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11:12:30 pm Water Bill Perplexes Church, Selectmen

Categories: Marion

A regular meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen was called to order by Chairman Stephen Cushing at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at the Marion Town House. Also in attendance were Selectmen Roger Blanchette and Jonathan Henry, Town Administrator Paul Dawson and Assistant to the Town Administrator Helene Craver.

In a first appointment, the Board met with Norm Hills and Bill Saltonstall of the Alternative Energy Committee (AEC). The AEC is working with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) to conduct “feasibility studies” to determine an optimum location for a wind turbine to power town buildings, like the Sippican School, the Town House and one-third of the Old Rochester Regional Schools. Mr. Saltonstall said that the town currently pays about $750,000 in electric bills per year.

“We really think that there is the possibility here for hundreds of thousands [of dollars] in savings to the town,” said Mr. Saltonstall. “Marion is in kind of a rare spot. We’ve got the wind.”

The AEC is currently collecting wind velocity data in the area of Great Hill. This feasibility study requires one year of observation, which means the AEC will know more about the possibility of proceeding with Great Hill as a location for turbines in July 2010.

Zoning by-laws in Marion currently only address residential turbines. The AEC is also exploring the potential of constructing by-laws to include commercial-grade turbines, which have recently been installed in Dartmouth, Falmouth, and Portsmouth, RI. The by-laws would address color requirements, setbacks, safety standards, sound, flicker, underground utility connections, and removal requirements.

“I have to commend you on a wise approach,” said Selectman Henry. “The right way is to do it in a way that prevents controversy.”

The minutes of the January 5, 11, and 19, 2010 meetings were approved.

In Action items, the Board quickly approved the following items:

• An appointment of Blake Wilson as an EMT-Basic.

• One-day wine and malt licenses for the Marion Art Center on March 5-7, March 11-13, July 23-25 and July 29-31, 2010.

• Permission to close Main Street to vehicles and use Bicentennial Park for the July 10 Annual Arts in the Park.

In an appointment with Ken Hanson, Fred Danhauser and Bill Saltonstall from the Marion Congregational Church, the Board heard details of the $12,000 water/sewer bill that has completely perplexed the Church.

“This has been a major problem as you can understand,” said Mr. Hanson, who said that the bill indicates that the Church has used 44,194 cubic feet of water, which equates to 75 gallons per hour for the entire half-year that the meter was running.

The Church’s 35-year-old meter was evaluated by the water department and determined to be in fine working condition, but was still subsequently replaced. The Church has an irrigation system in the summer, but according to a consultation from the company who installed the meter, the irrigation system would account for only 14,000 cubic feet of water if run constantly at maximum volume.

The representatives of the Church claimed that there have been two minor leaks: one in a toilet, one in a hot water tank, but neither so serious as to cause the large bill. The grounds have never been soggy, and the basement has never flooded.

“It is a mystery,” said Mr. Saltonstall. “It may be an accounting issue or a misreading of the meter.” Mr. Saltonstall said that he has checked weekly since receiving the bill, and the water meter on the building is currently operating correctly. At the current rate, the Church is only consuming 5 cubic feet per week.

“The Church over the years has brought a lot to the town and the village,” said Mr. Hanson. “We thought you would listen to us. It’s no secret. All churches are struggling today. The church business isn’t easy, but it’s important. I think at this point, it would be fitting to ask the town for some relief on the sewer portion of this bill.”

“We are in an uncomfortable situation here,” said Selectman Cushing. “We just don’t give abatements out. I would be willing to ask [the DPW] more questions. There’s no question – that’s a lot of money. That’s about the equivilant of the water tower being emptied.”

Questions about the construction on Front Street being the source of the inflated bill were dismissed, since the water had to pass through the Church’s meter in order to be read. Since the irrigation system has been turned off for the winter, it remains a possible source of the problem, and the Board agreed to work with the Church to investigate the water leak source. To avoid penalties and fines, the Church paid the bill in December. They hope that the town will be able to provide “relief” from that bill if some error is found.

In his Town Administrator’s report, Mr. Dawson informed that the new police station is making “considerable progress” with sheathing and a vapor barrier up. Mr. Dawson wanted the public to know that the bright blue exterior is the vapor barrier, and not the final color of the building.

Mr. Dawson informed the Board and the public that the deadline for warrants for the May 17 Annual Town Meeting is February 26.

The Town House will be receiving a new sign in front of the building, thanks to the help of Upper Cape Regional Technical Vocational School. “I expect in the next couple weeks we will have a sign, and it will be installed in spring,” said Mr. Dawson.

In Correspondence, the Board received a letter from Mattapoisett Herring Inspector Robert Martin inviting them to an Annual Town Herring Meeting at the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen’s meeting in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room on February 23 at 7:05 pm.

The Board also received a letter from Ross Perry from SRPEDD in regards to a study that is being conducted regarding 911 dispatch regionalization. There is no cost to participate in the study, and there is no obligation after the study is complete. The Board voted to participate in the study and to attend the informational meeting on Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 pm in the Dartmouth Town Hall.

The Board voted to go into executive session at 8:05 pm for the purpose of collective bargaining and litigation.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

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11:12:24 pm Pine Island Division of Property Approved

Categories: Mattapoisett

A regular meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board was called to order by John P. Mathieu at 7:30 pm at the Mattapoisett Town Hall. Also present were board members Karen Field and Robert McNamara, Mattapoisett Highway Surveyor Barry Denham, and six town residents. Chairman Thomas M. Tucker did not attend the meeting.

The sole agenda item was the submission of a Form A application by Dave Davignon of Schneider and Associates on behalf of property owners Tim and Greta Fox. The parcel in question is located at 2 Pine Island Road.

“This is a continuation of a project that we presented to the Board as a preliminary [in December 2009]. We are here to cut out the two lots at the Pine Island residence,” Mr. Davignon said, and he then presented evidence that both lots have at least 150 feet of frontage and 30,000 square feet of lot area required to be cut up.

“This plan is basically a [division of property by right] plan when the applicant asks to cut lots up. If they meet those conditions with proper frontage and lot area, we have no choice but to approve,” Mr. Mathieu explained. “All we are doing today is cutting lots – not subdividing them.”

Mr. Matthieu then explained that if the owners would like to do anything with the back lot, they have to comply with the Subdivision Control Law. This law requires a hearing, during which public comments are weighed on the subdivision itself. During this process, the Board would set specific parameters the subdivision must meet, he said.

The board then approved a motion to accept the plan as submitted.

In addition, the Board accepted a letter from a neighbor abutting the Pine Island property. The neighbor, Richard Poznysz, hired an engineer to assess the property and the letter details concerns regarding sufficient storm water drainage and construction access. This letter will be included in the public dossier for later consideration.

In response to questions about the various plans presented in the past regarding this parcel, Mr. Matthieu explained that he does not comment on plans until a final one is submitted for review. He also stated that wetland conservation issues are under the Conservation Board’s purview; however, the Planning Board does review water drainage issues on a “case-by-case basis”.

The Board voted to adjourn at 8:00 pm.

 

By Laura Pedulli

 

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11:12:19 pm Old Colony Gets Green Makeover

Categories: News

Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School (OCRVT) is going green. In a major effort to reduce its energy output, the school is getting a makeover in the form of building upgrades that will reduce Old Colony’s utility usage by 50 percent per year.

A kick-off celebration on February 2 marked the launch of the $3 million energy efficiency upgrade project. The event – which took place at OCRVT’s cafeteria – involved members of school staff and administration, the contractor, and local officials.

The event is particularly special for OCRVT Superintendent-Director Gary Brown – who spearheaded the project in August 2008. “This is a great experience for me; I never thought something like this could happen two years ago,” he said.

Mr. Brown led the efforts to undertake this project after amassing a team of school officials to study similar projects at four other schools. After a stringent review process, OCRVT eventually contracted with Trane – a business of Ingersoll Rand – in a year-long effort to secure $3 million over a 15-year period. The school expects to save 36,405,390 pounds of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to 1,880,445 gallons of gasoline, 4,965 planted acres of trees, or 2,115 powered homes, over that 15 year time.

The initial plan to renovate and improve the facilities occurred through a process known as performance contracting. Performance contracting is a way to fund facility improvement projects without burdening the capital budget. The performance contractor – in this case Trane – provides a guarantee of resulting savings to the school. If savings are not achieved, the company will write a check for the difference.

The performance contracting aspect of the project is its greatest benefit, according to Brown. Under the arrangement, taxpayers do not have to pay a dime for the improvements.

In a time of tightening budgets, performance contract projects such as this are “appealing for municipalities and schools because they guarantee savings,” said Kristina Regonini, Marketing Coordinator for Trane. She noted that institutions such as K-12 schools, hospitals and colleges are “coming out the woodwork” to investigate such schemes to reduce energy costs and help the environment.

Mr. Brown expressed excitement about the project’s educational benefit for OCRVT students. Under the agreement, Trane employees will demonstrate to the engineering, math and science students the methodology behind infrastructure and facility improvements. The OCRVT School Board determined early on that student participation in the implementation of the upgrades was essential.

