HYANNIS – Barnstable County’s administrator is calling for a complete overhaul of their dredge program.
With recent issues of vessel and equipment breakdowns and service disruptions leaving unfinished dredging projects, Jack Yunits wants to take a closer look at the program.
Only seven of the 17 projects across the Cape have been completed so far, with some postponed to the fall.
“All the projects are due at the same time which makes it very difficult to do when you only have one and a half dredges working,” said Barnstable County Administrator Jack Yunits.
The program was supposed to generate around $1.8 million from the projects by the end of June.
Demand has increased recently as many of the projects were being funded with additional MassWorks grants.
“The equipment is old and degraded and has to be replaced and in addition to that we have to expand it and bring in some professional consultants,” said Yunits.
“It’s too important to the towns not to do the job.”
A dredge crew in Barnstable is working to finish the Popponesset Channel in Mashpee this month while other projects in Falmouth at Green Pond and Eel River won’t happen until later this year.
The issues stem from the county having to deal with the newly purchased Sand Shifter breaking down due to issues with its high-tech systems, and the 23 year old Codfish, which is experiencing mechanical problems.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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