Marion Conservation Commission associate member Shaun Walsh said on May 10 that he wanted to go on the record in response to what he said were allegations of a conflict of interest. Walsh, an attorney for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, wanted all residents of Marion to know that whenever a denial for an […] Read more »
Mattapoisett elementary schools will not increase School Choice participation next year, now that the Mattapoisett School Committee on May 15 took Superintendent Doug White’s recommendation to refrain from offering any further slots for the upcoming school year. “Currently, we have a few students who are participating in School Choice,” said White, “but over the last […] Read more »
The Marion Board of Selectmen on May 16 approved the water and sewer rate increases recommended by Finance Director Judy Mooney and the Water/Sewer Rate Study Committee. “This is probably one of the things I don’t like to come to,” said Mooney, fixing to present the data gathered over the last few months. Mooney gave […] Read more »
The Town of Marion is having a difficult time answering the question as to whether a town bylaw was violated during the May 8 Annual Town Meeting when Town Moderator Jeffrey Dickerson proceeded after 10:00 pm to allow voting on articles appropriating over $1,000. The bylaw reads, “Articles of the warrant shall be acted upon […] Read more »
The polls have closed at Old Hammondtown School, and the winners have been announced for the 2017 Mattapoisett Annual Election. For Board of Health – the only contested race in the election – incumbent Carmelo Nicolosi beat fellow candidate George Randall with 366 votes versus Randall’s 77 votes. As for the ballot question for a […] Read more »
If the Rochester Planning Board has its way, Town Meeting voters on May 22 will adopt a new zoning bylaw to place a temporary moratorium on marijuana retail sale in Rochester. Massachusetts voters approved a referendum question to legalize the sale and use of marijuana recreationally back in November 2016. During the public hearing for […] Read more »
The Marion School Committee received some good news on May 3 that the Town was willing to increase the Sippican School budget another $33,000 to fund a .5 physical education teacher position and a .3 health teacher. The committee members were all smiles as School Business Administrator Patrick Spencer introduced the new FY2018 school budget […] Read more »
Either way, Norm Hills was walking away from the polling station a winner on Friday, May 12, having his name appear twice on the ballot – once in the race for the Board of Selectmen and also as one of two candidates vying for three open seats on the Planning Board. To Hills’ delight, the […] Read more »
The Marion Annual Town Meeting on May 8 started out with all smiles during fifth grader Nolan Gibbons’ rendition of the National Anthem, but over five hours later and just two minutes shy of midnight, the barely-a-quorum crowd ended the evening with yawns and an urgency to get business wrapped up in one night. With […] Read more »
Mattapoisett voters were handed numerous pages of reports, spreadsheets and supporting documents as they arrived at ORRHS to take up the Annual Town Meeting Warrant on May 8. There were enough financials to keep those with fiduciary predispositions busy until next fall. But in the end, it wasn’t so much about the $25 million operating […] Read more »