On January 22, Mattapoisett’s Administrator of Assessing Kathleen Costello, along with town counselor Matthew Thomas, presented Home Rule Petition 4244 at the Massachusetts State House. If passed, the petition would grant Mattapoisett the legal right to assess solar developments with fees known as P.I.L.O.T. programs, aka, payment in lieu of taxes. While the town currently […] Read more »
If Rochester is to make significant progress toward the creation of affordable housing, the town will first need to determine what parcels of land are needed for already established projects. Rochester Affordable Housing Inc., a 501c3, not-for-profit organization, is seeking land from the town for that purpose, but Gianno Letteri, the organization’s president, and vice […] Read more »
While representatives from Carver, Wareham, and Marion agreed to a “skeletal district” at a recent meeting, it will still be several more months before an agreement between the three towns can be finalized. Representatives of the three towns approved “in principle” an agreement drawn up by the Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District attorney […] Read more »
The Marion Board of Health imposed a cap on the number of tobacco sales licenses at five during its meeting on Tuesday, February 4, at Town Hall. “What we’re trying to do is decrease the number of cigarette sales, and… to discourage children from smoking,” said Marion Health Director Karen A. Walega shortly after the […] Read more »
On February 4 the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen made their announcement – who would be the finalist selected to fill the town administrator’s position created by the upcoming retirement of longtime administrator Mike Gagne. Selectmen Paul Silva and Jordan Collyer agreed that Michael Lorenco was the best choice. Public interviews had been conducted on January […] Read more »
Members of Marion’s Conservation Commission issued an Emergency Certification on January 14, Conservation Commission Chair Jeff Doubrava revealed at a January 22 meeting, after illegal dumping was reported by town residents. “We noted illegal dumping off of Point Road, almost immediately across from Blackmore Pond Road,” he explained, adding that the parcel is owned by […] Read more »
The Old Rochester Regional School Committee on January 22 held its first official review of the Old Rochester Regional School District agreement for the first time since the agreement was last amended in 1986. Two years ago when the School Committee and the three towns realized the document had not been updated in over 20 […] Read more »
Mattapoisett Conservation Commission Chairman Mike King opened the January 27 meeting with an announcement: “In anticipation of one of our regular members resigning, there’ll be an opening on the board.” He said that Chris Nicolosi would be unable to complete his term, having taken a job that would conflict with the commission’s meeting schedule. King […] Read more »
With the three finalists waiting in the wings, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen began the interview process for selecting a new town administrator on January 28. Selectman Jordan Collyer said he needed to make a disclosure that one of the candidates, Michael Lorenco, was related to his wife’s sister, but he said he felt he […] Read more »
After months of preparation and a number of informal technical review meetings with the Rochester Planning Board, Steen Realty & Development’s hearing for a special permit to build a 208-unit affordable housing development at 22 Cranberry Highway was officially opened. Engineer Phil Cordeiro ran through the basic details of the proposal: four, four-story multi-family buildings, […] Read more »