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10:24:48 pm Mattapoisett to Press Comcast to 'Light Up' Education Channel

Categories: Mattapoisett

A regular meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen was called to order on Tuesday, September 25 at 7:00 pm by Chairman Raymond H. Andrews. Also present were Selectman Stephen J. Lombard, Selectman Jordan C. Collyer, Town Administrator Michael J. Botelho, and Assistant to the Town Administrator Melody Pacheco.

The board first approved the minutes of the September 11 and September 18 meetings, then voted to proclaim Tuesday, September 25 as "United Nations Day."

The board next voted to set the following Town Hall holiday schedule:

* Town Hall will close at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, November 21 for the Thanksgiving Holiday and will reopen on Monday, November 26;

* Town Hall will close at 12:00 noon on Friday, December 21 for the annual Town Hall Christmas Party to be held at the Kinsale Inn;

* Town Hall will close at 12:00 noon on Monday, December 24 and reopen on Wednesday, December 26 for the Christmas Holiday;

* Town Hall will close at 12:00 noon on Monday, December 31 and reopen on Wednesday, January 2 for the New Years Holiday.

The board also voted to appoint Gracinda Knox of 15 Crystal Spring Road to the Capital Planning Committee.

Lastly under Action Items, the board reviewed the warrant for the newly-rescheduled Special Town Meeting to be held on Monday, October 22, 2007.

"I think that Article 19 should be up with the rest of the appropriations for salaries and wages so we can handle them all at one time," Selectman Lombard suggested.

With that lone change and having been reviewed by Town Counsel, the board unanimously voted to sign and post the warrant as written.

Under Selectmen's discussion items, the board revisited the recent request from Rick's Tavern, 35 County Road, for a Keno license from the Massachusetts Lottery Commission. The board had no objections to the establishment acquiring the license as requested and, as such, took no action in the matter.

Selectman Andrews next noted the Highway Department has been cleaning catch basins in town and they are finding a lot of plastic bags with dog droppings in them.

"This is very bad ... it's even worse than putting straight dog droppings into the catch basins because the plastic bags keep them concentrated ... and help them spread around," Selectman Andrews said. "We appreciate people using plastic bags to pick up after their dogs, but please don't dump them into catch basins."

Selectman Andrews also noted that the Tri-Town Public, Education and Government (PEG) Access corporation, ORCTV, has been having trouble getting Comcast to adhere to their contractual obligation to "light up" the tri-town education channel (Channel 18 ED-TV). According to the terms of Comcast's contract with Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester, the channel was supposed to be activated on September 1, 2007.

"It may be time for the three Town Administrators to confer with (ORCTV) Executive Director Kim Miot and our attorney, Bill Solomon, who drafted the contract," Selectman Andrews said. "The only thing holding up Channel 18 from going live is Comcast. The schools are ready to have content go out on Channel 18."

According to Selectman Andrews, Comcast has alleged that they need to purchase additional equipment to broadcast the channel from either ORR High School or the ORCTV facility in Marion, but they knew for some time they were obligated to activate Channel 18 on September 1.

Mr. Botelho agreed to contact Paul Dawson in Marion and Richard LaCamera in Rochester to address this matter.

Under Notes and Announcements, Selectman Collyer cited:

* The next regular Selectmen's meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 9 at 7:00 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall.

* The Mattapoisett Town Hall will be closed on Monday, October 8 in observation of the Columbus Day holiday.

* There will be an American Heart Association "Heart Saver" Course held on October 4 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm sponsored by the Marion and Mattapoisett Boards of Health at Center School. The fee is $30 per person and to register please call Beth Oleson at 508-758-3188.

* The Mattapoisett Cultural Council applications are now available in the Selectmen's office. The deadline to apply is October 15, 2007.

* The Mattapoisett Fire Department will hold their annual Open House in celebration of National Fire Prevention Week on Thursday, October 4, 2007 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Fire Station on Route 6. Nick's Pizza will provide pizza and the department will demonstrate the Jaws of Life and the new SCBA tracking system. They will also be kicking off a new program, "Help Us Find You," which utilizes reflective house numbers.

In other matters, the board noted there will be a kickoff budget meeting with the Old Rochester Regional School District on Thursday, November 1 at 5:30 pm in School Superintendent Dr. William Cooper's conference room at the high school.

There being no further matters to come before the board, they unanimously voted to adjourn for the evening at 7:30 pm.

By Kenneth J. Souza

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