabilitation
bar (rebar) protruding out from the edges which could be a safety hazard. Maresco said residents living along the beach have
gone as far as to tag and label the largest pieces with yellow ribbons to have them removed.
"It (concrete and rebar)
poses a serious threat to anyone swimming or walking the beach at low tide," Maresco said.
DeLoach said the concrete
on the beach is left over from seawall repair efforts dating back to 2002. Last year, he said, a cofferdam, an enclosed structure
that helps keep water from interfering in areas of construction, was constructed in front of seawalls in the area to keep
water away from the walls. DeLoach said much of the debris and rebar on the beach came from constructing the dam.
Northern
Construction and Lynch Corporation, the two construction firms involved in the seawall repairs in the area, will begin cleanup
today and will work in the area throughout the week, DeLoach said. He said much of the work will involve eliminating the excess
rebar from the concrete pieces on the beach.
The cleanup efforts will come at no cost to the town, as $45,000 in
funds leftover from the town’s existing contract with the two firms will pay for the costs, DeLoach said.
"I
think this has shown us that in the future, we ought to do a better job of cleaning up and maintaining the seawalls and the
dams," DeLoach said.
While Maresco suggested looking into revising the contracts to include a provision that would
penalize contractors for not properly maintaining their construction areas, DeLoach said such a provision already exists and
that it’s simply a matter of enforcing punishments. Maresco said in the end, he’s glad to see swift resolution
to the issue.
"I commend them," Maresco said of the contractors. "They agreed to take swift action to right the situation."
July 14, 2006 - Marshfield Reporter: A
beach emergency By Kathryn Koch, MPG Newspapers
MARSHFIELD - Seawall debris left behind on
Sunrise Beach has neighbors concerned about potential injury.
July 10, 2006 - Marshfield MA Board Of Selectmen Agenda
7:30
P.M. Meeting Of July 10, 2006 - Board Discussions
1) Seawall debris on the beaches.
June 23, 2006
The Sunrise Beach / Ocean Bluff Beach Petition
accompanied by 2 samples of concrete and rebar, cover letter, 4 photo pages and 179 signatures was submitted to:
Town of
Marshfield MA Administrator: John Clifford
Town of Marshfield MA Selectmen: Michael A. Maresco, Patricia M. Epstein, Katharine
N. O'Donnell
June 14, 2006
Request for copy of 2005 Seawall Reconstruction
Contract DENIED.
Petition members called the Marshfield DPW and town engineer Charlie Swanson stated "contract was
not public information". Upon informing him that the Marshfield Town Clerk stated this seawall contract was indeed public
information, Charlie changed his statement:
“not available due to The Patriot Act and Homeland Security”.
He
went on to state “If the contract is available" it could be purchased for an undecleared price.
• The contract
and site plan drawings were eventually aquired on August 4, 2006.
• The Patriot Act and Homeland Security
were NOT involved with this public information!
• After August 4, 2006 public meetings were suddenly cancelled
at last moment.
• After August 4, 2006 the BPW and DPW altered their previous statements.
June 7, 2006 - The Marshfield Mariner
Shoring
Up The Seawalls.
By Ryan Bray, Wednesday, June 7, 2006
When it comes to repairing Marshfield’s seawalls,
it’s best not to wait. That was the message put forth by Selectmen last night as the board sided with the Board
of Public Works’ recommendation to form a committee to put together a plan of action for repairing town seawalls.
The
Board of Public Works, along with DPW Supt. Jeb DeLoach and town engineer Rod Prococcino, met with Selectmen and State Rep.
Frank Hynes, D-Marshfield, to give an overview of what needs to be done regarding seawall repair. BPW member Bob Shaughnessy
said the board had been conducting research since February to determine the extent of seawall damages and the cost for necessary
repairs.
DPW Supt. Jeb DeLoache gave a presentation with the short-term and long-term costs of repairing the seawalls.
A full overhaul and repair of the walls, which cover 2 miles in length, would cost $48.7 million, while the cost for immediate
repairs to seawalls, jetties and stairways will cost $3.5 million.
Recognizing the issue is beyond the scope of the public
works board, Shaughnessy encouraged the formation of a comprehensive committee with representation from various town boards
to help put together a plan of action for the seawall repairs. He said the committee would work to implement and carry through
a 10-year plan for the necessary repairs, which would cost an estimated $11 million.
