2025 Keel Awards

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            The Wanderer is pleased to announce that we are soliciting nominations for our 31st annual “Wanderer Keel Awards.” The yearly community service honor, presented to one Tri-Town resident from each of the three central towns in our circulation area, will be announced in our August 28 edition, and each winner will be the subject of a short feature highlighting his/her contributions to the local community. But The Wanderer needs your help in selecting these “unsung heroes.”

            The requirements are simple. Nominees must be legal residents for at least five years of Mattapoisett, Marion, or Rochester and must have contributed in some way to the overall benefit of the community – directly to town residents, indirectly through efforts in promoting town activities, or working to keep the wheels of local government well oiled. The only restriction is that these persons cannot benefit from their efforts in any other way – either financially or politically (hence, sitting elected officials are not eligible).

            In doing this, we hope to applaud those who are rarely recognized for their countless hours of service and focus on the many people behind the scenes who remain otherwise anonymous, but who provide crucial support to many town functions.

            Like the keel of a ship that keeps the vessel from capsizing, the recipients of the Annual Wanderer Keel Award will be recognized for their stalwart efforts in keeping the community on an “even keel.”

            Past recipients of this honor include:

            – MARION: Claire Russell (1994); Ralph and Phyllis Washburn (1995); Annie Giberti (1996); Jay Crowley (1997); Tyler Blethen (1998); Olive E. Harris (1999, posthumously); Kathleen P. “Kay” Reis (2000); Loretta B. “Lori” Schaefer (2001); Ann and Warren Washburn (2002); Andrew Santos Sr. (2003); Eunice Manduca (2004); Annie Giberti (2005); A. Lee Hayes (2006); Horace “Hod” Kenney (2007); Margie Baldwin (2008); Jack Beck (2009); Dr. John Russell (2010); Jane McCarthy (2011); Nancy Braitmeyer (2012); Rodney Hunt (2013); Hanna Milhench (2014); Robbi Dunn-Tracy (2015); Joanne Mahoney (2016); Diane Cook (2017); Pete Smith (2018); Robert Raymond (2019); David Pierce (2020); Alan Harris (2021); Merry Conway, Dianne Cosman and Harry Norweb (2022); Hannah Moore (2023); Johanna Vergoni (2024).

            – MATTAPOISETT: Maurice “Mudgie” Tavares (1994); Priscilla Alden Hathaway (1995); Norma Holt (1996); Gale Hudson (1997); Kenneth Stickney (1998); Clara Morgan (1999); Betty and Bert Theriault (2000); John N. “Jack” DeCosta (2001); Jo Pannell (2002); Stan Ellis (2003); Evelyn Pursley (2004); Luice Moncevitch (2005); Seth Mendell (2006); Bradford A. Hathaway (2007); Kim Field (2008); David Spencer Jenny (2009); Stephen L. Kelleher (2010); Bento Martin (2011); Howard C. Tinkham (2012); Ellen Flynn (2013); Jennifer Shepley (2014); Ruth Bates (2015, posthumously); Debbi Dyson and Julie Craig (2016); Bonne DeSousa (2017); Jillian Zucco (2018); Lois Knight Ennis (2019); Michael Huguenin (2020); Mike Hickey (2021); Sandy Hering (2022); Jennifer Rusinoski (2023); Abraham Skidmore (2024).

            – ROCHESTER: Joseph McCarthy (1994); Jean Fennell (1995); Katherine Hartley Church (1996); Chris Byron (1997); Albert Alderson (1998); Arthur and Aline Lionberger (1999); Kenneth E. Daggett (2000); Georgia D. Chamberlain (2001); Mary P. Wynne (2002); Evelyn F. Benner (2003); Mike Meunier, Sr. (2004); Arthur F. Benner (2005); Pamela J. Robinson (2006); Anna E. White (2007); John E. Lafreniere (2008); Cathy Mendoza (2009); Kate Tarleton (2010); John Cobb (2011); Thomas Goyoski Jr. (2012); Kevin Woodward (2013); Kate Lanagan MacGregor (2014); Gordon Helme (2015); Doreen DeCosta (2016); Danni Kleiman (2017); Pamela and Oren Robinson of It’s All About the Animals (2018); Ann Cambra (2019); Kelcey Robertson (2020); Laurell J. Farinon (2021); Mike and Sheila Daniel (2022); Mike Cambra (2023); Cecelia Hall (2024).