OCRVT is already is beginning the first set of upgrades, Mr. Brown said, in the form of high efficiency lighting retrofits and occupancy sensors. Other upgrades in the pipeline, which will be completed by September 2010, include:

•Eight rooftop HVAC units and 54 Variable Air Volume devices

•High efficiency lighting retrofits and occupancy sensors

•Building envelope improvements which include sealing and/or weather stripping for: windows, doors, boiler room, roof wall sealing and roof vents

•Kitchen equipment conversion for the main kitchen, culinary arts kitchen, and restaurant areas

•Dust collection and welding exhaust systems for carpentry and welding areas

•New condensing boilers

•Devices to limit energy consumption for vending machines and all computers throughout the District

Mr. Brown said another benefit of the program is the high quality equipment entering the school. In the past, the school often had to purchase cheaper equipment due to budgetary constraints. He noted that the school had to dish out $120,000 for a rooftop replacement ten years ago, but now that maintenance will be included in the new contract. “It is a load off of everyone’s mind,” he said.

“I think the town is lucky for what we are able to get out of this… We are fortunate, excited about [the project], and hope things go according to plan,” Mr. Brown said.

By Laura Pedulli

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11:12:15 pm Mattapoisett Historian Talks Cuttyhunk

Categories: Mattapoisett

Trivia Question: What do the Forbes Family, pirates, and the Wampanoag tribe have in common? Answer: They all left indelible marks on the history of the SouthCoast and Cape Cod regions – in particular, the Cuttyhunk and Elizabeth Islands.

In the first of a two-part series, Mattapoisett Historical Society’s Seth Mendell delivered an elucidating lecture on all of the personalities that have shaped Cuttyhunk and the Elizabeth Islands – a string of islands that separates Buzzard’s Bay and Vineyard Sound. More than 80 eager history buffs attended the lecture, which took place on January 31 at 2:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Public Library.

Mr. Mendell began his story in 1602 – when Bartholomew Gosnold named the islands in honor of Queen Elizabeth of England. Following a 49-day journey from Falmouth, England, Gosnold made landfall at Nova Scotia and eventually meandered south to the Cape Cod region. Mr. Gosnold, mariner Gabriel Archer and a crew of 30 immediately set about establishing a trading post.

Three weeks later, however, the whole crew left. No one knows why, explained Mr. Mendell – but a few theories are circulating. The first theory is that the crew lacked adequate provisions to last six months because Mr. Archer clandestinely sold the provisions in England even before the journey began! The second theory is that the crew stole a canoe from the Wampanoag and feared revenge. The second explanation is generally considered implausible, as the Wampanoag were described in various accounts as friendly and open, Mr. Mendell said.

Next trivia question: What do Shakespeare and Cuttyhunk have in common? Answer: Some historians speculate that Mr. Gosnold and Shakespeare had met in England. During these exchanges, it is said that Gosnold’s tales of Cuttyhunk inspired Shakespeare’s The Tempest as the famous writer’s descriptions of an island in this work are a “carbon copy” of Cuttyhunk. “Whether it is true or not… we do not know,” conceded Mr. Mendel.

As European rulers continued to bankroll mariners in the hope of finding fortune in the New World, the European population continued to increase. The reality was quite the inverse for the Wampanoag, however. Due to contact with smallpox from a Dutch traveler, the tribe’s population plummeted from 40,000 to 4,000, well before the pilgrims set foot in Plymouth. The Wampanoag refer to this devastating part of its history as “The Great Sadness.”

Between 1630 and 1640, a whopping 75,000 English people arrived in the New World. 15,000 of these individuals established Boston. Around this time, King James I gave the islands to the Council of New England, which were shortly sold to the first of a series of owners: Thomas Meyhew and the Meyhew family. It is said that descendents of the Meyhew family still reside on the islands today.

Trivia Question: Which animal was essential to Naushon’s generation of wealth? Answer: Sheep. The first action the Meyhews took was to timber the island. The land then was sold for sheep grazing.

“You don’t have to go to the Caribbean to find pirates,” said Mr. Mendell as he recounted their trouble-making ways in the late 1600s.

According to Mr. Mendell, three pirates “preyed on local commerce” until the royal government of Boston stepped up to take action. Like scenes from a Hollywood movie, on October 4, 1669, mariners from Boston swooped down to Tarpaulin Cove and overpowered the pirates, who were later hung in Newport, Rhode Island. With pirates out of the scene, the oceans opened up for further development.

In 1730, the Meyhew family sold Naushon to the Bowdoin family, who owned the island for 130 years. The Bowdoin family organized 15-20 tenant sheep farmers who rented the land to raise 2,000 sheep as well as oxen, horses and pigs. During this time, the island experienced new growth. At this time, the general store (which still stands today), tavern, and inn were built and welcomed wary seafaring men who sought a little rest and relaxation.

“The tavern was a lively place in the evening. Men frolicked about and had wild times with local maidens,” Mr. Mendell said. It is interesting to note Tarpaulin is the home of one of the first lighthouses on the eastern seaboard. The lighthouse – built in 1759 – helped ships make it safely to shore. Cuttyhunk also has an old lighthouse that originally was built in 1823.

Cuttyhunk developed differently from Naushon, mainly because the island’s land was sold, not rented, to sheep farmers. In addition to farming, Cuttyhunk earned its wealth by piloting, or helping merchant vessels safely disembark. “The flipside of their wealth-earning enterprise was, of course, salvaging,” Mr. Mendell said. However, the Cuttyhunk Humane Society was established to lend a hand to lifesaving efforts. It wasn’t until 1915 that the U.S. Coast Guard formally took over this duty.

The good times did not last forever, though. The Revolutionary War devastated the islands, as the British swept in and confiscated thousands of sheep and other goods despite efforts to set up fortifications. According to Mr. Mendell, 500 Englishmen walked the entire islands “shoulder to shoulder” starting at the northern tip of Naushon to effectively pillage the land.

Years after the war played itself out, the Bowdoin family sold the land to the Swain family in 1809.

It was through this family the Forbes family entered the picture. Sarah Swain Hathaway, niece of owner William Swain, fell in love with none other than John Murray Forbes, a wealthy merchant prince of Boston. Mr. Forbes made his fortune by sailing the world and establishing trading routes through the Pacific Northwest regions to China. The prevalence of mariners in SouthCoast and Cape Cod is highlighted by the delicious fact that the first American to sail around the globe was John Kendrick in 1783 from our own Wareham, MA.

Next trivia question: Which commodity was essential to Mr. Forbes’ wealth? Answer: Sea otter pelts. Forbes and other traders would sell their iron goods to the Northwest Pacific coast, where they would acquire sea otter pelts to sell to the Chinese. “China went out of its mind for sea otter pelts,” Mr. Mendell said. Conversely, when these traders returned to Boston, the people loved Chinese silk, spices and tea.

Mr. Forbes not only fell in love with Sarah Swain Hathaway, but with Naushon and the islands. He leveraged his wealth to buy out his uncle and aunt in-law, and set about to drain the island’s swamps, build stone walls, add grass to the pastures, and plant thousands of seedling trees. This effort restored the land  closer to what it was in the past. Mr. Forbes himself moved to Cuttyhunk and resided in Gosnold.

In the 1880s, striped bass lured wealthy New York millionaires who arrived in “three-piece suits” and let the locals bait their hooks as they leisurely fished. Cuttyhunk also benefited from William Wood, a businessman who was its “sugar-daddy,” in the 1900s. With his wealth, Mr. Wood implemented infrastructure improvements, paved roads, built a sewer system, and introduced electricity.

A big celebration marked the 300^th anniversary of Gosnold’s original landing in 1902, which including the unveiling of the Gosnold monument – a massive stone structure that is 60 feet high.

The Forbes family still own Naushon; it is estimated that approximately 400 heirs of the Forbes family lay claim to the land today.

By Laura Pedulli

 

 

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11:12:10 pm Marion to Consider Wind Power By-Laws

Categories: Marion

A regular meeting of the Marion Planning Board was called to order by Vice Chairman Joseph Napoli at 7:20 pm on Monday, February 1, 2010 at the Marion Town House. Also in attendance were Board Members Steve Gonsalves, Patricia McArdle, John Sweeney, Julia Crowley and Jay Ryder and Planning Board Secretary Debra Paiva. Chairman Thomas Magauran was not in attendance.

The first appointment was with Alan Minard of 123 Allen’s Point Road. Mr. Minard owns two plots of land off Allen’s Point Road and came to the Board asking to transfer one triangular portion of land from the plot he currently occupies to his other plot that he intends on selling. The size of the land to be transferred is roughly half an acre, and the purpose of the transfer would be to secure unimpeded water views for the new owner of the plot of land. After a couple of questions regarding the placement of the home that will be built on the land and driveway placement, the Board felt comfortable with the transfer and voted to approve it.

A public hearing for a special permit request under the name Shaw/Johnson at 404/406 Point Road to allow construction of an Association Pier was continued upon request and will be postponed until February 22, at 7:30 pm in the Marion Town House.

There were no bills to approve, so the Board voted to approve the minutes of the January 4 and January 11 meetings, pending a signature change on the January 11 minutes.

In a second appointment, Jill Houck of 21 Cottage Lane came to the Board asking permission to produce baked goods at her current business location at 160 Front Street, which also has frontage on Cottage Street. Ms. Houck, owner of Flour Girls Baking Company LLC, currently manufactures her baked goods from a community kitchen in Dartmouth and said that producing her goods in Marion would improve her efficiency in production.

“It would be paradise,” said Ms. Houck. “Lugging things back and forth is exhausting.”