"We need to put together a comprehensive
plan and strategy to implement and review," he said. Shaughnessy said it’s been upwards of 60 years since the seawalls
were last repaired. He said through research, board members determined in addition to funding, issues of ownership need to
be discussed before the walls can be repaired. He said some areas of the seawall might be privately owned while others are
owned by the state. Shaughnessy said the structure of the walls must also be assessed to determine how the make repairs.
"What
need to look at it from an engineering perspective," Shaughnessy said. "We need to look at what is in front, what’s
behind and what this will look like in the end." Selectmen Chairman Michael Maresco said he expects that the cost for the
repairs should be shared by the town, federal and state governments.
"We understand our role in this, but it’s important
that we be aggressive in securing federal and state funding for these repairs before it becomes a crisis," Maresco said.
Hynes
said state funding for seawall projects throughout the state has been low in past years. He said the state Committee of Recreation
and Conservation has only $8 million secured for coastal improvement projects throughout the state, and that Marshfield is
competing for funding along with other coastal communities.
"It seems to me that Marshfield is doing what many other communities
have been doing as of recently, and that is looking at these coastal issues comprehensively," Hynes said. "It’s not
an easy issue, because however you slice it you’re talking about a significant amount of dollars."
Shaughnessy acknowledged
Hynes’ comments, saying that while Marshfield has two miles of seawalls, the town is forced to compete with neighboring
communities like Scituate, which has five miles of seawalls. Hynes said the state allocates funding to communities according
to many factors, including private vs. public ownership of the seawalls, structural need and the degree to which a town’s
property tax base depends upon properties neighboring the seawalls.
Selectman Patti Epstein said she’s concerned
about the lack of state and federal funding, saying she feared the town may be forced to wait until it’s too late before
emergency funding can become available to repair the walls.
"It seems to me we need to have a substantial problem in order
to qualify for any state funding," Epstein said. "It feels like we’re between a rock and a hard place." Maresco asked
public works board chairman Joseph Lambert to put together a seawall subcommittee, complete with membership and a mission
statement and to plan to meet with selectmen next month.
"We’re at a very critical stage," Maresco said. "We need
a committee to look at these issues."
May - June 2006
Residents of Sunrise Beach and Ocean Bluff
contacted Marshfield MA DPW engineer, Charlie Swanson and Conservation Commission Agent, Jay Wennemer, regarding Vine Associates
and S.M. Lynch Corp leaving seawall construction debris and rebar litter on the beaches.
• Concerns about seawall
concrete were ignored.
• Concerns about rebar materials were dismissed as "lobster cage".
January 2006
The last S.M. Lynch Corp construction vehicle is removed from the Brook Street beach access ramp just
before Nor'Easter storm arrives.
- 2005 -
December 2005
Although construction is finished, vehicles
leaking oil remain parked at the Brook Street beach access ramp.
November 2005
Last batch of seawall concrete is poured.
October 2005
Vine Associates and S.M. Lynch remove some
construction debris from coffer dam area. Tons of concrete and rebar remains on Sunrise Beach.
August 2005
Throughout the entire construction project
Sunrise Beach residents expressed their concerns regarding concrete and rebar littering the beach to: Vine Associates, S.M.
Lynch Corp construction and all the town officials who appeared on-site (including Rod Procaccino and Charlie Swanson). Each
time we were reassured that “they knew the neighborhood was closely watching them” and that debris would not be
left behind again.
July 2005
Coffer dam is built on Sunrise Beach. Seawall debris in coffer dam is crushed into small pieces by S.M. Lynch Corp. The contract
specifically states this is not allowed.
June 2005
Seawall demolition begins along Sunrise Beach / 76-100 Foster Ave.
May 2005
The first S.M. Lynch Corp construction vehicle is parked on-site at the Brook Street beach ramp construction
staging area.
- 2004 -
October
12, 2004
Town of
Marshfield Massachusetts, Department of Public Works grants S.M. Lynch Corp "Seawall & Stairway Reconstruction Project
Contract 2005-05" for total bid price of $1,075,660.00
Seawall Reconstruction Project #76 to #100 Foster Avenue - Contract NO. 2005-05
Contractor: S.M. Lynch Corp.
