Rochester’s Annual Town Meeting Monday decisively rescinded the town’s participation in the state’s Green Communities program and the town’s Stretch energy-efficiency-minded building codes that officials say are an overly expensive requirement of being a part of the Green Communities program.             When introducing town voters to Article 27, Select Board Chairman Woody Hartley explained […] Read more »

Adam Murphy has unseated Woody Hartley on the Rochester Select Board, winning the May 24 election 845-673. After a recount of last year’s Select Board race, Murphy lost by one vote against incumbent Brad Morse. Murphy also ran against Hartley in 2020 and lost. Below are the Rochester Town Election unofficial results, as read shortly […] Read more »

            Rochester’s Conservation Commission Tuesday gave the owner of property at 89 Box Turtle Drive a new ultimatum in the year-long dispute over the clearing of land too close to wetlands without a permit.             The commission approved giving owner Doug Rose until June 6 to provide an acceptable restoration plan without being fined for […] Read more »

            Rochester’s Board of Selectmen won’t find it as easy anymore to bring up topics on the spur of the moment in its meetings.             Town Administrator Glenn Cannon informed the board Monday that the new Town Counsel has said that from now on, every meeting topic must be on the agenda, no exceptions.             […] Read more »

            The Marion Select Board shuffled the deck during Tuesday night’s public meeting, reorganizing to elect Toby Burr as the new chairman, with Randy Parker becoming vice chairman and Norm Hills clerk. The members’ liaison assignments have not changed and will be posted at marionma.gov.             The brief meeting featured many action items and a […] Read more »

On May 15, the Mattapoisett Select Board, along with the Mattapoisett School Committee, met with members of the UMass Boston Collins Center for Public Management to hear their report regarding options for Center and Old Hammondtown elementary schools with respect to potential school consolidation.             Speaking for the Collins Center was Heather Michaud, Public Services […] Read more »

            Freshly out of a special meeting held in concert with the Select Board to hear the UMass Boston Collins Center’s conclusion that the economic benefit of school consolidation would be offset by the resultant expansion of Center or Old Hammondtown Elementary School, the Mattapoisett School Committee focused Monday night’s regular meeting on causes for […] Read more »

            There were two races heading into the May 12 town election and incumbents on the Old Rochester Regional School Committee and the local town school committee were successful.             Margaret McSweeny took 469 votes to defeat challenger Jennifer Marie-Zora Stewart, who netted 190 votes.             “I am grateful that Marion reelected me so that […] Read more »

            Up until now, Rochester Memorial School has not been a School Choice destination, and it will remain that way for the 2023-24 academic year after the Rochester School Committee voted against joining the program after its May 4 public hearing.             When the committee deliberated, Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson explained […] Read more »