Mr. Ryder recalled that the 300 square foot location that Ms. Houck uses as her storefront in Marion village was once the location of the Jenkins ice cream shop. “I would support [similar] usage in that building,” said Mr. Ryder.

The Board asked if the baked goods would be sold elsewhere, and Ms. Houck said that she would sell a wholesale quantity to a natural foods store in Mattapoisett, and possibly a few other locations.

Marion resident Ruth Nicolaci was in the audience at the meeting and expressed support for the bakery. “I think it would be great for Marion to have a business like this in town,” said Ms. Nicolaci.

The Board had no objection to Ms. Houck’s request and instructed her to proceed in applying for a special permit.

In a second public hearing, Attorney Jack O’Leary represented the Sardinha Family Trust in a request for a change in background color on the Dunkin’ Donuts sign at 450 Wareham Road. The request to change the sign background from Radicchio Red to Jackson Tan was approved by the Board without debate.

In an appointment with Norm Hill of the Alternative Energy Commission (AEC), the Board learned of AEC’s current efforts to facilitate by-law changes which would allow wind power in Marion’s future. AEC, which was formed five years ago, is currently researching areas in Marion that would produce enough wind for the purposes of providing energy to Marion town buildings, like the Town House and Sippican School.

“My understanding is that you are on a fact-finding mission,” said Mr. Ryder.

Architect Bill Saltonstall joined Mr. Hill in discussing the wind power effort. “We are not proposing a turbine anywhere,” said Mr. Saltonstall. “We are just looking to alter by-laws, and get them in shape.”

In addition to the Planning Board, the AEC had plans to meet with the Board of Selectmen, the Zoning Board, and the Financial Committee to discuss by-law changes and the potential benefits of wind power. The by-law changes would need to be approved at Town Meeting.

Safety measures and setback requirements would be among the issues addressed in the by-laws. One of the locations being investigated by a Feasibility Study for wind power is Great Hill on Delano Road.

According to Mr. Hill, over $750,000 is spent on town electricity.

“We believe we could save the town a lot of money,” said Mr. Saltonstall, who cited the annual rise in fossil fuel cost. Mr. Saltonstall said that with new technology called “remote net metering,” the turbine could be placed in an optimal wind source and the energy could be harnessed anywhere in town.

To the tip of the blade, the turbines would stand about 450 feet high and would cost about 1.5 to 2 million per turbine.

“Do you realize that Dartmouth is currently being sued for safety involved with the blade?” asked Ms. Nicolaci. “So you are looking to bring this up at Town Meeting without knowing the safety involved?” she continued.

“The by-laws would address safety issues,” Vice Chairman Napoli responded.

According to Mr. Hill and Mr. Saltonstall, the point of the by-laws would be to make sure that safety and placement would be clearly addressed for future use of wind power.

Ms. Crowley said that Portsmouth Abbey had installed a wind turbine to power their hockey rink. “It is very quiet,” said Ms. Crowley. “I know that’s what people really wonder about.”

Mr. Minard, Chairperson of FinCom, stood and voiced his support for wind power in Marion. “Net metering will let us take energy anywhere. Net savings to the town will cut electricity way down. This is a good idea. This stands to save the town a lot of money. It’s good to get the groundwork in place,” said Mr. Minard.

“I remember when a house on Point Road had windmills for pumping water,” said Ms. Crowley. “The idea [of wind power] is not completely new to Marion.”

A memorandum of understanding with Great Hill has been drafted, and Mr. Saltonstall thought that there was a good chance that a Feasibility Study would find the location prime for wind power.

“I think this is a coming thing,” said Mr. Swift. “I applaud your group for pursuing it.”

The arrangement with Great Hill, which has not yet been detailed, would involve leasing the land or trading power for land usage. Since using private land for municipal usage is unprecedented, these details will be carefully sorted out if the town decides to go forward with the project.

In a following item of discussion, the Board received a letter from Randall Monteiro officially withdrawing his special permit application for a nursery at 454 Wareham Street. An application to use the location as a nursery has been filed by the Sardinha Family Trust with the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the public hearing will be held on Thursday, February 4 in the Marion Town House at 7:30 pm.

Ms. Nicolaci asked why the application went straight to the Zoning Board of Appeals. “If no decision was made, what is there to appeal?” she asked.

“It will be taken out of our hands,” said Vice Chairman Napoli.

The new application will withdraw a special permit application and instead will look for a change of use. The location at 454 Wareham Road is currently zoned residential.

“There seems to be some confusion about what this land is to be used for,” said Mr. Swift.

“I think there was an attempt to push the issue by doing things that were not authorized,” said Vice Chairman Napoli.

Ms. Nicolaci said that she had attended the Planning Board meeting because of the Dunkin’ Donuts sign color change hearing. She fears that the Sardinha Family Trust, owners of both 450 Wareham Road (Dunkin’ Donuts) and 454 Wareham Road (proposed nursery location) will “keep coming back” and said that 454 Wareham Road should remain residential.

In a final agenda item, the Board discussed a requested variance to the Zoning Board of Appeals in regards to “Leo’s,” a wine and cheese shop on Route 6 in Marion. The owners of the building wish to rent the apartment on the second floor of the building that currently houses the shop. The apartment would either be used as a residence or an office. After discussing concerns in regards to the parking issue at the location, the Board ultimately voted to send a letter in favor of the application to the Zoning Board. The Board felt that parking issues could be sorted out as the process goes forward.

There being no more business to attend to, the Board voted to adjourn at 8:45 pm.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

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11:12:05 pm K-12 Regionalization Subcommittee Considered

Categories: News

A scheduled meeting of the Old Rochester Regional District School and the Massachusetts School Superintendency Union #55 Joint Committee was called to order by Union Committee Chairperson Sharon Hartley and ORR District Chairperson Peter Bangs on January 28, 2010, at 6:30 pm. In addition to the members of the Joint Committee, Superintendent William Cooper, incoming Superintendent Douglas White, Director of Student Services Teresa Hamm, and School Business Administrator Kathleen Isernio were all present.

In the ORR Chairperson report, Dr. Bangs reminded all of the members of the Committees that as public servants, they all must complete an ethics test as part of a new Massachusetts initiative. The results of the test, which can be taken online, must be printed out and returned to their town halls.

Dr. Bangs congratulated Rochester and Mattapoisett for choosing to participate in the Race to the Top (RTTT) initiative, but expressed regret that Marion, where his kids attend school and where his wife teaches, and Dartmouth, where Dr. Bangs teaches, did not sign on. Additionally, the ORR district that Dr. Bangs oversees as a Committee Chairperson, did not sign onto the RTTT grant.

Finally, Dr. Bangs thanked everyone who attended the January 23, 2010 retreat, which helped unify the four districts, Mattapoisett, Marion, Rochester, and ORR, with open dialogue on strategic goals. “I hadn’t seen [the goals] in a while, I’m embarrassed to say,” said Dr. Bangs.

In the Union Chairperson’s report, Chairperson Hartley referred to the retreat as a “meaningful day” and thanked Superintendent Douglas White for attending, and thanked coordinator Glen Couture from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees for putting together such a helpful program.

Chairperson Hartley referred to Dr. Cooper’s retirement party on January 22 as a “poignant” event, and a “great celebration” of the work that Dr. Cooper has done over the years.

In his final Superintendent’s report, Dr. Cooper said that he was “blown away” by the retirement party that the school committees and the community held for him. “You are terrific people to work for,” said Dr. Cooper. “You treated [my wife and me] royally. We were properly taken aback. The book Jane [McCarthy] made was incredible. I thank you for that.”

Dr. Cooper went on to further discuss the schools. “I feel good about the condition of the schools,” said Dr. Cooper. “I feel good about the team that’s in place. I feel good about Doug White. I think you have made a wonderful choice for a new superintendent, and I wish all of you well.”

Mr. White thanked the Joint Committee for the retreat, which he described as a “tremendous opportunity to get to know everyone. [It was helpful to find out] where the district is, where it wants to go.”

The Joint Committee received an annual update from the Tri-Town Education Foundation, which is a Tri-Town endowment formed three years ago. The foundation gives grants based on the interest of the endowment. Chairperson Susan Grosart said that the endowment currently has $119,344 and that five grants were issued in September 2009, totaling $3,257, over twice the amount that was issued in 2008.

The Tri-Town Education Foundation is seeking new members, according to Ms. Grosart, and would especially appreciate help from former school committee members. They have a “Taste of the Town” event scheduled for June 18.

Ms. Grosart thanked Dr. Cooper for all of his support over the years. “I don’t think we would be here without him,” said Ms. Grosart.

An endowment such as the Tri-Town Education Foundation works on interest, and “matures” over time. Ms. Grosart said that an example of a mature foundation is the Brookline Education Foundation, which has been in existence for over 25 years, and provides grants and awards to students and teachers.

The subject of K-12 regionalization, which had been tabled at a previous meeting 18 months ago, was once-again broached at the Joint Committee meeting. The topic had been tabled because of the Rochester Memorial School project. Now that the Town of Rochester has approved the construction of a new school, the Tri-Town could once again discuss regionalizing grades K-12.

“What are the advantages and disadvantages of regionalization?” asked Dr. Bangs. “What would it look like?”

Dr. Russell suggested forming a Regionalization Subcommittee, which would consist of school committee members as well as Selectmen and members from the Financial Committees. “It should include a wide range of constituencies,” said Dr. Russell.