Engineer: Vine Associates Inc.
As quoted
from contract:
"Section
03500 - Concrete Ramp Reconstruction
WORK INCLUDED
This section
includes all work and operations required for the reconstruction of the existing concrete ramp located at the end of Brook
Street, as shown on the Drawings and as specified herein. This work includes but is not limited to the following:
A. Removal,
disposal, and replacement of the existing concrete ramp and stairs.
B. Removal,
disposal, and replacement of existing bituminous pavement.
C. Resetting
and extension of existing mortared stone apron."
• See page 03500-1 of the Seawall & Stairway Reconstruction Contract 2005-05.
•
View the contract site drawings Brook Street Ramp Plans
View everything
above for full details and facts about how this contract was not fulfilled and not enforced by the Marshfield MA Board of
Public Works and DPW Superintendent R. Jeb Deloach.
June 26, 2003
Town of Marshfield Massachusetts,
Department of Public Works
Contract Documents for:
Revetment Reconstruction Project
#450 Ocean ST. to #26 Foster AVE.
Contract # 2003-20
* Ramp design plan is the same as above 2004 contract!
View Photos for Full Details:
Ocean Bluff Beach 2002
Town of Marshfield Massachusetts, Department of Public Works grants Northern Construction Service, LLC "Seawall Reconstruction
Project 2002-03" for total bid price of $1,399,000.00
Seawall Reconstruction Project #26 to #76 Foster Avenue - Contract NO. 2002-03
Contractor:
Northern Construction Service, LLC
Engineer:
Nucci Vine Associates, Inc
The Marshfield
MA BPW and DPW Superintendent were responsible for supervising and enforcing this seawall reconstruction contract that resulted
in tons of concrete and rebar buried in Ocean Bluff Beach.
October 3, 2001 "New barrier for Foster Ave." By Dan
Gravel © Marshfield Mariner MARSHFIELD - "Casting a wary eye toward winter and the inevitable storms that follow in the season's wake the board
of public works has voted to hire Northern Construction Company of Hingham to remove a portion of existing seawall and construct
a new barrier along Foster Avenue. Bidding on the seawall project opened in September and Northern Construction, which has done prior work on Marshfield
seawalls, offered the low bid at almost $1.4 million. The next lowest bid came in at $1.47 million. Construction will begin
within the next few months on the stretch between 26 and 76 Foster Avenue. The average height of the new wall will be 15 feet.
"That area was determined to be among the priorities that needed immediate attention" said DPW superintendent Makram Megalli,
who said the wall was showing significant erosion. Megalli said winter is not the optimal time to begin seawall projects,
but they could not afford to let the winter pass without making any improvements. The project will last until next summer. A powerful nor'easter last March which
struck with fierce waves and winds caused heavy damage to the Foster Avenue seawall. It was estimated at the time that repairs
would cost around $2 million. At Town Meeting last April a $1.3 million capital budget request for seawall repair on Foster
Avenue was approved. A section of the Foster Avenue seawall was repaired almost two years ago and the town
received a $400,000 reimbursement from the Department of Environmental Protection."
March 10, 2001 "Storm exposes crumbling sea walls / Residents urge repairs" By Sarah Coffey © The Patriot Ledger MARSHFIELD - "The town keeps telling Joan Hicks that
help is on the way“ but that wasn't much help this week. During Tuesday's high tide, an 80-foot section of the bottom
of the sea wall behind her home gave way. So instead of making permanent repairs on the sea wall, the town spent $80,000 on
a quick, but temporary solution. "They spend more money in doing it this way in an emergency," she said, watching water crash
through the hole onto her porch at 50 Foster Ave. The porch eventually buckled. Hicks wasn't the only South Shore resident
who got her feet wet this week. This week's storm exposed crumbling sea walls up and down the coastline from Quincy to Plymouth... Marshfield is in the midst of replacing
the sea wall along Foster Avenue, which has been crumbling for years. Replacing 800 feet of the seawall is expected to cost
$2 million, said town engineer Walter Fender. The town is applying for a state grant to cover half of the
repair costs. Marshfield public works commissioner Kathy Stacey said more needs to be done to further wall repairs
"Sea walls pose the same problems that roads and sidewalks do. They're an important part of our infrastructure and they
require care and feeding at a regular basis."
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