            Please send the name, address, and telephone number of recommended nominees, along with a brief description of their key contributions to the community and why you feel they are deserving of this honor to: news@wanderer.com, or via mail, Keel Award, The Wanderer, P.O. Box 102, Mattapoisett, MA 02739.

            The deadline for nominations is Friday, August 22, by 3:00 pm.

Equipment, Staff Lack Central Facility

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The Mattapoisett Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners met on Wednesday, July 23 for a brief open session.

            Following a roll call by Chair Dan Chase, Water and Sewer Superintendent Henri Renauld began by addressing correspondence with Eversource, where he said the corporation would be performing vegetation control along powerlines near the town’s drinking-water facility. He said the company has committed to using “green chemicals” to mitigate environmental impact. He also stated powerlines would be upgraded during this time. This is in response to an increase in solar farm power generation and the increased transfer of power through cables.

            Renauld added there have been problems receiving responses from Eversource following power outages, noting the large storm and outages on July 3. Following the Railroad Avenue pumping station’s power loss, it ran for 27 hours on generator power with an emergency oil delivery becoming necessary to continue operation. Renauld says Eversource mistakenly said the fix was “done” when it hadn’t yet been fixed. He says 16 to 20 hours of overtime was necessary for town staff to handle the situation.

            The superintendent also spoke on the office that the Water and Sewer Department occupies, saying it is rented, “has one bathroom, and a garage for equipment which has no plumbing.” He added, “our officers and staff work both water and sewer. They need a facility that’s going to be there for them.” It was added by the chair that equipment is spread “all around town” and lacks a central location, making it difficult and time consuming to solve some issues.

            The department’s work on Oakland Street water piping was said to be complete, with water on and manholes covered. Renauld says he has not detected any issues with water quality following the completion of work in the area.

            The commission then discussed pipeline replacements at Eel Pond, with the superintendent noting the project has “been going on forever.” He plans on meeting with the main engineer in early August to make plans going forward and making use of FEMA grants.

            It was said there is roughly $460,000 left over from work on replacing the East End water tank and waterline in 2018. Issues with the Bay Club tank were brought up, with the commission looking to get quotes for work on repairing/sandblasting it.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners is scheduled for Wednesday, August 20 at 4:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Water & Sewer Commissioners

By Sam Bishop

Mattapoisett Land Trust Receives Donations

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On July 29, the Mattapoisett Select Board met with members of local families who have donated land. Three parcels are to be given to the Mattapoisett Land Trust for the purpose of having those lands conserved in perpetuity.

            Mike Huguenin, president of the Mattapoisett Land Trust, noted that the Lenk and Kenney properties being donated constitute 11.9 acres that will be conserved. The land lies along the east bank of the tidal river south of Route 6 and is predominantly salt marsh and a coastal adaptation area. He said roughly half of the mapped space is priority habitat. The conservation restriction will be held by the Buzzards Bay Coalition. There is no public access. The property owners will continue to occupy their homes at the site.

            Other lands slated to be donated are located in the Strawberry Point area. This includes 26.1 acres. The conservation restriction will be held by the Buzzards Bay Coalition. The area is surrounded by salt marsh and cobble beach. All the area is mapped as priority habitat it was noted, and public access is by boat or via town land located at the end of Cove Street. The conservation restriction will be held by the Buzzards Bay Coalition.

            The board moved to sign the conservation restrictions and await state approval on a third location.

            In other business, the Recreation Director received Special Municipal Employee status as did the Tree Warden. This status grants the employees’ staff positions as well as other positions concurrently.

            The board met with Eversource in a public meeting to approve the installation of 63 feet of underground conduit located at Lane. Electric service to new homes in that area will be provided. The request was approved.

            A question regarding the possibility of erecting “NO PARKING” signs along Reservation Road prompted by a resident was discussed. The question will be further explored with the Public Safety Officer. Also to be reviewed is a request for parking at the Barstow Beach pier during yacht races. The board felt that weekdays would likely not be an issue whereas weekends would be problematic for beachgoers wishing to use the town beach.