The members of the Joint Committee expressed strong support for the regionalization expansion. The school districts currently consist of four different committees: Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and ORR. Regionalizing the elementary school would allow the schools to pool resources and make decisions together.

The Joint Committee agreed to revisit the idea of the Regionalization Subcommittee at the March Joint Committee meeting. In the meantime, the chairpersons from the four school committee will explore the matter further and provide more information at the March meeting.

“It’s more important to do this right than quickly,” said Dr. Russell.

Next on the agenda, the Joint Committee reviewed and approved a revised Non-Resident Policy for the 4 school districts.

In a format borrowed from Acushnet, the policy requires residency in the Tri-Town area for attendance at the public schools. Several exceptions were listed, and they included the children of teachers who do not live in the district, and “extraordinary circumstances:” for example, when a student’s family moves mid-year and the student wishes to complete the year in the Old Rochester Regional district.

The Joint Committee also revisited the topic of a Transitional Skills program. In December, Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester School Committees had been presented with the idea of an “in-house” program for three area students – one representing each town – in need of special educational services. While the Rochester School Committee had approved the measure, Marion and Mattapoisett School Committees did not.

The “in-house” program would have provided the necessary social workers, teachers, and psychiatric support to the three students in need, but ORR Committee member Joe Scott said that “soft numbers” and pressing need made it difficult for the committees to properly determine the full range of the program’s cost.

Ms. Hamm said that the three students have been placed in outer districts, but that she would still like to discuss the matter further, if the event should present itself again.

Mr. Scott said that now that the children are placed in other districts, it is the perfect opportunity for Ms. Hamm to create “hard numbers” and give a full report on what the cost-saving potential would be if they chose to create an in-house service to future children in need. Ms. Hamm agreed, and said that she would prepare a cost analysis for the March meeting.

“Would we have this issue in a regionalized district?” Mr. Gordon asked referring to the previous discussion of regionalizing K-12.

“No,” said Mr. Scott quickly. “It would be a moot point.” Since a K-12 regionalization would include pooling money for special needs students, it is likely that the Transitional Skills program would have been easier to instate if the Tri-Town schools had been fully regionalized at the time.

The Joint School Committee was then given a price list of the school’s lunch prices. It was suggested that the schools review the school lunch prices and consider an increase, but not until the 2010/2011 school year to give families time to prepare. The Joint School Committee will receive a more detailed report from Director of Food Services Suzanne Souza at the March meeting.

Union Committee member Jane McCarthy visited an informational meeting at the Carver Library concerning charter schools. According to Ms. McCarthy, the School Committees learned about the meeting from an article that they read in The Wanderer and sent a representative to the meeting to learn more about the initiative.

Ms. McCarthy said that there were 18 interested parents there, and Eric Heiser from the Sturgis Charter School in Hyannis gave a presentation on the charter schools and International Baccalaureate (IB) model. The meeting was geared towards addressing the purported benefits of charter schools, like smaller classrooms and a challenging curriculum. Charter schools typically work with a lottery system, and are funded through the local school districts when students choose to attend the charter school instead of their local public schools.

“Remember that the money doesn’t come from the state,” said Dr. Cooper. “It comes from the school districts.”

The Joint Committee was in agreement that the Old Rochester Schools are competitive and give little reason for Tri-Town students to want to go elsewhere. “It’s still important to be aware of burgeoning activity,” said Chairperson Hartley.

The Joint Committee voted to go into executive session at 8:55 pm for the purpose of contractual matters.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

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11:11:56 pm Cheerleaders Support Hugs For Healing

Categories: News

Old Rochester Regional has once again gone above and beyond the call of duty for community service and support. In an act of philanthropy, the ORR cheerleaders have organized a fundraiser for Hugs for Healing. Hugs for Healing is a local charity that supports cancer patients. The foundation, which was founded by a family whose mother is a cancer survivor, supplies cancer patients with tote bags in order to make their treatment more comfortable. Each canvas bag, which comes in both blue and pink, contains a HFH journal and pen, a heart-shaped stress toy, a gray sweatshirt, and an HFH registration lanyard. Hugs for Healing hopes that each bag will show patients that they are not alone - there are people who have also fought cancer, and there are others who care about them.

Christine O’Connell-Behan, the founder of Hugs for Healing, describes the foundation as “paying it forward.” As the foundation’s mission statement says, Hugs for Healing is “our way to extend a ‘hug’ to those in need and let them know that they are not alone. Our treatment totes will comfort and support those being treated for cancer, reaching out and extending a ‘hug’ when they need it.”

One of the members of the cheerleading team, Mattie Boyle, said that they got involved in fundraising for Hugs for Healing due to personal connections. “We have a cheerleader on the team who knows the person who started Hugs for Healing,” she explained. The team decided that it would be nice to support the foundation, so they decided to do an in-school fundraiser.

There are three ways for students to donate to Hugs for Healing. The first way is to make any donation to one of the cheerleaders. Those who donate will be given a ribbon to show their support of the foundation. The second way for students to donate is to purchase a link to a chain. These links cost $1.00 each and are inscribed with the words “In the honor of… [cancer patient name].” The homeroom that builds the longest chain will be awarded donuts as a thank you. And finally, students can purchase a bracelet for $2.00. The bracelets come in two colors, pink and blue, and have the website address for Hugs for Healing on them.

There is no definite end to the fundraiser. “We’re going to announce the winning homeroom on the Friday before February vacation,” Ms. Boyle said. “[The fundraiser] will probably end around then.”

Students and Tri-Town community members will still be able to donate to Hugs for Healing at any time, though. The foundation has its own online store where you can purchase sweatshirts, treatment totes, and even supportive hospital attire. Donations can also be mailed to the foundation. One of the ways that the foundation suggests to show your support of cancer patients is to purchase their family support kit, which contains the supplies to make your own Hugs for Healing sweatshirt. The sweatshirt was actually something that the O’Donnell-Behan family made when they first found out that cancer had struck their family. If you are interested in learning more about Hugs for Healing or about how to donate, you may visit the foundation’s website at www.HugsforHealing.com.

By Anne Smith

 

 

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11:11:51 pm Letters to the Editor

Categories: News

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

 

To the Editor:

I’d like to thank the Marion Selectmen, Marion Social Club, all my friends and family for all their support and get well wishes I received during my stay in the hospital.

Sincerely and fondly,

Rose Jackson

Marion

To the Editor:

“What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going, I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be.”

Rest in peace, J. D. Salinger 1919-2010.

Hazle Weatherfield

 

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02:30:49 pm Six More Weeks of Winter

Categories: Marion

Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, the weather forecasting groundhog, saw his shadow early Tuesday morning. After emerging from his lair in Punxsutawney, Mr. Phil saw his shadow, dashing hopes for an early spring. According to tradition, this means we will enjoy another six weeks of winter.

By Anne O'Brien-Kakley

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02:06:55 pm The Caribbean Comes to Mattapoisett

Categories: Mattapoisett

If there was a nip in the air on January 28, the kids at Center and Old Hammondtown Schools were blissfully unaware.

Dressed in bright splashes of lake blue and papaya orange, decked out in tie-dye and leis, Mattapoisett grade schoolers enjoyed a summery presentation by Pan-Neubean Steel. The musical presentation included calypso, reggae, jazz and soul. In between songs, the bandleader and steel drum player, Jeff Clayton, educated the children on the music they were playing, and explained how steel drums are made.

This tropical treat was coordinated by the Mattapoisett PTA Arts and Humanities, and funded by a grant from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council. This was one of many school year supplemental activities that the PTA brings to Mattapoisett children each year.

PTA Arts and Humanities Chairperson, dressed in tie-dye and silver jellyfish earrings, was excited about the presentation. “We asked the kids to get in the mood on a cold, January day,” said Ms. Nettles, who smiled as she looked at the room full of brightly dressed, energetic children, with some of the girls swishing in grass skirts.

“It’s so great to see them get involved,” said Ms. Nettles, whose son was among the children in the audience. The kids also helped prepare for the event by decorating the stage with tropical sea creatures.

PanNeubean Steel is an Afro-Caribbean band that has been together for over ten years, and often plays private venues – they have even opened for Kenny Chesney, Bruce Hornsby, and Jimmy Buffet. It is clear that bandleader Jeff Clayton is a music teacher, since he had an instant rapport with the children and knew how to get them up and moving to the music.

The music selection included songs that are reassuring (Every little thing is gonna be alright!), and music about making good decisions.

Upcoming PTA Arts and Humanities events will include an EthNohTec storyteller in April. The EthNohTec storytime will combine Asian traditions with lyricism, dance and movement.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

 

 

 

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01:58:55 pm Marion Public Health Announcement

Categories: Marion

The seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines are available for free to Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children 9 years of age and younger receive two doses of H1N1 vaccine.

Please call for more information or to schedule an appointment. Marion residents call 508-748-3530; Mattapoisett residents call 508-758-4118; and Rochester residents call 508-763-5421.

 

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01:33:50 pm K-12 Regionalization Subcommittee Considered

Categories: Marion

A scheduled meeting of the Old Rochester Regional District School and the Massachusetts School Superintendency Union #55 Joint Committee was called to order by Union Committee Chairperson Sharon Hartley and ORR District Chairperson Peter Bangs on January 28, 2010, at 6:30 pm. In addition to the members of the Joint Committee, Superintendent William Cooper, incoming Superintendent Douglas White, Director of Student Services Teresa Hamm, and School Business Administrator Kathleen Isernio were all present.

