Rockport, Essex, Manchester slated for funding

Jan 23, 2024

Rockport Assistant Public Works Director Aaron Cilluffo points to a piece of tape showing the level of sewage that flooded the pump room on Jan 26 in the Dock Square Pump Station.

Rockport, Essex and Manchester are slated to receive thousands of dollars for local projects in earmarks included in the $56.2 million state budget for fiscal year 2024 now on Gov. Maura Healey’s desk.

The awards were detailed in joint statement from state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, and state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, D- Gloucester, shortly after the fiscal 2024 budget was enacted by state Legislature on Monday.

The biggest appropriations were for Gloucester and Gloucester organizations, which are slated to receive $510,000 for six different projects.

Rockport will receive $95,000 for the purchase of pump station equipment for the Dock Square station and $75,000 for the modernization of the Dock Square sewer pump.

The pump station was the focus of many in Rockport when the facility’s equipment failed on Jan. 26 followed by a small fire Jan. 27. The situation resulted in more than 700,000 gallons of sewage being released into Rockport Harbor.

Rockport Town Administrator Mitchell Vieira said the appropriation comes at the right time for one big project.

“This will assist the town in replacing aging equipment and modernizing the systems at the pump station which functions as the main pump station moving wastewater from the entire town to the treatment facility,” said Vieira. “This important funding addresses a portion of the modernization and upgrade work needed.

“(The Department of Public Works) is working on a comprehensive plan to fully upgrade the pump station,” he said.

Essex is slated to receive $75,000 for the rehabilitation of the Centennial Grove recreation area, and $15,000 for a number of restoration projects.

Town Administrator Brendhan Zubricki said the money is a windfall for Essex.

“State funding is tremendously helpful to leverage local tax dollars on important projects and initiatives,” Zubricki said. “We are grateful to Sen. Tarr and Rep. Ferrante for their consistent support.”

Manchester-by-the-Sea is expecting $105,000 for two projects — $75,000 for costs related to the creation of Cape Ann regional emergency preparedness plans for the towns of Manchester, Essex, Rockport and the city of Gloucester; and $30,000 for wastewater treatment plant flood-proofing efforts.

Gregory Federspiel, Manchester’s town administrator, said the much of the money will be used to protect residents in the event of a natural disaster — such as a hurricane, blizzard and wildfires.

“We are very appreciative of the efforts of Sen. Tarr and Rep. Ferrante for securing these funds through the state budget for Cape Ann and Manchester,” he said. “The emergency management preparedness funds will allow us to work with our Cape Ann neighbors to advance specific strategies that will enhance our abilities to keep people safe during a natural disaster or other emergency.”

Federspiel said as part of the climate change work that has taken place in each of the four Cape Ann communities, municipal officials often hear concerns about the need for such strategies.

“Our sewer plant is threatened by increased flooding that bigger storms and sea level rise is bringing,” said Federspiel. “These funds will allow us to advance the engineering we need to do to design solutions that we need to implement.

“With local dollars always at a premium, additional assistance from the state for these efforts allows us to continue the needed work.”

Stephen Hagan can be reached at 978-675-2708 or at [email protected].

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