SWANSEA — Members of the Waterfront Revitalization Committee voted to accept bids for beach grass and fencing last week, but the work to plant the grass and install the fence will be done for free.
The board accepted a bid of $4,255.01 for 18,500 plants of beach grass from Church’s Garden Center & Farms, Inc., of Cape May, N.J., and a bid of $8,345.08 to replace dune grass fencing from Contractors Supply, of Pawtucket, R.I. Chris Sampson, the chairman of the Waterfront Revitalization Committee, said that bid for the fencing also includes posts.
“We’ll be starting off with a brand new beach and brand new fence around it,” Sampson said of the upcoming summer season. “It should be gorgeous.”
Conservation Agent Colleen Brown said they have to figure out where to store the beach grass before it is planted. She said the beach grass will be planted in the town beach area as part of a renourishment plan to prevent erosion from taking out sand.
The committee has arranged for inmate work crews at the Bristol County House of Corrections to plant the beach grass and install the fence at no cost to the town. They are scheduled to do that work next month. Sampson said he sent a letter to Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson about having the inmate work crews help with the beach grass and fencing.
Sampson said the town’s Beach Committee will be supportive of the dune grass fencing being replaced. He said the current dune grass fencing is in poor condition. Brown said they need to be careful of removing major portions of vegetation when they are taking the current fencing out.
Town Administrator John McAuliffe suggested having the Highway Department put the fence in since he thought they may be more meticulous. Sampson said someone from the Highway Department could oversee the inmates as they are putting in the fence.
“The inmates are really helping us out a lot here,” Sampson said.
Members present at last week’s Waterfront Revitalization Committee meeting included Sampson, Brown, McAuliffe, Fran Kelly, Helen Tackett, Robert Medeiros and recording secretary Jamie Beane.