In the ORR Chairperson report, Dr. Bangs reminded all of the members of the Committees that as public servants, they all must complete an ethics test as part of a new Massachusetts initiative. The results of the test, which can be taken online, must be printed out and returned to their town halls.

Dr. Bangs congratulated Rochester and Mattapoisett for choosing to participate in the Race to the Top (RTTT) initiative, but expressed regret that Marion, where his kids attend school and where his wife teaches, and Dartmouth, where Dr. Bangs teaches, did not sign on. Additionally, the ORR district that Dr. Bangs oversees as a Committee Chairperson, did not sign onto the RTTT grant.

Finally, Dr. Bangs thanked everyone who attended the retreat on January 23, 2010 retreat, which helped unify the four districts, Mattapoisett, Marion, Rochester, and ORR, with open dialogue on strategic goals. “I hadn’t seen [the goals] in a while, I’m embarrassed to say,” said Dr. Bangs.

In the Union Chairperson’s report, Chairperson Hartley referred to the retreat as a “meaningful day” and thanked Superintendent Douglas White for attending, and thanked coordinator Glen Couture from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees for putting together such a helpful program.

Chairperson Hartley referred to Dr. Cooper’s retirement party on January 22 as a “poignant” event, and a “great celebration” of the work that Dr. Cooper has done over the years.

In his final Superintendent’s report, Dr. Cooper said that he was “blown away” by the retirement party that the school committees and the community held for him. “You are terrific people to work for,” said Dr. Cooper. “You treated [my wife and me] royally. We were properly taken aback. The book Jane [McCarthy] made was incredible. I thank you for that.”

Dr. Cooper went on to further discuss the schools. “I feel good about the condition of the schools,” said Dr. Cooper. “I feel good about the team that’s in place. I feel good about Doug White. I think you have made a wonderful choice for a new superintendent, and I wish all of you well.”

Mr. White thanked the Joint Committee for the retreat, which he described as a “tremendous opportunity to get to know everyone. [It was helpful to find out] where the district is, where it wants to go.”

The Joint Committee received an annual update from the Tri-Town Education Foundation, which is a Tri-Town endowment formed three years ago. The foundation gives grants based on the interest of the endowment. Chairperson Susan Grosart said that the endowment currently has $119,344 and that five grants were issued in September 2009, totaling $3,257, over twice the amount that was issued in 2008.

The Tri-Town Education Foundation is seeking new members, according to Ms. Grosart, and would especially appreciate help from former school committee members. They have a “Taste of the Town” event scheduled for June 18.

Ms. Grosart thanked Dr. Cooper for all of his support over the years. “I don’t think we would be here without him,” said Ms. Grosart.

An endowment such as the Tri-Town Education Foundation works on interest, and “matures” over time. Ms. Grosart said that an example of a mature foundation is the Brookline Education Foundation, which has been in existence for over 25 years, and provides grants and awards to students and teachers.

The subject of K-12 regionalization, which had been tabled at a previous meeting 18 months ago, was once-again broached at the Joint Committee meeting. The topic had been tabled because of the Rochester Memorial School project. Now that the Town of Rochester has approved the construction of a new school, the Tri-Town could once again discuss regionalizing grades K-12.

“What are the advantages and disadvantages of regionalization?” asked Dr. Bangs. “What would it look like?”

Dr. Russell suggested forming a Regionalization Subcommittee, which would consist of school committee members as well as Selectmen and members from the Financial Committees. “It should include a wide range of constituencies,” said Dr. Russell.

The members of the Joint Committee expressed strong support for the regionalization expansion. The school districts currently consist of four different committees: Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and ORR. Regionalizing the elementary school would allow the schools to pool resources and make decisions together.

The Joint Committee agreed to revisit the idea of the Regionalization Subcommittee at the March Joint Committee meeting. In the meantime, the chairpersons from the four school committee will explore the matter further and provide more information at the March meeting.

“It’s more important to do this right than quickly,” said Dr. Russell.

Next on the agenda, the Joint Committee reviewed and approved a revised Non-Resident Policy for the 4 school districts.

In a format borrowed from Acushnet, the policy requires residency in the Tri-Town area for attendance at the public schools. Several exceptions were listed, and they included the children of teachers who do not live in the district, and “extraordinary circumstances”, like when a student’s family moves mid-year and the student wishes to complete the year in the Old Rochester Regional district.

The Joint Committee also revisited the topic of a Transitional Skills program. In December, Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester School Committees had been presented with the idea of an “in-house” program for three area students – one representing each town – in need of special educational services. While the Rochester School Committee had approved the measure, Marion and Mattapoisett School Committees did not.

The “in-house” program would have provided the necessary social workers, teachers, and psychiatric support to the three students in need, but ORR Committee member Joe Scott said that “soft numbers” and pressing need made it difficult for the committees to properly determine the full range of the program’s cost.

Ms. Hamm said that the three students have been placed in outer districts, but that she would still like to discuss the matter further, if the event should present itself again.

Mr. Scott said that now that the children are placed in other districts, it is the perfect opportunity for Ms. Hamm to create “hard numbers” and give a full report on what the cost-saving potential would be if they chose to create an in-house service to future children in need. Ms. Hamm agreed, and said that she would prepare a cost analysis for the March meeting.

“Would we have this issue in a regionalized district?” Mr. Gordon asked referring to the previous discussion of regionalizing K-12.

“No,” said Mr. Scott quickly. “It would be a moot point.” Since a K-12 regionalization would include pooling money for special needs students, it is likely that the Transitional Skills program would have been easier to instate if the Tri-Town schools had been fully regionalized at the time.

The Joint School Committee was then given a price list of the school’s lunch prices. It was suggested that the schools review the school lunch prices and consider an increase, but not until the 2010/2011 school year to give families time to prepare. The Joint School Committee will receive a more detailed report from Director of Food Services Suzanne Souza at the March meeting.

Union Committee member Jane McCarthy visited an informational meeting at the Carver Library concerning charter schools. According to Ms. McCarthy, the School Committees learned about the meeting from an article that they read in The Wanderer and sent a representative to the meeting to learn more about the initiative.

Ms. McCarthy said that there were 18 interested parents there, and Eric Heiser from the Sturgis Charter School in Hyannis gave a presentation on the charter schools and International Baccalaureate (IB) model. The meeting was geared towards addressing the purported benefits of charter schools, like smaller classrooms and a challenging curriculum. Charter schools typically work with a lottery system, and are funded through the local school districts when students choose to attend the charter school instead of their local public schools.

“Remember that the money doesn’t come from the state,” said Dr. Cooper. “It comes from the school districts.”

The Joint Committee was in agreement that the Old Rochester Schools are competitive and give little reason for Tri-Town students to want to go elsewhere. “It’s still important to be aware of burgeoning activity,” said Chairperson Hartley.

The Joint Committee voted to go into executive session at 8:55 pm for the purpose of contractual matters.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

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01:35:11 pm The Caribbean Comes to Mattapoisett

Categories: Marion

If there was a nip in the air on January 28, the kids at Center and Old Hammondtown Schools were blissfully unaware.

Dressed in bright splashes of lake blue and papaya orange, decked out in tie-dye and leis, Mattapoisett grade schoolers enjoyed a summery presentation by Pan-Neubean Steel. The musical presentation included calypso, reggae, jazz and soul. In between songs, the bandleader and steel drum player, Jeff Clayton, educated the children on the music they were playing, and explained how steel drums are made.

This tropical treat was coordinated by the Mattapoisett PTA Arts and Humanities, and funded by a grant from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council. This was one of many school year supplemental activities that the PTA brings to Mattapoisett children each year.

PTA Arts and Humanities Chairperson

Debra Nettles

, dressed in tie-dye and silver jellyfish earrings, was excited about the presentation. “We asked the kids to get in the mood on a cold, January day,” said Ms. Nettles, who smiled as she looked at the room full of brightly dressed, energetic children, with some of the girls swishing in grass skirts.

“It’s so great to see them get involved,” said Ms. Nettles, whose son was among the children in the audience. The kids also helped prepare for the event by decorating the stage with tropical sea creatures.

PanNeubean Steel is a Afro-Caribbean band that has been together for over ten years, and often plays private venues – they have even opened for Kenny Chesney, Bruce Hornsby, and Jimmy Buffet. It is clear that bandleader Jeff Clayton is a music teacher, since he had an instant rapport with the children and knew how to get them up and moving to the music.

The music selection included songs that are reassuring (Every little thing is gonna be alright!), and music about making good decisions.

Upcoming PTA Arts and Humanities events will include an EthNohTec storyteller in April. The EthNohTec storytime will combine Asian traditions with lyricism, dance and movement.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

 

 

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12:10:34 am Mattapoisett Adopts Silver Star Banner Day

Categories: Mattapoisett

A scheduled meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen was called to order by Chairman Jordan C. Collyer on January 26, 2010 at 7:00 pm. Also in attendance were Selectmen Paul Silva and George Randall, Town Administrator Michael Gagne’, and Assistant to the Selectmen Melody Pacheco.

The Board voted to approve the minutes of the January 12, 2010 meeting, both open and executive session.

Next in Action items, the Board voted to approve the annual “Change of Manager” at the Knights of Columbus, located at 57 Fairhaven Road in Mattaposiett.

