Timeline
The Friends of Bassing Beach have assembled the following timeline by reviewing all the published minutes from the Scituate Board of Selectman Meetings and the Shellfish Advisory Committee Meetings. For each notation we have included the year, a headline and relevant details. We have also included a link to the published minutes with the relevant information being highlighted in orange.
2013 - BOS Meeting Minutes
Oyster Farm Concept Rejected by Town Officials
Jamie Davenport proposes commercial oyster farming to Harbormaster Mark Patterson (retired) and former Town Administrator Patricia Vinchesi--both reject the idea
September 18, 2018 BOS Meeting Minutes
Oyster Farm Concept Re-Presented to Board of Selectmen
Jamie Davenport and John Tedeschi present to new BOS. Terms Used: “Great for the community”; North River dismissed as possible location
October 2, 2018 BOS Meeting Minutes
North River Location Rejected
Bassing Beach is proposed, when asked about the North River, it is rejected. Mr. Dimeo notes “the river would be a harder sell”
November 6, 2018 BOS Meeting Minutes
Shellfish Advisory Committee is Formed
Selectman Shaun Harris asks if commercial fisherman sitting on the committee is a “conflict of interest” since Davenport will seek a license. Item is not discussed
December 4, 2018 BOS Meeting Minutes
Candidates for SAC Listed
David Dauphinee, Jamie Davenport, Scott Harrington, Jeff Palmer and John Tedeschi are all applicants and have stated they will seek a plot through the application process.
December 18, 2018 BOS Meeting Minutes
Candidates for SAC Reviewed By BOS
Susan Harrison, Jamie Davenport and Jeff Palmer are appointed to the Shellfish Advisory Committee for a term of three years.
March 19, 2019 BOS Meeting Minutes
Selectman Shawn Harris is Appointed BOS Liaison to the Shellfish Advisory Committee
July 23, 2019 BOS Meeting Minutes
SAC Announces Application is Complete
To be submitted to Waterways to get approval and then sent to BOS for approval
September 17, 2019 BOS Meeting Minutes
Money and Transferability are the Sticking Points
SAC members want to have the ability to transfer licenses, the Waterway Commission is against this rule
September 18, 2019 Waterways Commission Meeting Minutes
Transferability Is the Main Topic
The commission appears to be torn on the idea of transferability. All of the interested parties, who have expressed interest in applying for a license want the transfer option, while those who have no financial benefit are less inclined to allow it.
October 1, 2019 BOS Meeting Minutes
There is No Tax Benefit to the Town of Scituate
SAC presents its report, key findings:
There is no tax or revenue benefit to the town
There is no way to recoup town start up costs
Revenue was discussed, transferability of plots and objections from neighbors was recorded. Ms. Curran of the BOS, asked how does the town recoup the start up costs. To which the answer was “there is no town in MA that has recouped its costs for setting up Aqua Farms”
January 7, 2020 BOS Meeting Minutes
Pilot Program Set for 5 to 7, One Acre Plots for a 2 year period
Deep discussion about the size of the plots and if 1 acre is sufficient. Once again, there is a large division between those who will financially benefit, specifically Jamie Davenport and the town BOS. Davenport wants at least 2 acres, where as the BOS wants 1 acre plots. The number of farmers was discussed and it is assumed there will be at least 20 people looking for licenses. Selectman Harris suggested the “fewer farmers with larger lots”
January 21, 2020
SAC Adds Three New Members
Three new members are added to the SAC, two have said publicly they have no interest in apply for a license. Although not stated in the minutes, Jamie Davenport is no longer on the committee.
February 4, 2020
Applicant Background Check Requirement, Asked by an Abutter, is Dismissed
Focus was on the application and the requirements to get a license. Additional discussion was focused on regulation, public vs. private land and access. BOS asks for langue to be added that is “respectful to other users of the waterway”. An abutter of Bassing Beach asked if background checks were going to be required for a license. BOS says they “don’t want to require this”
It is always been our opinion that the creation of the Shellfish Advisory Committee and its impact on the BOS is both illogical and unethical. We can see no benefit to the town in any way. It does not create jobs, raise revenue via taxes or fees, create new restaurants or bars in town or provide anything more than minimum wage jobs to a very small number of people who work the farms. However, it is clear that a very small number of license holders will have a tremendous financial benefit.
As noted on 11/20/2019 a Scituate Oyster Farm will “generate no property tax, no significant new jobs and not much by way of money spent in the local economy”
Is it right for the town of Scituate and the BOS to give away a huge windfall for a small number of vocal residents at the expense of thousands who use this area for recreation and the destruction of an undeveloped shoreline?