With four continuances knocking out what could have been a very long meeting on March 23, the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission quickly got down to business and handled a very light agenda. The Preserve at the Bay Club received an amended Order of Conditions for 104A Fieldstone Drive to add a retaining wall and some fill […] Read more »
The deadline to return nomination papers passed on Monday, March 23 and the official 2015 Annual Election ballot has taken shape, which will also feature one referendum question for voters. Some key elected positions will be contested in this 2015 annual election, most notably the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, and School Committee. William Dale […] Read more »
The Town of Mattapoisett is going to fight the Boston Passport Agency’s abrupt decision to close the U.S. passport office at the Mattapoisett Town Hall as of March 31. In a March 10 letter from the agency addressed to Passport Agent Paula Butterfield, the agency cited low numbers in participation as the reason behind the […] Read more »
For some residents, the start of the new trash and recycling collection program in January was a challenge, with February bringing some of the worst winter weather in recorded history. ABC Disposal Operations Manager Jerry Dugan even called it the worst February in his entire career while talking trash with the Rochester Board of Selectmen […] Read more »
The Marion Planning Board has tabled its Zoning Bylaw amendment that was slated for the Annual Town Meeting warrant after several local small business owners voiced their concerns and posed questions the board was unprepared to answer. Little by little, the bylaw amendment was torn apart in the absence of its primary author, Co-chairman of […] Read more »
It could have been a quick in and out for the Mattapoisett Planning Board on March 16 with the one agenda item – changes to a Form C approval issued to Michael Solimando for the Appaloosa Lane subdivision – again continued until April 6. There wasn’t any other business to speak of, but other topics […] Read more »
Six school choice slots will be offered at the high school for the next school year, now that the Old Rochester Regional School Committee concluded its ongoing discussion March 11 and voted unanimously to maintain the status quo of 72 school choice students at ORR. Superintendent Doug White urged the committee to continue to offer […] Read more »
There was a procedural question over how The Cove in Marion Trust might apply for a Notice of Intent with the Marion Conservation Commission for a project on Town-owned land, with the property overseen by the Conservation Commission itself. This presented a hurdle for a proposed turtle habitat, or turtle garden, to be created in […] Read more »
The Rochester Board of Selectmen met March 16 to hear the recommendation from the Board of Assessors on the Town’s tax classification, which selectmen unanimously approved. The Town will leave the tax rate unified among the different property types, as it is now. According to Board of Assessors Chairman John Mello, the Town is broken […] Read more »
Town Administrator Michael Gagne put out the word through various Town departments to try and keep any fiscal year 2016 budget increases to a mere two percent. That call was heard as most department heads are presenting budgets that are flat year-over-year or around the two percent requested. Most increases involve contractual agreements with Town […] Read more »