Derek Sullivan discusses grants, Onset Bandshell and Circuit shuttle

Town Administrator Derek Sullivan talked about grants for the Town of Wareham -- one known and others yet to be announced -- in a brief update report during the Tuesday, July 21 Select Board meeting.

Sullivan reported that the state Department of Transportaion has awarded the Municipal Maintenance Department $250,000 for a new front-end loader. He pointed out that the town's current machine was crucial in hauling piled of snow away after February's blizzard. 

He said the town is hoping to keep the old front-end loader to have they have access to multiple machines. 

The new machine will cost $300,000. Officials have yet to figure out how to fund the remaining $50,000. Sullivan said the matter might be debated during Fall Town Meeting. 

In a bit of a tease, he went on to say there are other grants that the town is currently verifying, but that there will be a “big announcement” once verified.

In other updates, he stressed that the Onset Bandshell is being worked on by the town, not the Onset Bay Association -- and urged members of the public who are concerned about a delay in completion not to blame the nonprofit OBA. Sullivan said the majority of the sod was planted on Monday, July 22.

He added that he hoped the project will be fully completed by August 1. For more on the bandshell project, see story on Page 1.

He added that he is hoping it will be fully planted by August 1, if not earlier. 

Sullivan ended his update by stating that the new, free, on-demand Circuit Shuttle is working. 

“I did see an OBA member, I think, driving one of them around,” said Sullivan, “She seemed happy as a clam.”