The Town of Rochester is seeking a $20,000 recycling grant from the state, and as the town administrator continues to follow through with the grant application paper work process, Suzanne Szyndlar told the Rochester Board of Selectmen meeting on May 20 that part of that process will have to be delayed until spring of 2020. […] Read more »

            Mike Huguenin from the Mattapoisett Land Trust (MLT) wasn’t thrilled when Mattapoisett Conservation Commission Chairman Mike King relayed some of the conservation agent’s suggestions for the MLT’s plan to eradicate 20,000 square-feet of invasive phragmites on property located at the end of Noyes Avenue known as Newmann Preserve.             First thing during the May 15 meeting, […] Read more »

Marion voters elected to adopt all four of its ballot questions on May 17, making Marion the first of the Tri-Towns to vote in favor of the $2 million Old Rochester Regional artificial turf, track, and auditorium project.             The Proposition 2 ½ exemption, Question 5 on the ballot, garnered 660 ‘yes’ votes versus the 323 […] Read more »

There was jubilation, shouts of “Yes!” and backslapping all around as Mattapoisett Town Clerk Catherine Hueberger read the Annual Election results that featured two Proposition 2 ½ override questions.             The voters spoke passing both by considerable margins.             Question 1 asked voters to approve an override that will allow the town to borrow $9.2-million for the […] Read more »

            A number of residents weren’t pleased when their request to speak on Town Meeting floor about the $2 million ORR project was ignored or interrupted by Town Moderator Kirby Gilmore demanding questions only, no comments. Still, the Annual Town Meeting voters spoke loudly on May 20 in favor of Article 15, allowing it to proceed […] Read more »

            By the time you read this, Mattapoisett’s Annual Town Meeting will be history. But knowledge is power. To that end, on May 8, the Mattapoisett Planning Board met to provide a public forum for discussion of the proposed zoning bylaw changes that would be presented on May 13 at Town Meeting.             Two zoning bylaws that […] Read more »

            The Marion School Committee voted on May 8 to opt out of participation in the School Choice program for the next school year, keeping with the school district’s trend over the last several years.             Superintendent Doug White reminded the committee that it must inform the Department of Education by June 1 whether or not it […] Read more »

            On May 14, the Rochester Planning Board and the community learned more about the proposed solar array planned for property located on Marion Road, owned by Craig Canning and known as Rochester Farms, LLC.             An abutter sued Canning to stop his original project, and that failed effort to turn the property into a farmer’s market […] Read more »

            The financial impact analysis of the proposed ‘40R’ affordable housing residential development in Rochester shows a net positive annual income for the town, news that developer Ken Steen happily shared during a public forum held May 8 to discuss the study’s findings.             According to consultant Judy Barrett, the conservative estimate for the steady annual revenue […] Read more »

            The Old Rochester Regional High School athletic field, track, and auditorium project article was adopted by Marion Town Meeting voters on May 14, the second night of the Annual Town Meeting, allowing the project’s future to be determined by voters on May 17 during the Annual Election.             ORR School Committee member Heather Burke of Marion […] Read more »