MCAS Results A Mixed Bag

            Sippican Elementary School Principal Marla Sirois and Assistant Principal Peter Crisafulli presented on the 2021 MCAS testing results during the Marion School Committee’s December 1 meeting.             ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson acknowledged the challenges that accompanied MCAS testing during the pandemic-affected learning models.             “The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) […] Read more »

Randall Lane Solar Clears Review

The Randall Lane LLC Notice of Intent filing for a large solar array planned off Randall Lane will receive an Order of Conditions.             At the reopened public hearing, project representative Eric Las of Beals and Thomas said that Planning Board review was finalizing its decision and that the public hearing for that board’s oversight […] Read more »

MRV Back on Course

            The Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission voted to accept a FY23 budget of $2,283,400 during its December 14 meeting. The meeting was the first since November 9 after a rash of meetings including emergency meetings on October 12 and 15 and the regular meeting on October 19.             The FY23 budget is 0.6 […] Read more »

Callow Offers Creative Solution

            Dustan McGlinn admitted he made multiple mistakes in building a deck that blatantly violates property-line setbacks, but he dug in hard before the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals to dispute the emerging narrative that he operated on the theory that it’s better to apologize than it is to ask for permission.             “I apologize […] Read more »

Second Precinct Won’t Change Voting

It’s official, well nearly official that Mattapoisett has become a two-precinct town – again.             During its December 14 meeting, the Mattapoisett Select Board met with Town Clerk Catherine Heuberger to approve the precincts’ layout. The deadline for submitting the required paperwork to the state officials was December 15, causing Heuberger to say, “I’ll be […] Read more »

ADA Compliance Holding Up Town House

            Of Marion Facilities Manager Shaun Cormier’s three requests for FY23 funding to the Capital Improvement Planning Committee on December 1, $124,000 for a Town House sprinkler system is the largest and the one that will unlock the door to completion of all inside renovation work.             The project would include architectural engineering design bid […] Read more »

Capital Planning Digs Deeper

            As chairman of the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee for a number of years, Chuck McCullough has been at the forefront of reviewing and bringing to Town Meeting expenditures over $10,000 as requested by town departments. But more recently over the past year or so, McCullough, with the assistance of the committee members, has begun […] Read more »

Marion’s Eyes on Lockheed Martin

            The Marion Planning Board opened discussion on Lockheed Martin’s property during its Monday night Zoom meeting.             While the future of the land in Sippican Office Park may never fall under the board’s purview, the members’ discussion is the latest step in what is quickly becoming a comprehensive, town-wide effort to evaluate and/or influence […] Read more »

6th Graders Take on Challenge

            The Rochester School Committee was thrilled to hear from three sixth-grade students during its December 2 meeting.             The students, also inside Rochester Memorial School but connecting to the committee meeting via Zoom, attended to present on the NexTrex Summer Cycling Challenge, a project-based learning experience focused on plastics recycling.             “We are doing […] Read more »

Town’s Hands Tied to Sick House

            The Chapter 2 situation at 520 Front Street is resolved for now, according to Ana Wimmer’s report to the Marion Board of Health on Tuesday. Marion’s health agent spent her entire day occupied with the predicament of the people living at that address, albeit in a trailer not fully set up.             Even the […] Read more »