It’s a windy wet day but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the musicians at Shipyard Park. The Junior High band and Chorus entertained the masses through the gusts and mist for a grand kick off to the summer concert season. Photos by Paul Lopes
Projects Aplenty
Engineers Susan Nilson of CLE and Dave Davignon of Schneider and Associates could have been appointed honorary members during Wednesday night’s Marion Conservation Commission meeting, each spending significant time at the table representing multiple applicants.
And each got what they came for.
Nilson’s clients – Jonathan Howland of Lot 19 Point Road and John Kelly of the Kittansett Club – were approved for Notices of Intent, while the Commission issued Requests for Determination of Applicability to Barbara Belanger of 776 Mill St. and Kathleen Mahoney of 40 Dexter Rd.
Howland seeks to cut an access walking path, replicate wetlands, and construct a pile-supported pier with a floating dock at Planting Island Cove. While Nilson told the Conservation Commission that the opinion of the Marine Fisheries included concerns about the arsenic and copper contained in the chemically treated wood of the submerged pilings, all parties agreed that there are few existing alternatives available for use – and none suggested in the opinion.
In addition, the Marine Fisheries asked if alterations could be made to the height of the walkway and size of the stairs so as not to impact the saltmarsh.
“This is an issue of regulation versus recommendation,” said Nilson, explaining that the Marine Fisheries wishes could conflict with Chapter 91 requirements. “In my mind, it could end up being a tradeoff.”
The Commission gave the project the go-ahead, with conditions, as they did with the Kittansett Club’s plan to construct a collection system for fresh water drainage to be used as irrigation water, and to replace the irrigation system for the golf course. Work on the massive project could begin in July, with a targeted completion by Christmas, according to Kelly.
Belanger seeks to upgrade the sewage disposal system at 776 Mill St. – a property that she is selling – to Title 5 standards, including the installation of a septic tank, pump chamber, and leaching field. Davignon faced a series of questions from Commission members, who ultimately approved the RDA with conditions.
Mahoney, meanwhile, seeks to demolish the dwelling on Dexter Road and construct a new dwelling and driveway. In addition, she applied for a Notice of Intent to construct a 4-foot-by-133-foot timber boardwalk and pier, plus gangway and float supported by four pilings. With some restrictions, the Commission approved both after a continuation from the May 8 meeting.
Elsewhere on the agenda, Dorothy Brown applied for and received a Notice of Intent to update the steps to 7 Shawnondasse Road, along with installation of a drainage system and trench drain.
The Conservation Commission’s next scheduled meeting is June 12.
By Shawn Badgley
Bertrand D. Allain, Jr.
Bertrand D. Allain, Jr., 63, 0f Mattapoisett died May 22, 2013 at home after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
He was the husband of Janet (Lawless) Allain.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Bertrand D. and Marie Jacqueline (Brodeur) Allain, he lived in Acushnet and New Bedford before moving to Mattapoisett in 1983.
Bert was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church in Mattapoisett.
He was formerly employed as a Guidance Counselor at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School for many years until his retirement.
Bert received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UMass Amherst, his Masters in School Counseling from Bridgewater State College and his Masters of Educational Psychology from Rhode Island College. He maintained a lifelong passion for teaching and learning.
Bert enjoyed spending time with his family.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Bertrand D. Allain, III and his wife Jennifer of Fairhaven; 2 daughters, Kathryn Pleva and her husband Justin of Raynham and Anne Allain of Mattapoisett; 5 brothers and sisters, Fran Martin and Jackie Hopp, both of Dartmouth, Clem Allain of New Bedford, David Allain of Lakeville and Louise Athaide of Longwood, FL; and many nieces and nephews.
He was the brother of the late Michael Allain.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10 AM in St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in St. Anthony’s Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Monday from 3-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Compassionate Care ALS P.O. Box 1052 West Falmouth, MA 02574. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
William K. Thomas
William K. Thomas, 87, of Marion, passed away at home on October 30, 2012. He was the husband of Shirlee L. (Long) Thomas.
Born in Waterbury, Nebraska, he was the son of Edith D. Leeper (Sigmon) and William M. Thomas. He graduated from Wheatland High School, Wheatland, Iowa, and the Naval V-12 program at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. He served in U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War and was a reservist for 22 years.
Mr. Thomas was a registered professional engineer. His volunteer accomplishments included: member and chairman of several published standards and specifications with American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, member and past president of Associated Air Balance Council, Inc., and testing and balancing organization. He founded and was president of Thomas-Young Associates, Inc. for 45 years and was involved with many projects worldwide. Bill had a real passion for the newest and most recent gadgets and technologies. Love of family was of utmost importance to William.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Shirlee and 8 children; Richard and his wife Susan, Ronald and his wife Denise, Diana Lynn and her husband Lewis Booker, Jr., Hilary and her husband Marshall Sadeck, William, Jr. and his wife Donna, Nancy and her husband Alexander Robles, Charles and his wife Allison. He was predeceased by his daughter Heather. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.