In a final Action item, the Board voted to accept a proclamation for a Silver Star Banner Day on May 1. Silver Star Families of America is an organization that honors and provides support to wounded and ill men and women in the armed forces. Silver Star Families are recognized by the banners they display in their windows.

The first appointment of the evening was with Will Boutin, who was presented with the Veteran’s Council Certificate for 25 years of dedication to the Veteran’s Council. Veteran Agent Barry Denham was present to thank Mr. Boutin “for his untiring support of the Veteran’s Council.” Likewise, Mr. Boutin thanked Mr. Denham for all his work as the Veteran’s Agent.

In a following appointment, the Board met with the Mattapoisett Lions Club to discuss banners and the Harbor Days celebration. This was a continuation of a previous discussion where the Mattapoisett Lions requested the Board’s support in conducting a fundraiser by hanging banners on telephone poles throughout town. The 50 proposed banners, which would be endorsed by area businesses, would mostly hang on County Road (Route 6), Water Street, Main Street, and North Street, and would “tastefully” emphasize locations and events.

The Lions have received permission from Verizon to use the telephone poles, but the Board still hesitated at the quantity of proposed banners. “The public [needs] an idea of a maximum that will be allowed in a certain distance,” said Selectman Silva, who was afraid that the banners could become too crowded in some areas. The Board was more supportive of a move where the Lions would hang 10-15 banners and see the visual impact on town, and allow time for residents to provide feedback.

“It’s hard to go halfway on this,” said a representative from the Lions. The Lions receive a better price break by buying a larger quantity of banners, which makes their fundraiser more profitable.

“I have no qualms doing it,” said Selectman Silva. “I just want to make sure that the folks in the neighborhood don’t mind.”

Chairman Collyer said that he had seen similar banners done very tastefully in areas like Newport, RI, and that he had little concern with the banner placement on County Road, but was more concerned with village areas like Water, Main, and North Street.

Road Race Committee member Danny White spoke up in regards to the fundraiser. Mr. White expressed the opinion that a Lions Club banner fundraiser could take away from the Road Race fundraiser, which provides scholarship money to area students. A representative from the Lions Club said that their funds also stay in the community by providing handicap ramps, and other services to those in need.

The Board told the Lions to go forward with a smaller quantity of banners (25), preferably spaced out throughout the community, to get an idea of how the banners will look.

“A lot of older people [will] talk about it…” said Selectman Randall. “I think we should do a trial run.”

The Lions also presented the dates for 2010 Harbor Days, which will be July 16, 17, and 18. They plan on meeting with Police Chief Mary Lyons, Fire Chief Andrew Murray, and Building Inspector Andy Bobola to pull all the right permits.

“Status quo,” said Chairman Collyer. “Let’s try to maintain what we’ve been doing [in past years].”

“Just keep making that Strawberry Shortcake,” said Selectman Silva. “I look forward to it.”

Under Discussion items, Mr. Gagne’ informed the Board that he will be attending the Tri-Town Alliance Municipal Regionalization Workshop in Braintree on February 10, 2010, and was hoping that one of the selectmen would be interested in going with him. At the presentation will be information on the solid waste pick-up that has been regionalized between Weymouth, Braintree and Quincy.

The Board agreed that regionalization is a good move, but residents have to be diligent about separating trash from recycling as well, since less trash means less “tonnage”, which brings waste removal costs down.

“Education will be critical,” said Mr. Gagne’, who said that they would need an “aggressive recycling program” to keep costs down.

“No one wants to go to ‘pay as you throw’,” said Chairman Collyer, referring to the program some communities have resorted to, where residents must purchase special town bags for trash removal. This last-ditch effort usually results in more recycling efforts from citizens. While Mattapoisett wants to avoid this measure, they will need cooperation from residents in trash sorting to keep curbside pick-up in the operating budget.

In Notes and Announcements, Ms. Pacheco informed the Board that the next Selectmen’s meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 9, at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall Conference Room.

Under the Town Administrator’s report, Mr. Gagne’ updated the Board on the Massachusetts Agricultural Commission Conference on March 20 in Worcester. If enough Mattapoisett residents were interested, Mr. Gagne’ thinks that they could put together a carpool and use the COA van to attend the event, which starts at 9:00 am. Those interested should contact Mr. Gagne’ at the Town Hall.

Mr. Gagne’ also wished to remind the public that the lottery for the dingy list is on Saturday, January 30. If anyone is interested in being included should come to the Town Clerk’s office by Friday, January 29, 2010.

The Board received correspondence from Comcast on the scheduled network enhancement features. Since Comcast will be switching to digital service soon, the Board invited Comcast Senior Manager Mary O’Keefe to attend an upcoming meeting for public informational purposes.

There being no more open session items to attend to, the Board voted to go into executive session at 8:04 pm for the purpose of collective bargaining.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

 

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12:10:30 am Rochester Receives S+P Bond Rating

Categories: Rochester

A Meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen was called to order on Monday January 25, 2010 at 6:49 pm by Chairman Richard Nunes. Also present were Selectman Bradford N. Morse, Selectman Naida L. Parker and Administrative Assistant Veronica Lafreniere.

The minutes from the January 4, 2010 meeting were approved by the Board.

The first order of business was the temporary Animal Control Officer position, from now until March 18, 2010. Selectman Parker suggested an advertisement be posted so that a resident from Rochester could have an opportunity to fill the position. For the next two weeks, until February 8, 2010, the Board voted to appoint Ms. Susan Conner for the position.

Next, the SEMASS payment in lieu of taxes for the month of December totaled $284, 980.00. A thank you letter from Rochester Youth Baseball to the Selectmen and other town officials for their support this past year was read aloud.

Also under Correspondence, a Standard and Poor’s Bond Rating showed that the town of Rochester’s current long-term rating is an AA/Standard. The summary provided by Standard and Poor’s regarding Rochester read, “In our opinion, the rating reflects the town’s extremely strong property wealth and high income levels, coupled with below-average underemployment; very strong reserve position; and low-to-moderate debt burden with modest additional capital needs.”

Selectman Morse discussed with the other Board members the Tri-Town meeting he recently attended where the ORR budget and regional issues were brought up. Another Tri-Town meeting has been scheduled for the last Thursday in February.

Treasurer Cynthia Mello then presented a consolidation of the Town’s debt into one bond, which the Board voted on and approved of unanimously. Some of the debt is due to the 9.5 million the town is responsible for as their share of the Elementary School’s renovations cost, as well as a portion for the new fire truck.

A Verizon Pole Hearing was held regarding two new poles to be placed on Ryder Road, and the removal of one old pole. The Board made a motion to approve this change, and the motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Mario DiBona then approached the Board regarding the New Bedford Water Line, and Chairman Nunes asked that this be discussed at a later date when the Board of Health and the Planning Board could be present as well. Mr. DiBona agreed to this request.

An Annual Herring Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 7:05 pm at the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen’s meeting, which is held in the Conference room at the Mattapoisett Town Hall.

Selectmen’s Meetings are scheduled for February 8 and 22, and March 8 and 22, 2010.

There being no further matters in need of discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:18 pm.

By Sarah K. Taylor

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12:10:23 am Marion Schools May Still Qualify for Grant

Categories: Marion

A regular meeting of the Marion School Committee was called to order by Chairperson Jane McCarthy at 6:30 pm in the Marion Town House. Also present were committee members Christine Winters, Jay Pateakos, Joseph Scott, and Vice Chairman Brad Gordon, Superintendent William Cooper, incoming Superintendent Doug White, School Business Administrator Kathleen Isernio, Director of Student Services Teresa Hamm and Interim Principal Lyn Rivet.

Chairperson McCarthy publicly thanked departing Superintendent Dr. Cooper for his 7.5 years of service. She cited “his calm demeanor, listening skills, and time given to parents” among his admirable traits. Additionally, she noted his role in creating a popular staff newsletter, his tireless enthusiasm for school sports, and his fitness lifestyle as a healthy example for students.

“Bill listens to everyone who wants to be heard,” she said. “He is a great example of how to behave in difficult situations.” Vice Chairman Gordon added to her remarks: “You’ve given us good and fair guidance throughout all of the time I’ve been on the Committee.”

Dr. Cooper heartily thanked Chairperson McCarthy and the board for their positive comments on his service. “I think the world of folks who will volunteer on school boards and take the heat that you do, put in the hours that you do … and put your ego on the line… to serve for the good of the kids,” Dr. Cooper said. The departing Superintendent also described his replacement as “terrific” and said he expected a seamless transition. Mr. White – who already is engaged in school activities in preparation for his new role – will officially replace Dr. Cooper on February 1

Dr. Cooper also commented that the recent January 15 in-service was “terrific” and mentioned ORR girls basketball coach Bob Holmes’ accomplishment of winning 500 games last Tuesday as an “up moment” for the school.

As a gesture of thanks, Volunteers at Sippican Elementary (VASE) Chairwoman Ronia Lavranos presented Dr. Cooper with the book Skycycle. She said it was part of the Books in Celebration project for which the organization donates books to the library.

Interim Principal Ms. Rivet discussed a variety of items in her report, including the recent in-service and current activities of the Student Council. She reported that the Student Council currently is conducting a fundraiser in collaboration with Soles for Souls in the hope of distributing shoes to earthquake victims in Haiti. Ms. Rivet also reported that the council is developing a school handbook.

