Editor’s note: Since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 interrupted the South Coast League of Women Voters’ annual effort to host candidates’ nights, The Wanderer has been offering a platform for candidates in contested races for elected offices in the tri-towns. This year, candidates were invited to submit up to 250 words in one paragraph. Candidates […] Read more »
Randy Parker Ascends to Chair
The Marion Select Board met on Tuesday for their first meeting with a newly elected member, John Hoagland. Hoagland won his seat with 521 total votes, 262 votes higher than the next candidate. Chair Norm Hills greeted him and introduced him to applause from the room. The Select Board met to go over various […] Read more »
Hoagland Elected to Select Board in Big Lead
Marion held its annual town election on Friday, May 16, with early and mail-in voting also taking place leading up to the final tally. During a long day of voting, candidates gathered at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center off Route 6 to hold signs and do some last-minute campaigning to win over undecided voters. […] Read more »
All Approved
Rochester’s Annual Town Meeting held Monday passed its 25 articles, including a zoning amendment, several high-priced capital expenditures, and a Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget exceeding $27,000,000, without much of a fight. A quorum of 108 residents took just over an hour to approve, with no serious push back. Priorities starting with a $27,022,457 […] Read more »
Collyer Maintains Hold On 21 Year Seat of Select Board
Mattapoisett’s town elections were held on Tuesday, May 20 with voting wrapping up at 8:00 pm. Running unopposed, Jordan Collyer secured his seat at the Select Board table for another term. He has been on the board for 21 years and now enters his 8th term. There were three contested races. Water and Sewer Commissioner […] Read more »
Enlarged Garage Approved for Pleasant Street
The Marion Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) met Thursday, May 8 for a Special Permit hearing for the Morgans living at 73 Pleasant Street. The permit would be for the expansion of a pre-existing non-conforming garage. In detailing its correspondence with other town bodies, the ZBA said the Board of Health had “no comments” […] Read more »
Abutters Angry over Solar Array
Rochester’s Planning Board Tuesday entertained a further review of two large projects on Cranberry Highway and Snipatuit Road and the neighbors’ strong concerns over them before ultimately continuing both hearings to its next meeting. First, the board reopened the Site Plan Review application hearing to build a 20,000 square-foot commercial building for contractor […] Read more »
Rodeo Time!
Let them buckin’ broncos loose! Rochester’s Select Board Monday officially approved the license agreement for the rodeos that will come to the former Country Fair grounds this summer. New England Rodeo, which is currently headquartered in Norton, proposed holding a series of rodeos every other Saturday from June to September at 65 Pine St. […] Read more »
Majority Not Enough for Historic District
The Marion Annual Town Meeting took place over two days, Monday, May 12 and Tuesday, May 13. Much was discussed, argued, and voted upon. On the docket were 51 articles (three of those being citizen’s petitions), one special article, and two questions. See the end of this article for a summary of voting results. […] Read more »
And Then There Were Five
There was a lot riding on the Mattapoisett Spring Town Meeting Warrant. Some might say the very character of the community. But when all was said and done, the people spoke affirmatively for a five-member Select Board versus the historic three-member. Nikki Demakis, a nearly life-long resident and an active member of the […] Read more »