by Lonnie Brennan
GEORGETOWN, Mass. — While robust discussions took place last week regarding the long-neglected Georgetown Community Gardens, similar discussions took place regarding the failure to take care of the overgrowth of weeds at Pentucket Pond and Rock Pond.
At its heart, the issue appeared simple: Both ponds are in need of treatment to decrease the overgrowth of weeds which have served as a hazard.
As previously reported, an incident two years ago brought neighbors to the rescue of a man entangled in the weeds.
At last week’s selectmen’s meeting, member Mike Donahue again forwarded his suggestion for a formal “project tracker” to ensure that projects such as the treatment of the weeds are given visibility to the board and can be tracked and managed.
Currently, Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco explained to the board that he keeps track of projects for himself in a Wordâ file, into which he can easily add notes. Donahue suggested using an EXCELâ spreadsheet or similar software program, so that “everyone” knows the current status of a project.
Pacheco said his Wordâ file was just for himself. He added that the sample EXCELâ file presented for discussion by Donahue was perhaps overkill and complicated, stating that he didn’t want anyone to have to spend more time managing the tracker than performing the tasks.
Last year, Donahue, who also serves as chair of the Park and Recreation Commission had asked the status of the pond treatment and was told in an e-mail by Pacheco that it was being handled. However, without a tracker the project was not done. Pacheco essential blamed the prior conservation agent for not filing the paperwork in time. She was fired by Pacheco earlier this year on other matters, and somehow the project was not done. Donahue shared that with a tracker, it would be harder for projects to simply slip through the cracks.
Donahue had presented a high-level summary timeline of example e-mails showing how he was assured the work was going to be done, but it did not get done. Pacheco placed the blame on the employee he fired and noted that many other e-mails for the ‘timeline’ were missing from Donahue’s presentation.
“What happens is, we get [from Donahue] a new document all the time,” Pacheco stated. “First it’s this, then it’s a project plan, then it’s an accountability policy … and they all seem to focus on, not how do I solve a problem but how do I finger point.”
Donahue has maintained he just wants projects completed, and that having a visible tracker would aid in that goal.
Chair Doug Dawes tampered down discussion, making it clear the attendees were to remain civil.
At one point, member Laura Repplier questioned why Parks and Recs would be involved, stating that the process is owned by the Conservation Commission (of which she is a former member). “It has never been the responsibility of Park and Recs. Conservation has been in charge of ensuring the health of those ponds for the last 20 years.”
Chair Dawes pointed out that it was more of a joint responsibility (with Park and Recs. wich manages the beach and beach-facing playground areas), and Donahue cited how a resident reported the entanglement issue to Park and Recs and the town administrator and that he and Pacheco researched the issue of weed treatment and looped in the Conservation Commission and the Community Preservation Committee to see if funding was available and proper actions could be taken to alleviate the weed safety issue. He also stated that Pacheco had just noted that the former agent had not completed the work (prior to being fired on other matters), again, noting that conservation was involved here.
“No, no dispute there,” Repplier replied, “So, things went wrong, and those things that went wrong are not in place anymore. And we are moving ahead, seamlessly [she joined her hands and moved them like a fish swimming forward] and beautifully into the future [pulling her hands back and touching her chin]. And at this point, at this point, your complaints are really not helpful,” she told Donahue, pointing at him with outstretched fingers from one hand.
“It wasn’t a complaint,” Donahue injected.
“And are not really solving anything,” Repplier plowed forward, “what we need to solve is exactly what’s happening: those ponds are going to be treated. We’re good here. It went wrong, but we’re good here now.”
“So, what are the next steps from a project perspective,” Donahue asked.
Pacheco related that there are some signoffs to be done and it will be done this next year.
“It was all set to be treated, five to six years ago,” Repplier added, ” but things went wrong in that department, and it got missed. But we are no longer in that situation, and it’s all going to be good. And I think we should focus on that.”
Donahue then asked about funding, to ensure everything was in place. At first Pacheco stated that CPF124 set aside for pond treatment was only for Rock Pond, but Donahue read out loud the accompanying article which stated, despite the title on the article, that it provided funding for “Pentucket Pond and Rock Pond and their associated hydrological connections (one is downstream of the other). $53,000 is sitting in that earmark. An additional CPC article has approximately $25,000 in it, for a total of approximately $78,000 for safety purposes (removal of the entanglement weeds).
Pacheco stated that they won’t know what the cost of work will be until an NOI is filed and a scope of work is developed, and that those items would be completed by the end of the calendar year.
Before they moved on to a discussion of Donahue’s proposal of establishing a method to have a formal list of projects (a project tracker), Selectman Rob Hoover made a statement that “I think it’s important that no matter who submits a written document that states certain points of so-called fact, that, if they’re incomplete, that there is an opportunity given to whoever it may be to clear the record and add the additional facts to make a full record. So, I just wanted to go on record saying that.” His reference apparently to Donahue presenting the board with a ‘summary timeline’ of major milestones/e-mails from Pacheco stating that the ponds were all set last year, but then the project being delayed by another year, and Pacheco’s assertations that other things, e-mails, and such should have been included to show the full scope of the issue.
Chair Dawes replied “I agree with you, and as long as those conversations remain civil, then this chair will allow it. If they become uncivil, I’ll put an end to it.”
Asked after the meeting, Donahue said “We were told the ponds were being handled last year, they were not. We were told the docks were being handled, they were not. I just want the board to have visibility through a tracker because ultimately, we’re the ones who are responsible to the voters, and safety issues cannot simply get ‘missed.’ I look forward to working with the board for a resolution.”
In other selectboard news:
Selectman Ed Dobie was absent from the meeting (ongoing health issues), and administrative assistant to the town administrator and board of selectman, Maureen Shultz has given here notice. Her last day will be Sept. 27, 2026. ♦