In addition, Ms. Rivet again addressed recent discipline issues on the school bus. She said that most buses do not have problems, but one is a “work in progress.” School officials have had discussions with affected parents and students, she said. Ms. Rivet recently sat on a school bus in an effort to discourage inappropriate behavior and plans to do so on more occasions, she said. The interim principal also talked about a plan to install video cameras to improve security.

Ms. Rivet presented a report detailing her recent site visits to other school districts. She is investigating changes to the Sippican School curriculum, in particular to mathematics, in addition to upgrading the school’s technology stock. She looked at experiences at other school districts to recommend possible new programs at Sippican. Specifically, Ms. Rivet outlined the following recommendations:

• Explore Every Day Math (EDM) pilot/adoption to replace the current mathematics curriculum, Scott Foresman.

• Look at consistent teacher support and professional development to implement EDM.

• Continue work toward consistent literacy model across grades.

• Plan for cutting-edge technology.

The EDM program would cost $32 per student for the pilot kit, according to Ms. Rivet. At the time of the meeting, she did not know the price tag for the professional development piece of EDM. Under the EDM program, schools are required to dedicate a minimum of 60 minutes per day to its mathematics curriculum. Sippican School currently devotes 40 minutes of the school day to math. It is unclear how the additional time will be carved out, but Ms. Rivet said the length of the school day would remain unchanged if Sippican adopted the program. She also noted that per feedback from other school administrators, she would recommend the program be initially rolled out in the first two or three grades.

Chairperson McCarthy commented that the adoption of EDM often takes years to cement and parents often are frustrated by the requirements of the program, such as increased homework. However, she said once the children hit fourth grade they are fluent in the program. “There is a dip before success with Every Day Math,” she said.

In response to concerns that too little time has elapsed since the Marion school last adopted a mathematics overhaul (Scott Foresman Math), Ms. Rivet cited EDM’s success in raising student performance in other school districts and the need for consistency among grades in mathematics instruction. She also said the program is less “paper-pencil” and more “concept driven” – which students find more engaging – and that “more is offered for teachers” in terms of professional enhancement.

At the tail end of her report, the interim principal acquired approval from the committee to fund a student artwork fundraiser.

Subsequently, the committee voted to approve Minutes from the December 16, 2009, meeting.

School Business Administrator Kathleen Isernio then discussed budgetary issues and acquired approval to use Nutrikids as the vendor of a new cafeteria card system. Under this system, students could pay for lunch using a card in place of cash and parents could monitor their children’s lunch purchases. For a small fee, parents could increase a card’s balance online. Incoming Superintendent Doug White recommended NutriKids, which was used in districts in New Hampshire where he recently served as superintendent.

After its initial start-up cost, Ms. Isernio determined the program would cost $640 annually to maintain.

Dr. Cooper then discussed in detail the Race to the Top (RTTT) Grant, a multi-billion dollar federal government program that seeks to enhance educational achievement by utilizing comprehensive assessment tools. The government will announce which states will be included in the grant in mid-April.

Under the RTTT Grant, Dr. Cooper stated that school districts electively get 20% of Title I money. The Marion School District receives $50,000 in Title I funds, which means the district would get an additional $10,000 under RTTT. Although this money is not jaw dropping, he said the real funding potential is in the estimated $250,000 million in grants available at the state level to RTTT-participating schools.

To apply for RTTT, school districts had to receive three signatures: the superintendent; the school board chairperson; and the teachers’ union.

The Marion teachers’ union did not endorse the grant, leaving the district one signature short to submit a complete application. Dr. Cooper noted that Massachusetts is accepting grant applications with just two signatures under a memorandum of understanding agreement, but the viability of these grants remains to be seen. Both Mattapoisett and Rochester School Districts obtained three signatures; thus if Massachusetts is awarded as an RTTT state, Marion could be left out of grants available to these neighboring districts. In Massachusetts alone, 285 school districts obtained three signatures compared to 56 that submitted with only two signatures, according to Dr. Cooper.

The lack of Marion’s full participation in RTTT not only leads to less money for the district, but failure to “participate in the shape of future public education,” Dr. Cooper said. However, Dr. Cooper remained optimistic that negotiations between the school board and the union may allow Marion schools to participate in a modified manner. For instance, the merit program – which Dr. Cooper said may have discouraged teachers to be on board with RTTT – could be tweaked in the future so all parties are on board.

Both Ms. Winters and Vice Chairman Gordon expressed strong disappointment at the union’s failure to endorse RTTT. “I’m disappointed to be in the minority of districts with just two signatures,” Mr. Gordon said.

Ms. Winters said, “I’m disappointed as a board member and a parent.” She noted that RTTT would assess students in their individual progress, which she believes would be a powerful tool to enhance student achievement. “This has been a very disappointing process for me,” she said. The School Board then voted to approve to continue pursuing participation in RTTT despite the recent setbacks.

Vice Chairman Gordon gave a brief report as representative of the Building Committee. He said that despite significant problems with two coils in the Sippican School’s HVAC system, 18 inspections found that the problem is not widespread thus no comprehensive replacements are required. He said the two damper controls were replaced at a relatively low cost. The vice chairman also reported a leak in the rotunda area that resulted in minor damage to interior moldings. He said that a plywood-covered hole – intended for a donated clock that never arrived – will be adequately closed up to prevent future leaks.

In his report, Mr. Pateakos noted that the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative is providing $7,500 to consolidate special transportation needs within districts. He also reported on professional development programs for history teachers and instructors of children with English as a second language. In other news, School Board member Mr. Scott announced that the Old Rochester Regional District had reinstated the late bus.

The Marion School Committee voted to adjourn at 9:00 pm.

By Laura Pedulli

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12:10:16 am Five-Town Trash Pick-Up Proposed

Categories: News

At a Tri-Town Selectmen’s meeting on January 21, 2010, the topic of regionalization was the issue of the night.

The meeting, which was hosted by Rochester Selectmen Bradford Morse and Naida Parker, and attended by Mattapoisett Selectmen George Randall and Paul Silva, Marion Selectmen Stephen Cushing, Roger Blanchette and Jonathan Henry, and Town Administrators Richard LaCamera of Rochester and Michael Gagne of Mattapoisett, largely focused on how the Tri-Town can regionalize services.

Mr. Gagne presented the idea of a Five-Town trash pick-up and removal service, which would include Mattapoisett, Marion, Rochester, Acushnet, and Fairhaven. Since some services, like water and sewer, have been regionalized with Fairhaven, the hope is that another “big ticket” item like solid waste disposal could save all the area municipalities money.

Mr. Gagne said that he would like to “sit down” with Acushnet and Fairhaven and see if they would be interested in such a consortium. “The larger the pool, the larger the contract, the better price we could get,” said Mr. Gagne, who cited the trash regionalization of Quincy, Braintree and Weymouth, which has saved those towns over a million dollars.

All Massachusetts towns are currently facing a tough budget, and trash removal will present a dramatic increase in May 2011. Currently, a town like Mattapoisett pays $60,000 annually for trash removal; according to Mr. Gagne, that number will reach $250,000 by the year 2015 if the town does not seek some kind of regionalization.

Selectman Blanchette presented the benefit of having trash removal performed by municipal workers, but Mr. Gagne pointed out that regionalization wouldn’t necessarily preclude one municipality from taking the contract for all of the towns.

“There’s too many people out there doing too many things,” said Mr. LaCamera, in regards to regionalizing services. “There’s a lot of discussion going on, but no one’s moving forward.”

The Selectmen noted that they often talk about regionalization, but the talk doesn’t always lead to actualization. Selectman Henry suggested having a person placed in charge of facilitating regionalization efforts.

Mr. Gagne suggested working on a “grassroots level” and then working to regionalize with SRPEDD’s help to mobilize their efforts. “You can go to meetings and talk and talk and talk,” said Mr. Gagne, but he said that a group like SRPEDD could help them achieve the regionalization.

The Selectmen also tentatively spoke about regionalizing or pooling resources in regards to the elementary schools. This is a topic that will be addressed in further Tri-Town Selectmen meetings.

On the subject of FY11, the Tri-Town Selectmen expressed concern over the upcoming budget that will likely reflect hard economic times. Mr. LaCamera also said that he suspected Governor Deval Patrick would be announcing a reduction in state aid soon.

Besides trash removal, the region will strain under the projected 15% increase in the Plymouth County retirement plan. A discussion about the Plymouth County pension plan will be held on February 8 at 10:30 am in the Lakeville Library.

The Tri-Town Selectmen decided they would meet again on Thursday, February 25, to reconvene on the regionalization topics right before FY11 budgets are scheduled to be released. The governor’s budget will be released on February 27, and they will be able to gauge a lot of the towns’ spending based on what Governor Patrick says.

There being no more business to attend to, the Tri-Town Selectmen agreed to adjourn at 8:03 pm.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

 

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12:10:11 am ORR Ends Term 2

Categories: News

Students who are currently in Grades 10 and 11 are being granted the opportunity to attend the Nation Leadership Forum. This forum is a three day comprehensive residential program for students of high academic standing. Not only is the program enriching for the enrolled students, but it also looks great on college resumes, which are included in college applications senior year. Students who are currently in good academic standing and who also demonstrate their leadership abilities both in ORR and in their town are encouraged to apply for enrollment in the program. More information about this opportunity can be found in the guidance department.

