The full Marion Select Board met on Tuesday, August 21, at 6:00 pm, accompanied by Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman and Finance Director Heather O’Brien, to discuss the Bike Path, town roads, new roles and a lawsuit settlement with the Marion Golf Club.
The board unanimously approved altered layouts to Washburn Lane and Spring Street for the Bike Trail, which was previously authorized by the Department of Transportation. The affected areas will be in a section running behind Brew Fish Bar & Eatery into Spring Street, the intersection of Spring Street and Front Street, and the end of Washburn Lane. Once a construction partner is found, the project is estimated to take 5.2 years, and cost over $252,000.
Chair John Hoagland informed the public that charges in the case of Marion Golf Club vs. Marion had been dismissed following two executive sessions in the past week. The institutions would evenly split the $19,000 cost of services from Attorney Mathew Rickman. Charges in the 2022 case alleged that members of the town’s Conservation Commission had trespassed on the Golf Club’s property to investigate a wetland area.
A $10,024 donation to the town from Norman Hills, open space acquisition commission chair, was unanimously accepted by the board. Hill requested that the donation be used to purchase new dog bag stations across town, such as at Goldavitz Bog, Pina Park, DaPina Landing and Grassi Bog. Tabor Academy also donated $50,000 to the Town, requesting it be used to pave a portion of Spring Street the school is on. The board also unanimously approved $3,727.07 in Water/Sewer commitments for final readings, along with reconnection and processing fees.
The board collectively voted for the permanent appointment of Police Sgt. Sommer Cardoso and Officer Kayla Duarte, along with Michael Considine, to the Energy Management Committee for a three-year term, all effective immediately. Kelly Koska was introduced as the town’s new director of assessing, previously working as Acushnet’s principal assessor and clerk. It was also announced that Andrew Bonney had resigned from the Memorial Day committee to pursue work opportunities out-of-state.
The Town Administrator expressed future plans for the town website to have applications of interest in speed hump placements, and that the town may use speed humps — which are typically longer than the current speed bumps. He added that these will be seasonal installations and will all be removed in November due to winter plowing.
Marion Select Board
By Zakary Sarkarati