Marion Maintains Single Tax Rate

            Pat DeCosta represented the Marion Board of Assessors for a continued public hearing before the Select Board on November 22, the hearing for tax classification.

            “Based on the town being 93% residential, it would be a big burden on the businesses to split the tax rate and (have) very little impact on the residential, so the Board of Assessors would recommend – it’s called the ‘Residential Factor of 1,’ which is the single tax rate,” said DeCosta.

            “I think the single tax rate is good, and I think we should be inviting commercial businesses into town. That’s one way to kind of help them,” said Select Board Chairman Randy Parker.

            “It also keeps the ones we have,” said Select Board member Norm Hills.

Select Board member Toby Burr agreed, and the board voted unanimously to support DeCosta’s proposal for a single tax rate for the next year.

            The meeting opened with the appointment of Sommer Cardoso to the Marion Police Department.

            In advocating for Cardoso’s appointment, Chief of Police Richard Nighelli told the Select Board that Cardoso graduated in July 2020 from the Massachusetts Police Training held at the Cape Cod Police Training Academy.

            She has served on the New Bedford Police Department, has worked as a counselor in the Freetown-Lakeville School Department and interned with the Marion Police Department while earning her associates degree at Bristol Community College.

            “I guess that’s the way we measure success of a program when people come back and want to work for us,” said Nighelli with a smile.

            The board voted to appoint Cardoso to a one-year, probationary period as a full-time police officer effective December 11.

            Parker noted that the generator pad has been installed at the Town House, and the retaining wall is being installed behind the Cushing Community Center, part of the center’s expansion. “We’re actually doing that in-house with the (Department of Public Works.) Shaun (Cormier) is overseeing that,” Parker reported.

            “Hopefully, that can save us in the long run,” said Interim Town Administrator Judy Mooney, the town’s Finance director. Mooney noted that the experience of putting in the foundation will be beneficial for the DPW and for the town as well from a cost standpoint.

            Executive Assistant to the Select Board Donna Hemphill said progress is being made on correspondence for the many license renewals that are coming up around town. Parker has been participating in that outreach effort to avoid a bureaucratic logjam.

            The Marion Holiday Party will be held on Wednesday, December 7, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Cushing Community Center. For the sake of a head count, the town is requesting RSVP emails by Friday, December 2, to dhemphill@marionma.gov.

            The Festival of Trees, which was opened on Saturday at the community center, remains open until Thursday, December 8, when raffle winners will be drawn.

            The Christmas Stroll through Marion village will be held on Sunday, December 11, beginning at 3:00 pm and running to 5:30 pm. Donations are sought to support the event, which has a Facebook page.

            Mooney announced a Santa event to be held on Saturday, December 4, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the community center. The preregistration deadline passed on November 25.

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7, at 5:00 pm at the community center prior to the town’s Holiday Party.

Marion Select Board/Board of Assessors

By Mick Colageo

Leave A Comment...

*