Sippican Elementary School is starting an after-school student enrichment program and is therefore looking for high school students to volunteer. The program is scheduled to start in March and will run on Thursday afternoons. Students who are interested in volunteering need to go to the assistant principal’s office (in the science wing) for an informational form.

By this point, seniors should have gotten measured for their graduation robes during their lunches. When getting measured, the students should bring the $20 deposit in either cash or check.

Parents of both the junior and sophomore classes have had parent meetings earlier this week. The junior class meeting was on Monday, January 25, and the topic of discussion was the junior semi-formal in May. The following day, the sophomore class meeting was held.

ORR entered the third term on Tuesday, January 26. Students who had missing work should have already turned it in in order for it to be graded. Students who still have missing work have now passed the deadline and will therefore be unable to get credit for the assignment. Report cards will be finalized later in the week, and a copy will be given to every student to take home. Students and parents are also able to see the final grades for the second term by visiting PowerSchool online. Parents should be aware that because the school now uses PowerSchool, teachers are no longer required to write comments on the report cards. The reason for this is because parents have the chance to look at their student’s grades throughout the term, and thus should be speaking with the teachers if they have any questions. Some teachers, though, still use comments online.

Going forward into the school year, students should be aware of how they budget their time. There are only three weeks until February vacation, and the third term ends shortly after that. The fourth term is even shorter, and one week is devoted to April vacation while another is devoted to finals. Seniors have an even shorter fourth term.

Most students will also be starting their research papers for history in the coming weeks, and the freshmen English classes will also be working on their epics. Students typically complete both assignments last minute, but ORR teachers suggest that students plan ahead and create a timeline for their work, including February vacation within it.

By Anne Smith

 

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12:10:04 am Phone-a-thon Promotes Intercultural Initiative

Categories: News

While many high schoolers slept in this past Saturday morning, the Old Rochester Regional High School (ORR) chapter of the American Field Service (AFS) hunkered down and participated in a weekend phone-a-thon to raise donations for AFS’s general scholarship program.

Fueled by donuts and the support of four parent and school volunteers, 10 students manned phones and prepared mailings in this annual fundraising effort.

The AFS is a cultural exchange program that has been thriving at ORR since the 1970s. The aim of the program is to foster international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools and communities through a global volunteer program. According to AFS chapter treasurer Barbara DeSilva, monies raised during the phone-a-thon will help offset some of the hidden costs of being an exchange student abroad.

Kristina Davis, the previous coordinator of the AFS chapter, noted that ORR has been “extremely supportive” of the intercultural program. She credited this chapter with encouraging schools in Wareham and Lakeville to host their own students. This year, ORR welcomed three international students: Peter Augustin from Germany; Natacha Tanrattanawong from Thailand; and Diego Saldana from Panama.

Fresh from raising $25 during his first phone call of the day, sophomore Sam Carey beamed with enthusiasm for the AFS club. “I like being part of the club. I have great friends in it and it’s fun.” Carey is applying for a scholarship to live abroad in Germany for a year through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYE). The CBYE is a federally funded program that offers 250 scholarships to U.S. students wishing to study abroad in Germany.

One student sharing her home with a cultural exchange student is sophomore Kate Ryer. She expressed delight at her experience hosting Mr. Augustin. “It’s been an awesome experience. Peter is so much fun to live with,” she said. So far, the German student has accompanied Ms. Ryer’s family on trips throughout the Eastern seaboard – from Washington, DC and Baltimore to New York City, Boston, and Cape Cod. Ms. Ryer’s family has made their own efforts to learn Mr. Augustin’s language by posting notecards of German words on objects around the house.

For the time being, Ms. Ryer relishes his presence in her home. “I don’t want to think about him leaving. It’s too sad,” she said. If the experiences of AFS parents who have lived abroad or hosted students are any indicator, it is likely they will forge a long friendship. Ms. Davis,the previous coordinator, noted that she not only hosted an Indonesian student, but lived abroad there for two years and remains in contact with many international students.

Parent Catherine Maxie – who was diligently putting the final stamps on mail solicitations – also reminisced about students she welcomed into her home. “It is very eye-opening and challenging,” she said. “Teenagers are the same the world over… they are full of life, full of contradictions.”

In the past few years, Maxie’s family has opened her home to two students – one from Azerbaijan and the other from Turkey. Maxie recounted her experience fasting with the Azerbaijan student who practices Ramadan. She said they would wake up at 4:00am to eat breakfast before sunrise, and she still remembers the treat of rosewater and dates when the sun finally set. The exposure to Muslim traditions was very educational for her two teenagers living at home at the time, she said.

Kim Corazzini, current advisor of the club, noted that the group’s activities extend beyond studying abroad and hosting students. Last year the club traveled to Goodwall, Kansas, and welcomed their students to Massachusetts. This year the AFS club is hoping to visit Washington, DC. Other AFS activities include participation in the Manjiro Festival in Fairhaven, MA, in the fall.

In addition, on February 6, the group will host Around the World: A Multicultural Festival at Mattapoisett Center School. This event – geared toward pre-K to third grade students – will include games, crafts, songs, music, and dancing. Tickets are $5.00 per child and $10.00 per family.

Although the numbers will not be tallied by press time, Ms. DeSilva said the group typically raises between $4,000 and $6,000 during the weekend phone-a-thon effort. She noted that it requires $5,000 to fund a student abroad, thus every cent matters.

Residents who did not receive a phone call but still wish to contribute can mail their contribution to AFS, Old Regional Rochester High School, P.O. Box 585, Mattapoisett, MA 02739. Checks are payable to “AFS Parent Club at ORRHS.” For further information, contact Jessica Noblet at 508-758-2676 or e-mail jessicanoblet@gmail.com.

By Laura Pedulli

 

 

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03:09:31 pm Hold-up Suspect Still Wanted in Marion

Categories: Marion

Marion Police are still looking for a suspect who is accused of robbing an employee of Bayside Insurance, on the corner of Route 6 and Creek Road on January 22, 2010. According to the eyewitness, the suspect was armed.

The employee reported that a 5’ 10” white male in his late 40’s, early 50’s entered the business at 8:00 am and demanded money. The suspect fled out the back door of the business at 242 Wareham Street and ran in the direction of Creek Road. A black pick-up truck was seen entering the parking lot prior to the suspect fleeing.

When police arrived on scene, they used a K-9 dog, which tracked some scent on Creek Road, but could not find the suspect. The Marion Police Department believes that the suspect might have gotten into a vehicle, possibly the black pick-up truck, and fled the area.

No injuries were reported from the hold-up. According to the police, the suspect was wearing jeans, and an initial report indicated that the suspect was also wearing a brown Carhartt workman jacket.

At the time of the incident, Marion residents were sent an automated communicator message from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s department. Marion police are still looking for this suspect and are now asking for the public’s help.

For more information, or if you have information, please contact Detective Scott Smith at the Marion Police Deparment, at 508-748-1212.

By Anne O'Brien-Kakley

 

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03:07:56 pm Homeland Security Trains over Tri-Town

Categories: News

The air rumbled in Mattapoisett at 7:00 pm on Wednesday night, January 20, when F15s from Westfield-Barne airport trained an "intercept and divert" procedure for the purpose of Homeland Security training.

The loud noise that sounded like thunder to some residents, was actually the F15 aircrafts flying at about 2,000 feet. Ed DeWitt from the New England Regional Airport said that that was "the sound of freedom" as the pilots practiced an important procedure to intercept suspicious aircrafts and divert them to land at local airports.

Mr. DeWitt had "no comment" as to where and when further training exercises would take place, but he did confirm that there would be further training in the area.

Major Matt Mutti from the Westfield-Barne said that the F15s were preparing for an Air Sovereignty Alert on February 15. “Fighter jets will be on alert 24/7,” said Major Mutti, as a part of the mission.

In the planned exercise, one set of F15s flies without flight plans, and/or without communication, and acts suspiciously. The other F15s attempt to “intercept and divert” the suspicious aircrafts.

The January 20 air event involved New Bedford and Cape Cod. According to Major Mutti, on January 26, there will be another exercise over New Bedford, and on January 28, there will be an exercise over Cape Cod.

By Anne O’Brien-Kakley

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05:54:35 pm Strong Wind Brings Limb Down on Prospect Rd

Categories: Marion

Heavy winds caused a large tree branch to split and land in the middle of Prospect Road in Mattapoisett around 2:45 pm on January 25, 2010. The Highway Department worked quickly with chainsaws while traffic waited to move. Photo by Anne O'Brien-Kakley.

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12:46:59 pm Pan Neubean Steel at Center and Old Hammondtown Schools

Categories: News, Mattapoisett

On January 28, the PTA Arts and Humanities will welcome PanNeubean Steel to both Center and Old Hammondtown Schools. PanNeubean Steel showcases the Steel Pan’s musical versatility – providing us with a sample of Caribbean (reggae, soca, calypso), Afro-Caribbean, Contemporary, Jazz, Soul, Fusion and Classical music styles. Their energetic, positive attitude and esteem-enhancing approach will delight as well as serve as a model for all children and adults. The Mattapoisett PTA looks forward to presenting the music of warmer climates during these cold winter days - making this an unforgettable fun and entertaining event! This program is supported in part by a grant from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

This program will entertain Mattapoisett children at the Center School at 10:00 am and 1:15 pm at the Old Hammondtown School on January 28.

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