Marshfield Joins Regional Recycling Cooperative, Aims to Enhance Waste Management

Town secures $603,000 federal grant for new police boat

MARSHFIELD, MA - November 4 - The Marshfield Select Board voted unanimously Monday to join the South Shore Recycling Cooperative, a move aimed at improving recycling education and expanding access to hazardous waste disposal events for residents.

The decision comes as the town seeks to address rising recycling costs and enhance its waste management practices. The cooperative, which includes 17 South Shore towns, offers various benefits including coordinated hazardous waste collections, recycling education programs, and potential cost savings through regional contracts.

"We're getting killed with the cost of recycling. That's what's driving up trash," said Town Administrator Michael Maresco. "Anything we can do to educate our residents about how important it is to recycle and that education on what Claire and her group does, really Claire is the group, what she does to educate people, and I think she touched upon it a little, and that's about we have to educate people not to buy, you know, people go and they buy like a little, you know, SIM card, and it comes in like a box that's this big, because recycling, right now there's very few people that take recycling."

Claire Galkowski, Executive Director of the South Shore Recycling Cooperative, presented the benefits of membership to the board. These include access to multiple hazardous waste collection events throughout the year, grant funding opportunities, and assistance with recycling education and outreach.

"We run about 12 hazardous waste collections each year in spring and the fall, which are open to residents of all our member towns," Galkowski said. She added that Marshfield residents would immediately gain access to two upcoming collection events in November.

The annual membership fee for Marshfield is $4,950, with up to $3,000 potentially covered by existing grant funds. Galkowski noted that membership could lead to additional grant funding for the town's recycling programs.

In a separate agenda item, the board approved the acceptance of a $603,000 federal grant from FEMA's Port Security Grant Program for the purchase of a new 35-foot police boat. The grant requires a 25% match from the town, totaling $201,000, which will be funded through the surplus of the current 2013 harbormaster vessel.

Harbormaster Mike DiMeo presented the grant details, emphasizing the importance of the new vessel for maritime law enforcement and search and rescue operations.

"This boat is procured through the GSA contract," DiMeo said. "It's going to have a built-in generator. I'm not buying things like refrigerators and AC for the boat. We're getting equipment that we're using 80% of the time, so we don't need, like, all the fancy bells and whistles. It's a patrol work boat aimed to save people's lives and patrol the coast."

The new boat will replace the department's 2013 model and is expected to enhance capabilities with updated technology and increased size. DiMeo noted that the vessel will be able to handle and hold all of the department's specialized equipment, including radiation detection gear and an underwater remotely operated vehicle.

"Over the past several years, we've seen a decline in the number of Coast Guard stations," DiMeo explained. "Are they pushing the onus on to local harbor masters, police marines to do their job? Yes and no, but the line is if one of our members, our commercial guys are out there 10 miles, we're probably going to get there first."

The board also addressed several other items during the meeting, including:

- Approval of a temporary liquor license for the North River Arts Society's holiday art sale preview party.

- Authorization for the Marshfield Real Estate Cooperative to use the town green for a holiday tree festival from Dec. 1, 2024, to Jan. 4, 2025.

- Acceptance of $3,125 in donations for the veterans services department.

The meeting concluded with reminders about the upcoming Veterans Day parade and Tuesday's election day, encouraging residents to participate in both events.