Committee Affirms School Choice

            There is a combined total of 99 School Choice students attending the Old Rochester Regional High School and Junior High, and that’s the way it will stay after the ORR School Committee voted at its March 23 public meeting to retain the current parameters, policies and practices.             The committee held a Public Hearing […] Read more »

Brandt Point Village Build-Out Continues

            Since first being permitted some years ago, the Brandt Point Village subdivision has been plagued by fits and starts, not the least of which have occurred due to changes in ownership. But for about a year now, Christian Farland, Farland Corporation, New Bedford, who now owns portions of the development, has expressed his desire […] Read more »

Abutters Voice Objection to Cell Tower

               The Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals is close to deciding on approving a special permit for a 190-foot-tall, monopole-style telecommunications tower facility on High Street in the face of a roomful of abutters airing their objections and concerns.                Industrial Tower and Wireless LLC seek a special permit to reduce the required setback distance […] Read more »

ZBA Continues Heron Cove Amidst Uncertain Roster

            Dr. Ed Hoffer’s circumstantial need to depart early from the March 24 meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals set off a substantial discussion in part because it foreshadowed his potential permanent departure.             Hoffer’s bid for a seat on the Select Board would truncate his availability to follow through as a voting […] Read more »

FinCom Asks for School Budget Reductions

            On March 24 as the Mattapoisett Finance Committee neared the end of this latest round of FY23 budget reviews, Chairman Pat Donoghue commented that the local schools’ administration (Center and Old Hammondtown Elementary schools) had not provided full disclosure on enrollment numbers and had not taken any steps to trim the annually increasing bottom […] Read more »

FinCom Recommends FY23 Budget

            Departmental budgets were brought before the Rochester Finance Committee on Monday night, and all were voted for approval except the Police budget, which will be addressed with more complete information when the committee next meets in joint session with the Select Board on April 25.             The committee approved the school budget without debate. […] Read more »

Plumb Corner Nearing Partial Occupation

            The Rochester Planning Board used several minutes of Tuesday night’s public meeting to discuss the progress of the Plumb Corner Village housing development where it concerns its March 17 request for the town’s judgment of “substantial completion” so Units 1, 2, 21, 22 and 43 can become occupied.             Based on engineer Ken Motta’s […] Read more »

Committee Will Shed Light on Solar Bylaw

On March 21 the Mattapoisett Planning Board voted to establish a committee of seven to nine people to evaluate the current solar bylaw draft or start from scratch. Two Planning Board members and Administrator of Assessing Kathleen Costello, along with others yet to be named, will spearhead this latest effort to bring a new solar […] Read more »

Upside-Down House Gets Special Permit

The March 17 meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals was short and sweet with just one case scheduled, and short and sweet is just what the property owners Michael Esposito and Cynthia Redel, 18 Ned’s Point Road, needed after a devasting fire consumed their large, seaside home on April 6, 2021. That property […] Read more »

Septic Code Will Reflect Practice

            There are two ways that the Marion Board of Health could revise its Septic Code: 1. Rewrite to rid the document of “Frankenstein” elements; 2. Write in a statement that if the state sets a different set of criteria for a leaching area besides Marion’s, the state’s criteria will take precedent.             “There are […] Read more »