A memorial service to honor his life will be held on Saturday, May 25, 2013 at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, 124 Front Street, Marion at 11:00 am. His ashes were scattered at sea.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be given to St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, 124 Front Street, Marion, MA 02738. Arrangements by Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, Wareham. For directions and to leave a message of condolence, visit: www.ccgfuneralhome.com
Richard B. Parker
Richard B. Parker, 77, of Marion died May 21, 2013 at St. Luke’s Hospital after a long illness.
He was the husband of the late Joan B. (Souza) Parker.
Born in Marion, the son of the late George C. and Beatrice Mae (Haskell) Parker, he lived in Marion all of his life.
He was formerly employed as the Building Inspector for the Town of Marion for 23 years until his retirement.
Survivors include his daughter, Kelly Parker and her fiancé Anthony Reynolds of Marion; 3 sisters, Betty Silva of Buzzards Bay, Frances Butterfield and Beverly Wilson, both of Wareham; 2 grandchildren, Bradford and Jamie; and several nieces and nephews.
He was the father of the late Richard B. Parker, Jr. and the grandfather of the late Richard B. Parker, III.
Family Service Association was providing care through its Guardianship Program. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Family Service Association Guardianship Program, 101 Rock St., Fall River, MA 02720. Private arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. For on-line guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
Marion-Tabor Meeting Upbeat
For the second time in two months, Marion Town Administrator Paul Dawson and the Board of Selectmen visited the campus of Tabor Academy to meet with Head of School John Quirk. This time, they brought some friends.
Police Chief Lincoln Miller, Fire Chief Thomas Joyce, Health District Director Karen Walega, Harbormaster Michael Cormier, and Board of Health Vice Chair Betsy Dunn joined the lunch gathering on Wednesday afternoon, participating in a free-flowing discussion that ranged from the recent Town Meeting to potential collaborations between Marion and Tabor.
“The school and the town are always doing big things, whether together or separately,” Quirk said. “But I’m a details guy; the little things matter to me a lot. The way we interact with the town matters to me a lot.”
If those interactions had been frosty in the past, they have thawed.
“There has been a noticeable difference in the past year,” Dunn said. “You’ve done a lot.”
Quirk, who started at Tabor in July of 2012, wants to do more. He said that the Solar Bylaws debate at Town Meeting, for instance, inspired him to take a closer look at Tabor’s capacity for sustainable energy.
“Tabor hasn’t been great at utilizing renewable energy,” he said. “I think there are possible partnerships between the town and school, educational opportunities within what has really become an ethical issue.”
Quirk also expressed an ongoing interest in evolving infrastructural policy in and around the Village of Marion. He told officials that he would be addressing his concerns about students’ pedestrian safety by possibly altering study period times that see peak off-campus activity.
“At my previous school, we were located near a reservoir, and I always worried about students’ safety near the water. Ironically, I don’t worry about this ever,” he said, looking out onto Sippican Harbor. “I worry about the street. I worry about Front Street.”
In turn, Quirk thanked Miller for inviting him to various public safety forums.
“You’re responsible for such a high number of people in such a concentrated area,” Miller replied. “It’s that much more important for us to include you.”
In closing, Quirk invited the Marion officials, as well as residents, to visit Tabor’s ongoing Senior Project Exhibition on campus, citing standout achievements in photography, music, the arts, and more.
“I’m looking for more and more ways to have the town participate in these types of events, because I think it’s a cool thing for everybody,” he said.
“There are lots of resources in the town for Tabor, too,” Dunn interjected.
“That’s right,” Quirk agreed. “The kids don’t think of themselves as residents of the town, but they are. We have high expectations for them in and out of class, and they need to be reminded of that.”
By Shawn Badgley
Summer Adventures in Learning
The Old Rochester Regional School District is pleased to offer its summer enrichment program for 2013. The goal of the program, which serves students pre-K to grade nine, is to increase student learning in a fun and positive way! The SAIL program is open to Tri-Town residents and to summer Tri-Town residents as well. Each summer session will run for three weeks. Session A will run from July 1 to July 18, and Session B will run from July 23 to August 8. The program will run Tuesday-Thursday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm. The SAIL program will be held at the ORR Jr./Sr. High School. SAIL courses will incorporate strategies such as problem solving, critical thinking, writing, reading, math and collaboration with peers. For more information and registration, visit the Old Rochester Regional website at www.oldrochester.org or contact the Program Co-Directors: Holly Ashley (hashley@orr.mec.edu) or Charles West (cwest@orr.mec.edu).
