The goal of the PIE-Rivers Town Representatives (“Town Reps”) Program is to create a network with the municipalities in the Parker, Ipswich, and Essex watersheds and the PIE-Rivers regional partners to help find mutually beneficial solutions to address water-related issues. The Town Reps program seeks to unite the 28 communities in the PIE-Rivers region towards a common goal and strategy to address resiliency and water-related issues on a regional scale. Town Reps will assist in the PIE-Rivers mission of protecting, restoring, and increasing the resiliency of the valuable aquatic resources of the Parker, Ipswich, and Essex River Watersheds in northeast Massachusetts.
In each community in the region, the Partnership will identify 1-2 Town Reps who currently work as municipal staff or serve as appointed or elected municipal board or committee members, or active citizen advocates.
The responsibilities of a PIE-Rivers Town Rep include:
- General understanding of the goals of the PIE-Rivers Partnership.
- Being a liaison for PIE-Rivers projects and priorities in your local community, as needed.
- Following the agendas of your community’s governmental meetings (including but not limited to select board, conservation commission, planning board, zoning board, and open space) and other town happenings with an eye to flagging and alerting PIE-Rivers staff or Partners to items related to PIE-Rivers priorities.
- Supporting the PIE-Rivers Partnership’s Annual Meeting, by sharing the meeting invitation in your local community, suggesting agenda items or presentation topics, annual meeting attendance as possible, or other activities as needed.
As participants in the program, Town Reps agree to be a liaison between their town or city and the Partnership (e.g. the Partnership’s “eyes and ears” in each community), proactively communicating about projects and opportunities to address water-related issues, and supporting the Partnership’s communications with local town boards, committees, municipal staff, and other stakeholders.
Equally, the PIE-Rivers Partners commit to guiding and supporting the Town Reps regarding regional issues, project updates, funding sources, and other opportunities for progress in meeting shared goals.
For more information about how to become a Town Rep please contact Erin Bonney Casey at ebcasey@pie-rivers.org.