Marshfield Considers New Structure for Open Space Events
Select Board reviews proposal to centralize event management and establish fee schedules for Harbor Park, Town Green, and recreation facilities
MARSHFIELD - July 28 - The Marshfield Select Board reviewed a comprehensive proposal July 28 to create a centralized system for managing events on town-owned open spaces, including Harbor Park and the Town Green.
Michelle Jarvis, a local caterer who spearheaded the initiative with Select Board member Trish Simpson, presented a phased approach to streamline event permitting and establish usage fees for various town venues. The proposal aims to address confusion about which department oversees different spaces and create clear policies for events involving alcohol consumption.
"What we would like to propose is to centralize all of the events, the open spaces and the policies and procedures to each unique venue on the website," Jarvis said during the presentation.
The first phase focuses on the Town Green, Harbor Park, and recreation department facilities, with beaches to be addressed in a later phase. The proposal includes creating a consumer-facing website with venue information, amenities, usage fees, insurance requirements, and catering registration details.
For Harbor Park, the proposed fee structure includes $250 for residents and $350 for non-residents for two-hour wedding ceremonies, with additional hours billed at $50. Full park buyouts would cost residents $550 for six hours and non-residents $750.
"We basically just backed out the amount of labor it was going to take for the Harbor Master Department to support orchestrated activity happening in the park," Jarvis explained regarding the pricing structure.
Harbormaster Mike DiMeo supports monetizing Harbor Park to offset labor costs, according to Jarvis. The proposal includes provisions for nonprofit events, with free use for non-ticketed events and 50% discounts for ticketed nonprofit gatherings.
The recreation department already operates under a robust system for field rentals, with three priority tiers starting with Marshfield High School sports. Private social events at recreation facilities would start at $150 per hour, with fees determined based on event scope.
Town Green pricing remains under discussion, with the proposal suggesting alignment with Harbor Park rates. The Historical Commission oversees half of the Town Green, while Town Hall manages the other portion, creating additional complexity for event coordination.
Select Board Chair Eric Kelley expressed support for the revenue-generating potential, particularly for beach operations. "If there's another revenue where we can keep the cost of beach tickets and everything down, that is one great resource to put to use," he said.
The proposal addresses regulatory requirements, noting that events with alcohol must use approved 12C licensed catering companies. Two such businesses currently operate in Marshfield: Jarvis's company H. Cole and The Chef's Table.
Simpson emphasized the need to streamline the current fragmented system. "Right now people are, like the Harbor Master was handling the people coming to rent to Harbor Park and then rec goes to the rec department," she said. "We're trying to just bring everything together."
The board plans to post the proposal on the town website for public comment before taking a vote at a future meeting. Residents can submit feedback via email to the Select Board rather than through social media platforms.
**Other Business**
The Select Board addressed several other matters during the meeting:
• **Town Administrator Contract**: The board voted to extend Peter Morin's interim town administrator contract until a permanent replacement is hired, reducing his hours to 25 per week and pay rate from $100 to $75 per hour.
• **Beach Erosion Concerns**: Resident Peter Howard presented a proposal to address erosion at Sunrise Beach by returning rocks to the shoreline, similar to conditions that existed before 1976. Harbor and Engineering officials noted significant regulatory hurdles from state and federal agencies would need to be overcome for any beach modification project.
• **ATM Removal**: The board authorized removal of a Leader Bank ATM from the Harbormaster Building due to security concerns and low usage. The machine generated only 229 transactions totaling $5,058 in withdrawals over the past year while costing the town $200 monthly.
• **Summer Concerts**: The Cultural Council received approval to hold three remaining summer concerts on the Town Green, scheduled for July 27, Aug. 3, and Aug. 10, with an Aug. 17 rain date.
• **Bond Authorization**: The board approved $3.66 million in municipal bonds and a $1.05 million bond anticipation note rollover for various town projects, including the Martinson School feasibility study.
• **Police Assessment Center**: The board authorized a delegation agreement with the state Human Resources Division for a police lieutenant assessment center, with Morin designated as the delegation administrator to oversee the promotional process.