• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Rockport Town Manager’s May 16 Report: Library, harbor, finance, public safety updates

Public Works

The regular schedule of spring cleaning for our Public Works department began several weeks ago as street sweeping spread across the town. Dirt roads, such as Mount Pleasant and Beauchamp Point, were graded and gravel was added to provide a smoother ride. Catch basins are in the process of being cleaned out and striping should begin Friday given the recent spate of good weather.

Maine DOT is making plans to provide light capital paving along Pascal Avenue, Central Street, and Union Street this summer. Signs went up recently, though covered until the project begins, to make motorists aware of the project’s work zone.

Cemeteries

As of May 1, the cemeteries have opened for the season and the Town’s contractor is completing the spring cleanup over the next few days. Some cemetery roads may still be quite wet, so please be cautious as your drive through the cemeteries.

Wastewater

Late last month construction restarted on the Route 1 sewer project, and we expect the project to complete in late June. This phase of the project may be more impactful for motorists as the installation of water and sewer services will require a single lane of traffic.

While the Town received a letter from the Town of Camden requesting payment for what they deemed to be unpaid sewer bills, the letter did not include a date for the Administering Committee to meet, as our Select Board requested. Hopefully, a meeting date can be set soon and avoid unnecessary legal costs for both communities.

Harbor

I am pleased to announce we hired a pair of new deputy harbormasters, Rob Parent and Drew MacMullan. Rob spent over 24 years in the Coast Guard with stops on Nantucket and Chatham as station chief and lived in Rockport for several years when he was stationed in Rockland. Drew is no stranger to the Midcoast, working for years at Alford Lake Camp in Hope, but spent winters at marinas in Georgia and Florida. I am excited what Rob and Drew can provide for our harbor and do not be surprised if you see them around town as look to broaden our efforts to improve our parks.

All the town’s floats are now in the water after weather and tides were a challenge through April. Yet despite challenging conditions in getting floats in the water, our roofing projects took off as the Harbormaster’s building and the picnic kiosks all had their roofs replaced. Many thanks to Anthony Simaitis for quick work and providing additional help on some rotten boards.

Harbormaster Abbie Leonard is preparing to issue first-come first-serve dinghy stickers to those who have been issued a mooring from May 1st-June 1st. For those without a mooring, Abbie will issue the remaining available stickers on June 1st at 8:00am at the Harbormaster’s office.

Abbie is working through the waiting list and matching up available moorings with similarly sized vessels on the wait list.

A pair of new dinghy floats are being built this week and soon should be in the water.

Summer Concert Series Events at the Harbor

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