Discord between Tabor Academy and the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals was unintentional, says Head of School John Quirk, and the school’s seeming nonchalance when it came to public hearing continuance requests was in no way meant to send the ZBA any sort of “message.”
Head of School John Quirk told the ZBA on September 24 that the board caught his attention when he read the article in The Wanderer about the September 10 ZBA hearing when ZBA member Betsy Dunn called Tabor out on its infinite requests for a continuation. Dunn sought advice from town counsel on how to cease granting future continuances. Some board members said Tabor’s absence at meetings “spoke volumes.”
Quirk phoned the ZBA on Friday – the day after the September 10 meeting – and asked to appear at the next ZBA meeting.
“First and foremost, I just want to apologize that I find myself here tonight,” said Quirk. “It would not ever have been my intention to send any ‘message’ by not being present here.”
Quirk said he always tried to be proactive and communicative with the Town, but in the matter of the backstop and the ball field lighting, “I just fell short in this matter.”
“You didn’t fall short, John,” Dunn told him. “It was Mark [Bobrowski].” Bobrowski is the attorney acting on behalf of the school.
Quirk apologized for the “stress” and vowed that the school would work the matter out with the Town, recognizing the ball field as a contentious project.
“I respectfully ask for a continuance,” said Quirk. “I come with my apologies and I come with my request … for a continuance.”
The board granted Tabor a continuance until December 10.
Building Commissioner Scott Shippey acknowledged that when the contentious project began, Quirk was not yet affiliated with the school. Quirk “inherited” the project, Shippey said.
“I didn’t know Tabor failed to attend (the meetings),” said Quirk. “I was completely unaware.”
Also during the meeting, about 10 neighbors came out, mostly in support of Dale Allison’s Special Permit request to raze the existing one-story cottage at 358 Delano Road and build a new two-story house.
Several letters of support and a few abutters lauded the plans for the new home, saying it was an improvement and would have a positive affect on the neighborhood.
Abutter to the south, Lucius Evans, said the newer, larger home would come close to his smaller 19-foot high cottage and possibly affect things such as breezes and television reception.
“It’s a nice house, certainly,” said Evans. “But by size and … proximity to the side setback, we feel it may give a little bit of a crowded feel there.” Evans said he also has ongoing moisture problems in his basement and wondered if the raising of the property’s elevation to surpass the current flood zone elevation would have a negative impact on that.
Chairman Eric Pierce said he would like to visit the site before taking a vote, and the board closed the public hearing to take the matter under advisement.
The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for October 8 at 7:30 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
