Two Mashpee Sewer Commission Members Resign

MASHPEE – The Mashpee Sewer Commission saw two of its members, including its chair, put in their resignations at their most recent meeting.

Chair Mike Rapacz and commission member Anne Malone both cited ongoing difficulties in communication between the commission and town leaders, including the town manager and town engineer, as reasons for their decision. 

“I no longer feel that I have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the work of this commission. The role of the commission is not respected at a town hall, that’s the bottom line in my view. The issues and concerns that we have identified have not been addressed,” said Malone. 

They said the town select board’s recent choice to withdraw an article that would have funded the Phase 2 design stage of the sewering project as another example of town leadership’s poor communication with the commission. 

Issues related to recent engineering contracts were also brought up as cause for his resignation, said Rapacz. 

He said that Town Engineer Chris Gallagher misled the commission into taking on a contract with engineering firm Environmental Partners to construct Phase 1 of the project, however the contract does not meet state requirements to qualify for funding through the Massachusetts State Revolving Fund. 

Rapacz said that it is another example of an issue that should have been addressed quickly and early, but has been ignored by town leadership and now may cause the town to miss the loan window. 

“I don’t believe we as a commission are respected by either the Town Engineer or the Town Manager. That has been reflected in all of the confusion that we’re now in. All issues that could have been resolved pretty quickly but were not,” said Rapacz.

About Grady Culhane

Grady Culhane is a Cape Cod native from Eastham. He studied media communications at Cape Cod Community College and joined the CapeCod.com News Center in 2019.



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