Frances Perkins: First Female Cabinet Secretary
The public is cordially invited to attend a special lecture presentation: Frances Perkins – First Female Cabinet Secretary, co-sponsored by the Sippican Historical Society and Elizabeth Taber Library. Perkins was the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945 under FDR’s administration. During her 12 years in that post, she established a variety of new programs for American workers, battling against the Great Depression with New Deal reforms and programs she either proposed or supported. Among Frances Perkins’ major achievements during her tenure was establishing Social Security, an act which FDR considered the “cornerstone of his administration.”
To be held on May 24 at the Marion Music Hall at 7:00 pm, the presentation will feature a lecture by David Prentiss, Adjunct Professor of Political Science for UMass-Dartmouth and President/CEO of the New Bedford Symphony. Prentiss received a B.A. in Philosophy at Assumption College, a J.D. from New England School of Law and the Thomas P. O’Neill Fellowship for graduate studies in political science at Boston College. A popular speaker, he has given talks on Abraham Lincoln and other presidential leadership topics at the New Bedford Civil War Roundtable, the Lincoln Study Group of Boston, the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, and the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center. Prentiss is currently writing a book on presidential leadership and the nature of democratic politics.
The Marion Music Hall is located at 164 Front Street. Ample parking is available across the street at Island Wharf. The presentation will be offered free of charge, though donations are gratefully accepted. No reservations are necessary. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information, please call the SHS at 508-748-1116.
Getting Ready for the Fireworks
The bidding process is underway for the Marion Fireworks but the work is not done. Fundraising efforts have already yielded over $38,000 towards the effort and they will continue to try and reach the $50,000 goal. The exact figure needed is not known until the bids are opened and the costs of services such as police and fire details are quantified.
Those wishing to contribute towards the Fireworks can send donations to Marion Fireworks, 2 Spring Street, Marion, MA 02738. Limited edition T-shirts are also available at the Marion Recreation office on 13 Atlantis Drive as well as at Hangman Coffee Hut, Lighthouse Liquors and the Town Clerk’s office at the Marion Town House.
New Roles and New Issues
Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen opened with a reorganization of the Board. Jody Dickerson is the new Chairman, Steve Cushing is the new Vice-Chairman, and recently re-elected John Henry is the new Clerk.
The Board then went through how the Selectmen sit on the various boards and events in town, including Dickerson to represent the Board at the ORR graduation ceremony. The commitments of the Board are vast and varied, with Chairman Dickerson representing the Buzzards Bay Action Committee and serving as the School Committee Liaison. Vice-Chairman Cushing will be the representative for the Music Hall Committee and the Capital Improvement and Planning Committee, as well as other boards. John Henry will represent the Board on the SouthCoast Commuter Rail Task Force, the Marion Pathways Committee, and the Plymouth County Advisory Committee, as well as other boards.
The first appointment the agenda was a discussion regarding Sherman Briggs’ status on town boards. The discussion was continued until June 4 at 7:05 pm.
Next up was an approval to send letters to Marion residents who were found to be in violation of connections to the Marion septic system. Thirty-four residents were in violation, and the Board approved the letters of notification that the residents have 180 days or six months to remedy the situation prior to a re-inspection by the town.
The fall town meeting was determined to be held on October 28 at 7:00 pm.
The Board reviewed the draft of a proposed drug and alcohol testing policy for current and prospective employees. The Board will study the proposal and make comments for discussion at the next meeting.
Ambulance rates were discussed and approved by the Board. According to Town Administrator Paul Dawson, Medicare reimbursement rates have undergone various changes, and the base rates proposed represent an “average compilation” of various towns in the area. The Board voted to adopt the measure as presented, effective June 1.
A proposal was made to honor Helene Craver, former secretary to the Selectmen. Several Town House employees proposed to plant flowers and install a birdbath in honor of Craver, who passed away earlier this month. The Board agreed to support the effort. Only private donations, not town funds, would be used for the beautification project in Cravers’ name.
Correspondence from resident Tom Magauran was discussed, with Magauran speaking to the Board. At issue was a question posed at Town Meeting regarding health insurance for elected town officials. Magauran asked about two town-elected officials who were “grandfathered” for health insurance through the town health insurance program.
“The associated benefits of these policies reflect approximately $ 5,600 in one case and over $11,000 in the other case,” Magauran said, “and the only way to end this [grandfathered] practice is to fail to re-elect them, so they would no longer qualify as elected officials for town insurance participation.”
By Joan Hartnett-Barry
