The Harwich Waterways Committee moved to modernize fee collection for one of the town’s premier summer events, authorizing a new policy for the Big Three Fishing Tournament that allows participants to purchase T-permits directly at the dock. The decision comes as the town seeks to balance customer service with strict adherence to the Harbor Management Plan, which previously restricted blanket fee waivers or donations. Stephanie Sykes, the town’s newly appointed Natural Resources staffer, proposed the shift to ensure compliance while supporting tournament logistics.

Sykes, who recently filled a long-standing vacancy in the Natural Resources department, explained that requiring all participants to buy permits in advance often created unnecessary hurdles. What I propose is that instead of requiring people to have T-permits to fish the tournament, if they catch a fish and come in to land, we will meet them at the dock and sell them the T-permit during offloading, Sykes said, noting that her background in other municipalities helped shape this solution for Harwich. This way, we are working within the rules. Harbormaster John supported the change, stating, It's convenience and good customer service for the town. It helps the tournament and promotes the town. One committee member, Rich, moved to formalize the process. Motion Made by Rich to accept the Harbormaster’s plan to sell T-permits at the dock for the Big Three Fishing Tournament. Motion Passed 3-0-0.

Infrastructure updates dominated the remainder of the session, including a significant restoration project at 11 Nuns Road. The committee reviewed a plan to replace a permanent pier dating back to the early 1950s with a modern seasonal float system. Engineer Bob Harry of Cape Cod Engineering noted that the proposal significantly reduces the environmental footprint of the property. We've reduced the hard permanent deck by 177 square feet, Harry said, explaining that the transition to seasonal floats would improve boat berthing without extending further into the channel. Property owner Steve McCabe confirmed he intends to keep his 38-foot vessel at the site, noting that trial docking last summer proved successful without impeding channel traffic. R. Peterson expressed no concerns, noting, There's plenty of room in that part of the channel and the dock's been there forever anyway. Motion Made by the Committee Chair to approve the plan for 11 Nuns Road as submitted on June 18th. Motion Passed 3-0-0.

The committee also authorized a dock replacement at 69 Snowinn Road, where the applicant agreed to pull the structure back by five feet to comply with the town’s 80-foot bylaw. Dan Charmley, an engineer with Tighe & Bond, explained that the new pier would be elevated to combat frequent flooding. We are raising the pier up a little higher because it goes underwater a couple of times a year, Charmley said, adding that the project would preserve an existing osprey nesting platform. Harbormaster John noted that the site is located in a tight mooring field where maneuvering can be difficult. Replacing in-kind is highly beneficial, he said. Any extension further out would impede the swing radius of the moorings. Motion Made by Rich to accept the plans for 69 Snowinn Road. Motion Passed 3-0-0.

The meeting marked a return to administrative regularity for the committee, which began by clearing a backlog of paperwork. Motion Made by Rich to accept the minutes for both March and April. Motion Passed 3-0-0. The Committee Chair welcomed the arrival of Sykes to the Natural Resources office, noting that there's been a big void in recent months. The staffing update aligns with a town-wide push to stabilize departments ahead of the upcoming departure of Town Administrator Joseph Powers on June 30.