Supply Chain Complicates Communications Upgrade

The good news out of Tuesday’s Rochester Select Board meeting is that the Police Department has received a $49,700 grant that will be put toward digital radios.             “It put us in a really good shape,” said Police Chief Robert Small, who reports that the new equipment will give the department “everything we need.”             […] Read more »

Marion Stays with Single-Tax Rate

After a continued public hearing (from November 21) on the Board of Assessors Tax Classification for the Town of Marion, the Marion Select Board voted on Tuesday afternoon to approve a factor of 1, meaning a single tax rate for the town.             Board of Assessors Chairperson Pat DeCosta said that 93.7% of the town’s […] Read more »

Oakland Way Ownership Issues

            Subdivision rules and regulations have a deeper history in our state than one might believe. As far back as 1891, the City of Boston drafted its first comprehensive subdivision control statute. During the early 1900s, additional regulations and rules were added, language modified, including but not limited to subdivision powers which were conferred to […] Read more »

ZBA Seeks Counsel on Heron Cove

There was division among the members of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals after receiving a November 7 letter from Mark Bobrowski, developer Ken Steen’s attorney, seeking relief for his client from a previously agreed upon timeline stipulating that certain fees are due within 10 days of the issuance of the first building permit for […] Read more »

EMC Pushing for Solar atop Police Station

            A not-your-everyday feature on Monday’s Marion Energy Management Committee agenda was the Town Administrator’s Energy Reduction Plan.             Only without agenda author Christian Ingerslev – the chairman was away and unable to attend the November 27 meeting – the committee was at a loss to define the item. However, rather than bypass it, a […] Read more »

Old Water Building to Be Demolished

The November 27 meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission found Chairman Mike King explaining what the commission’s role is in the Notice of Intent application filed by Allan Pineda and Mary Manning, 33 Church Street. The former Water Department building nestled in the heart of the village was sold to Pineda and Manning, who have […] Read more »

Featherbed Solar Project Extended to 2027

            Some solar projects take a lot longer to complete than others. Rochester’s Conservation Commission on November 21 approved a request to extend the Order of Conditions for the Featherbed Lane South Solar project at 0 Featherbed Lane for three years, until February of 2027.             Appearing before the board on Zoom, the petitioner’s engineering […] Read more »

Tough Break on Sewer Bill

            The Marion Select Board denied two requests for sewer abatements, one of those cases especially painful given its five-figure, bottom line.             Frederick Mock will have to pay his $11,133.56 sewer bill, despite not being present when approximately 30,000 gallons of water went through his sprinkler system at 5 Moorings Road while he was […] Read more »

Mixed Feelings Follow MCAS

            When it came time for members of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee to respond to the administration’s presentation of the district’s MCAS scores, member Margaret McSweeny made sure that despite hard work and achievement that was reported to the committee at its November 16 public meeting, the controversial subject should not be put […] Read more »

Property Sale Questioned

The November 16 meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals listed Case 1527, filed by Allan Pineda for a Variance and Special Permit for property located at 33 Church Street, the former Mattapoisett Water Department office.             The filing’s public hearing was not opened. Instead, the board’s clerk, Tony Tranfaglia, read a letter from […] Read more »