The Marion Board of Health wasn’t aware of just how controversial its decision was to classify menthol cigarettes as flavored tobacco and ban them from sale in Marion, but on August 23 Cheryl Sbarra, senior staff attorney for the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards, told the board members that the tobacco industry would likely sue […] Read more »
The August 17 meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission proved to be a tame affair with several uncomplicated hearings handled. At the end of the meeting, Chairman Rosemary Smith announced that longtime Conservation Commission member Christopher York was stepping down from his seat. Smith said that due to relocating out of the area, York would […] Read more »
During the August 16 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen, the committee researching road signage for improved bicyclist and pedestrian crossing at Mattapoisett Neck and Brandt Island Roads met to discuss their findings. The committee, comprised of Bonne DeSousa, Police Chief Mary Lyons, Highway Superintendent Barry Denham, along with residents Mr. and Mrs. Nathan […] Read more »
Owner of the Silvershell Inn, Kate Hill, told the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals on August 11 that she was currently renting out two rooms to guests, as per her Special Permit to operate the bed & breakfast; however, after Hill left the meeting and the board browsed a website for B&B rentals, they found […] Read more »
Members of the Marion Planning Board agreed that they would like the large property currently for sale at 78 Wareham Road (Route 6) developed according to their vision of a “cluster” development rather than the subdivision-style plan presented to them on August 15 during a pre-submission conference with Steve Gioiosa of SITEC Engineering and the […] Read more »
The drought is having an impact on plantings meant to screen the Tucker Lane solar farm from the public and is rendering that screening as an ongoing issue with the project. The Marion Conservation Commission on August 10 discussed a letter sent by Jay Myrto of Clean Energy Collective stating that, although the developer had […] Read more »
Town Administrator Paul Dawson told the Marion Board of Selectmen that DPW Superintendent Rob Zora received word from a state agency that the drought status for the region has been changed from a drought ‘advisory’ to a drought ‘watch.’ “That’s a significant increase in the level of drought situation that’s currently ongoing throughout the state,” […] Read more »
Pam and Oren Robinson of 103 Marion Road, the duo who operate It’s All About the Animals, a nonprofit cat shelter, discussed their Site Plan Review application for the addition of a cat room and porch of 670 square-feet on August 9 with the Rochester Planning Board. The Robinsons had included several waivers in the […] Read more »
It was a very short night on August 3 when the members of the Rochester Conservation Commission met for their scheduled hearing; but it was a good night for the town and surrounding areas that enjoy fresh water from the Mattapoisett River Valley. “We’ve received two mini-grants from the Buzzards Bay Watershed Municipal Mini-grant program,” […] Read more »
Under the advisement of new Town Administrator/CFO Suzanne Szyndlar, the Rochester Board of Selectmen on August 8 approved a revised commercial license fee schedule, which will now include filing fees for alcohol licenses, Class II/III licenses, flammable fluid licenses, and automatic amusement licenses. Selectman Chairman Naida Parker at first was concerned about making the […] Read more »
