FREEPORT

Two separate shellfish protection proposals were merged into one and given conditional approval during a special Town Council meeting last week.

A week of tense emotion and occasionally vulgar email communication between Shellfish Commission members, diggers and town officials preceded the May 2 meeting and vote.

Prior to the meeting, the plans were separate entities whose implementation shellfish diggers claimed had been delayed almost to the point of uselessness. One would have restored ailing clam populations on Freeport’s coastline; a second sought to eliminate an invasive European green crab infestation seen as largely responsible for the clams’ decline.

After almost 90 minutes of public comment and discussion, councilors approved combining both projects to eliminate duplication. They also trimmed the original appropriation of $67,000 to $45,000 for 2013, with $20,000 carrying over to defray expenses in 2014.

“We’ve drawn it down to a bare minumum,” said Shellfish Commission Chairman Tom Bennett Sr.

The project cost is conditional upon the overall Capital Plan budget’s passage during the council’s meeting June 4.

By meeting’s end, diggers seemed satisfied that a plan at least had been put in motion.

“This act has been delayed for too long,” said Tom Bennett Jr. “We’ve all seen a reflection on our income. If we lose our jobs I can’t go to your shop to get my truck fixed, I can’t go to someone’s restaurant for dinner, I can’t go to Bow Street (Market) to buy stuff.”

“I’ll be down at the Community Center looking for handouts,” he said. “I’m a worthy man, all we want to do is try to control this.”

Much of the clammers’ discontent stemmed from the council’s decision not to act on the funding requests during its meeting April 23.

But at-large Councilor Melanie Sachs defended the council’s decision and said the extra week was time well spent.

“These were two scientific proposals that were received literally five minutes before the (council’s April 23) meeting,” Sachs said. “You really want to make sure the proposal in front of you is one that will accomplish its desired aims, and I think a week to do that was satisfactory.”

The perceived delay prompted one committee member to quit, however.

Chad Coffin, longtime member and former president of the Freeport-based Maine Clammers Association, submitted his resignation after the April 23 meeting.

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