            The board welcomed Zachary Ribas as a civilian EMT/Paramedic via an appointment to the department.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is planned for August 12.

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

Mattapoisett Yacht Club Race

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B Fleet protest hearing: Fir Na Tine won the protest over Kinsail in last week’s B fleet race which moved Chickadee into first place, Lindisfarne into second, Fir Na Tine third, Big Dipper fourth and Seven Belles into fifth for that race. Kinsail was disqualified.

            This week, Kinsail got some revenge as it beat Fir Na Tine by two minutes to take first place on a windy night. Chickadee place third and Lindisfarne place fourth. Big Dipper and Seven Belles did not compete. With one more race scheduled in the July series Chickadee leads the fleet by one point over Fir Na Tine. Next week should be exciting with the series title up for grabs.

            A Fleet – Kindred Spirits took the honors in A fleet until the entire A fleet was protested by Restless for sailing an incorrect course. Kindred Spirits has withdrawn acknowledging their mistake however the rest of the fleet may contest the Restless protest. That hearing will be held next Tuesday night.

            Tuesday Night Ensign Race Results – The battle between Black Ice and Odyssey continues, this week Black Ice winning the tiebreaker. There is however a protest filed by Black Ice against Hamburglar in the first race that might shake up the results.

            As it stands now:

Black Ice: third and first

Odyssey: first and third

Brou Ha Ha: fourth and second

Hamburglar: second and fourth

Brass Monkey: fifth and fifth

Recess: sixth and sixth

            Next week’s protest and races will determine the hotly contested July series.

Mattapoisett Town Band

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The Mattapoisett Town Band would like to thank everyone who attended our 125th anniversary special concert last week. We would also like to thank Representative Mark Sylvia for presenting us with a few citations from the state. We would also like to thank the town of Mattapoisett Select Board’s office for their involvement in our special celebration.

            Please join us for our next concert on August 6, at 7:00 pm. The theme will be songs from the Billboard top 100. Song selections will include hits made famous by the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others. We will also pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne and Chuck Mangione.

The Marion Town Party Returns!

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Marion’s 2025 Town Party was held at Silvershell Beach on Saturday, July 24. In the midst of days with soaring temperatures, heat advisories and sporadic rainfall, the weekend was comparably “mild,” though still sunny and warm.

            Donna Hemphill, executive assistant to the town administrator and Town Party organizer, stated at earlier town and Select Board meetings her intention to move the Town Party earlier in the summer as to avoid mosquito-borne disease season. Last year, the 2024 Town Party was cancelled for this reason.

            There were dozens of tents set up from local vendors, sponsors, and volunteers. Toe Jam Puppet Band’s Vinny Lovegrove was present, with his famous bubbles soaring through the air for kids to hunt down and eliminate. Various inflatable attractions were set up, like a ball-throwing game and axe-throwing (minus real axes). The painting tent was a hit, with kids getting face paint or decals on their hands.

            For food, there was plenty. Popcorn, pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, chowder, and other seafood delicacies. All food was given out by volunteers, town locals, and Marion Fire/EMS members. Speaking of the Marion Fire Department, Engine 266 made an appearance alongside some of the department’s other vehicles.

Marion 2025 Town Party

By Sam Bishop

July 3 Storm Leaves Costly Repairs

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Important structural roof tiles are missing from the Dexter Lane ball field dugout shelter after the brief but destructive thunderstorm that hit Rochester on July 3. But the town might find it unusually expensive to repair and replace the tiles, according to Facilities Manager Andrew Daniel, who indicated they are less available than usual for these types of projects.

            The Rochester Park Commission met briefly on July 24 to discuss progress on its list of maintenance items, and this became the main topic of concern. Commission Chair David Sylvia said Daniel is becoming too busy to assist the Park Department with this type of maintenance because of his other work for the town.

            Sylvia said he will now have to find an outside contractor for this work and will have to pay that person’s prevailing wage. It was said this will be more expensive than if Daniel had handled this work. Prevailing wage varies by the type of work required, but Sylvia said he will research those costs right away.

