Engineer Warned to ‘Change His Attitude’

You can argue with the chairman of the Rochester Planning Board over how to interpret a Zoning Bylaw, but when the chairman tells you, “We wrote the God-damned thing,” chances are you will not win said argument. An informal meeting between representatives of JC Engineering, Inc. and the Planning Board over a proposed Form B […] Read more »

Mattapoisett Library Trustees Plan Updates

On October 24, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen met with Mattapoisett Free Public Library Director Susan Pizzolato and several library trustees to discuss plans for improvements and upgrades to the library’s functionality. Pizzolato explained that with the help of the trustees, she has been working with a consultant to evaluate the effective and efficient use […] Read more »

King Declines Recusal From Swamp Subdivision

The October 23 meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission was at times contentious when the Notice of Intent hearing filed by Dennis Arsenault for property located at the end of Snow Fields Road was opened, and then Bruce Rocha returned with his NOI for the former Presto Press property. Before allowing the applicant’s representative to […] Read more »

MCAS Scores – Parents, Don’t Panic

The individual student Next-Gen MCAS results for Sippican School will be mailed to parents by November 1, but on October 18 during the Marion School Committee meeting, school administrators cautioned parents not to panic when they first review those results. First, Superintendent Doug White noted that the state does not include any accountability number (1-5) […] Read more »

Special Town Meeting Quickly Disperses

On October 23, the voters in Marion wasted no time passing seven of nine articles that comprised the 2017 Special Town Meeting Warrant. Voters were in and out in under an hour, as a matter of fact. After waiting about 15 minutes for the Sippican School auditorium to fill with at least 50 registered voters […] Read more »

Six Special Permits Requested, Six Approved

The October 19 meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals was about as tame as a cat that has just eaten its fill and is sleeping in a sunny window – very tame indeed. Coming before the ZBA – populated by Chairman Susan Akin and board members Ken Pacheco, Mary Anne Brogan, Norman Lyonnais, […] Read more »

More Opposition to Menthol Cig Ban

Chairman of the Marion Board of Health John Howard had to note the “record turnout” of those in attendance on October 26 to join in the conversation about the board’s pursuit to ban flavored nicotine products – both flavored tobacco and flavored electronic nicotine – as well as menthol cigarettes. Listed on the agenda was […] Read more »

Selectmen Brake Before Approving Stop Signs

During a quick meeting just before the October 23 Fall Special Town Meeting, the Rochester Board of Selectmen decided to put the brakes on voting to approve ten new stop signs and two yield signs that were recommended after a study that was part of a state-funded safety improvement project for High Street. State grant […] Read more »

Solar Bylaw Article Fails

The citizen’s petition to place restrictions on solar farms along Route 105 and any future scenic highways failed to garner the two-thirds votes a bylaw change requires during the October 23 Rochester Fall Special Town Meeting. The article was vetted two weeks prior during a Planning Board public hearing on October 10, at which time […] Read more »

Still No Specifics On Bus Driver Firing

Dozens of parents and supporters rallied behind the former bus driver of 27 years of the Rochester bus route 5 during the October 12 meeting of the Rochester School Committee, vowing to return again after most of their questions remained unanswered. Superintendent Doug White was tightlipped about the details behind the switching of routes of […] Read more »