City Leaders Discuss Additional Funding for Waushakum Dock Project

FRAMINGHAM - Framingham’s Community Preservation Committee (CPC) voted to approve of the submission of a special application for funding related to the development of an accessible dock at Waushakum Pond during their meeting on Monday, July 28.

The CPC facilitates the process of allocating money allotted each year through the Community Preservation Act (CPA); property tax surcharges and matching state funds help promote projects related to community housing, open spaces, and historic preservation. The special application for the Waushakum dock plan—which was initially approved by the CPC in 2023—would need to be taken out of the group’s typical timeframe, as local projects are typically given final approval for CPA dollars in the spring following a review process that begins in the late fall.

Framingham’s Director of Planning and Community Development Sarkis Sarkisian was invited to the meeting to justify the motion to take the Waushakum project out of order, as the city is looking for an additional $75,000 for the project. The CPC approved of $110,000 for the dock plan in 2023, with $75,000 set for initial costs along with an additional $35,000 added by the committee for permitting and other necessities as well as $5,000 added by the Framingham Disability Commission.

Since the initial approval of the Waushakum dock plan by the CPC, Sarkisian noted that $30,000 for things like designs and permitting have been spent. He took accountability for delays in the process, explaining that a fragile type of plant growing along Waushakum had caused hiccups.

“I tried to do this project in-house, I wanted to do all of the permitting in-house so that I could save the taxpayers some money,” Sarkisian said on Monday.

“Unfortunately, this site has a very sensitive, fragile sedge that grows along Waushakum.”

Sarkisian told the CPC that the city has a contractor for the project ready, though the body of work is set to cost $144,000. With the special approval, Sarkisian would hope to get work started int the winter so that the permanent, accessible dock can be ready by the spring. CPC Vice Chair Karen Margolis questioned why the request from Sarkisian was not for $59,000, since $85,000 was left from the initial allocation and the bid for the dock was set at $144,000. Sarkisian said that bids went out with the $75,000 figure in mind in order to ensure that the city received the best possible contract offer for the scope of work.

That topic, along with questions regarding the look of the final plan, were key parts of Monday’s conversation.

“We’re talking about spending 20% of next year’s open space budget without even seeing any of the other projects,” Parks and Recreation member of the CPC Dave Gudejko said.

“It’s a good project—we voted on it, we all agree it’s a good project—but we want to make sure that we’re spending the money on what we agreed upon.”

Members of the CPC advocated for a full application on the matter to be submitted in the near future in order to iron out the full details. The body agreed that the project helps accomplish a shared goal for the community.

“I don’t think you guys approved (the dock project) because it was cheap or a bargain,” Conservation Commission member Steven DeNicola said.

“I think the goal was: it was something that could happen, it could happen quick. It was instant gratification for a neighborhood that’s been waiting a very long time for this—and they’ve been promised this, they’ve been promised it over and over and over.”

District 8 City Council member Leslie White Harvey also spoke out in support for the additional funding during Monday’s meeting, adding her belief that it would be a beneficial resource to the neighborhood.

“As a City Councilor, I’m here to serve to ensure continuation of projects and completion of projects...There’s testimony from residents in previous meetings saying that we should go ahead,” White Harvey continued.

The CPC eventually voted unanimously to permit the special application to be sent in; no eligibility form will be required since the plan was already eligible during the 2023 process. A public hearing on the project is set for August 11, as the CPC hopes to get the matter on the City Council’s agenda during their August 19 meeting.