            Over the course of approximately 73 hours from July 3 at approximately 4:00 pm through July 6 at 5:00 pm, the Rochester Fire Department responded to nearly 60 calls for service as a result of the storm. At one point, the town had every major road blocked, and nearly two-thirds of the town was without power.

            The commission Thursday also revealed that its other big projects will include replacing the Raynor Gifford Park memorial sign that fronts the property. The brick face is falling apart and needs to be totally replaced, Sylvia said. But this project, he assured fellow commission member Kenneth Ross, will likely be handled by the Highway Department.

            The commission then adjourned without scheduling its next meeting.

Rochester Park Commission

By Michael J. DeCicco

Citizen’s Petition

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To the Editor;

            I have created a Citizen’s Petition in Mattapoisett to request a Special Town Meeting to return Mattapoisett to a three-member Select Board. This petition would ask the town to vote in favor of rescinding Article 34, now House Bill #4245 passed by about 100 voters at the May 12th Town Meeting which expands the Select Board to 5 members. My petition requires 200 verified signatures, about twice the number who voted for it.

            Some accusations have been made that this petition is:1) A Mattapoisett GOP or RTC effort; 2) An anti-democratic effort; and 3) Will subvert the “will of the people.”

            The answer to these untrue, politically charged and purposely misleading statements can easily be disproved. My petition was a response to many citizens who felt that the actions taken at the Town meeting were not indicative of what most of Mattapoisett’s registered voters wanted. Many like me thought this was the first step in moving for a Town Election Ballot measure. Many were surprised at the declaration that it was impossible for us to decide that issue beyond a Town Meeting – an election on this issue was not allowed by State law. This appears incorrect as Weston, MA (MA H4158) has asked for approval to do just that in a Special Town Election.

            It is true that I am the Co-Chair of the Mattapoisett Republican Party. While much of the Town’s business is discussed at our Monthly public meetings, never was it proposed or voted on for the RTC to support or sponsor any Petitions. It is not in my power to do so without that majority vote. The allegation is simply false. It should be retracted.

            The Petition I am challenging is the work of the Chair of the Mattapoisett Democratic Party. While their social media accuses me of such behavior, should I then assume that the DTC did sponsor the Petition? It was not my original assumption.

            I am at a complete loss to understand the logic of calling my petition undemocratic. I have followed all the rules provided by Local, County and State law. My efforts and means mirror the same procedures of the original Petitioner. Is she undemocratic? I hope not.

            I also am struggling to understand that somehow my petition is subverting the will of the people and any “do over” negates the people’s wishes. One can only derive that the writers of such verbiage believe that once we vote for someone or something the people are not allowed to alter or negate that decision by established and legal means So, an elected official cannot be voted out of office but only be removed by death or term limits? Does that mean in the extreme that Prohibition or slavery should have remained in perpetuity. Please explain to us the logic of such an absurd claim.

            If allowed I plan to follow up with another Letter to the Editor on why I and many fellow supporters want to maintain the great government provided in Mattapoisett by our current three select Board system with the support of the Town Administer’s office. And then, I will be able to answer why such accusations are being made and why its supporters are afraid that the will of the people will be enacted.

            Paul Criscuolo, Mattapoisett

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 may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence. All letters must be typed and submitted directly to: news@wanderer.com.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church

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On Sunday, August 3, The Rev. Marc Eames, Rector at St. John’s Church, New Canaan, CT, will conduct services at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, next to the Town Beach in Mattapoisett. The 8:00 am and 10:00 am services use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. All are welcome.

Come to the Yard Sale

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On August 2 and 3, we hope to see you all at our annual yard sale. On Saturday, we’ll be open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and on Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. We have good quality used furniture, toys, small kitchen appliances, toys, exercise equipment, a nautical corner, pillows and towels and did I mention toys (think Barbies, stuffed animals, etc.) as well as books and puzzles and much more. We hold this sale every year to help pay the expenses (especially oil) that keep our museum functioning.

            While here you can learn about our upcoming August meeting and even pick up a membership form. We’re looking forward to seeing you.