The Town of Rochester is extending its deadline for the collection of property taxes by one month to June 1. The motion passed unanimously during Monday’s live, online meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen.

            Noting that every week three million people lose their jobs due to coronavirus-related layoffs, Board of Selectman Clerk Woody Hartley said, “That’s going to have an effect.”

            “If it can help the people, I have no problem with that,” said Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar. “We’ll work with any financial ramifications… we’ll borrow… we’ll work with people.”

            A mailing has been created to notify taxpayers that they have this option.

            Hartley encouraged those who can to pay to do so because not paying on the original schedule will cost the town money.

            “We’re all in this together,” said Szyndlar, noting how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) extended the national income tax filing deadline.

            Szyndlar told the board that the town was holding at one COVID-19 case as of Monday’s meeting.

            “That’s all I know of right now,” said Szyndlar in her April 6 update to the board that included town hall’s compliance with Governor Baker’s order that all non-essential public buildings remained closed until May 4. The mailing of the town census has been delayed until that order is lifted.

            Board of Selectmen Chairman Paul Ciaburri reported that the town has made an ultraviolet-light treatment available that sanitizes face masks. Residents can drop off their masks in a zip-lock bag at Fire Station 1 with name, address, and phone on the bag. Ciaburri said viable masks can be sanitized up to 20 times.

            Szyndlar also noted that Rochester Town Fair’s property-use request stands, despite the rescheduling of all of the event’s spring-season fundraising activities.

            Hartley praised Szyndlar’s idea for a backup town administrator in the event she contracts the coronavirus and is unable to serve in her capacity. Town Counsel Blair Bailey, who hosted the April 6 meeting via Zoom, would serve in Szyndlar’s absence.

            Calling it a “wise idea” by Szyndlar, Hartley asked Bailey, “Are you feeling good, Blair?” Bailey answered, “I’m feeling fine.” The motion passed.

            Interim Town Clerk Paul Dawson’s position was also fortified, as the board approved the extension of his contract from April 9 to one day after the annual town election, whenever that is.

            Typically discouraged, Rochester is encouraging the use of absentee ballots for town election in 2020.

            “We are hoping to encourage folks to use this (link on town clerk’s website), for your safety and health as well as our workers,” said Dawson. “When the date is set by the Board of Selectmen, there will be an election. But people will be leery about coming in (to public-polling places)… Whatever day that election is scheduled for, those ballots will be tabulated at that time. Make sure your voice is heard.”

            In other business, Austin Alves was approved as a new part-time police officer appointed for duty in Rochester.

            An Old Rochester Regional High School and UMass Dartmouth graduate with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Alves has been training in the police academy and working part-time as a dispatcher in another town.

            Chief of Police Robert Small called the appointment Alves’ “lifelong dream” and spoke glowingly about Alves’ preparation and “excellent testing.”

            Alves’ appointment is the first of two staff additions the police department is requesting. The board voted unanimously to approve his hire.

            “We wish him all the best,” said Hartley, who used the opportunity to ask Small how it is going for his department.

            “We have not changed our method of service at all, obviously trying to add a little physical distance,” said Small. “People have been very cooperative in town.”

            Environmental Planner and Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon confirmed that Tuesday’s Conservation Commission meeting would be recorded.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen was left at Szyndlar’s discretion.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Mick Colageo

            Meetings, in the new reality imposed on the globe by COVID-19, are now a virtual reality, so to speak. The Mattapoisett Water and Sewer met on April 1 via conference calls. Present were Chairman Daniel Chase, legal consultant Blair Bailey, along with commissioners Al Mennino and Dana Barrows.

            Also present was Water and Sewer Superintendent Henri Renauld. During the course of his updates on various ongoing projects, Renauld said, due to the importance of assuring worker safety and the need to have healthy employees ready at all times, he has divided the staff into teams. Renauld explained that the departments’ workforce has been split into two teams working on a rotating schedule to try and ensure as much physical separation and viability as possible.

            “If one person in a team gets sick, the entire team has to be quarantined,” he said. He stated that many people are working from home. In a follow-up, Renauld told The Wanderer that he has tried to duplicate each position, setting up in-field teams but also providing for his replacement in the event he becomes ill. He said that retired superintendent Nick Nicholson would replace him if necessary. Office staff is also working on a rotating schedule, he said.

            Renauld wanted to assure the public that the water supply is safe and that twice-monthly testing is performed. He said that people do not need to buy bottled water. He told the commissioners that the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency uses a checklist for ensuring the safety of the public water supply. Mattapoisett’s water department and the Mattapoisett River Valley aquifer serves parts of Marion and Rochester, as well as Fairhaven and Mattapoisett. “There is no indication the pathogen can be transmitted in the drinking water,” he said. “I’m also having weekly conference calls with the EPA.”

            A bigger issue, Renauld said, was the flushing of various types of hygiene wipes into the municipal sewer system. He said private septic systems would also be impacted.

            “Every time there is a clog, we’ve got to put our staff in a trench.” While it is unlikely any pathogen could survive in the sewer system, Renauld said emergency maintenance situations put the worker in harm’s way.

            “Even if the package says the wipe can be flushed, don’t do it,” Renauld urged the public.

            In other business, Renauld updated the commissioners on the cost estimates for expanding the public sewer system from Route 6 north along North Street to the intersection with Industrial Drive.

            Renauld said that preliminary estimates found that each household would face paying $47,000 in betterment fees. When asked, he said that several years ago the estimate had been $40,000. “The size of the project is the problem,” he said. There simply aren’t enough residences to share the cost, he said. Too few homes would mean a heavy financial burden to each household in the expansion zone.

            The commissioners expressed their dismay at the high estimate, with Chase saying, “I’m appalled.” 

“It would be hard to present that to the residents,” Renauld stated. 

Barrows said, “Don’t even bother – that kind of money is obscene.” 

Renauld concurred saying, “Due to inflation, I don’t think the project is economical for the residents.”

            Barrows asked if another estimate using a different engineering group would be advisable before presenting anything to the public. Renauld said he would follow-up on that idea. Barrows said, “We need due diligence.”

            Chase said he wanted to focus on the next big sewer project, Pease’s Point, as the commissioners agreed to table further discussion on North Street sewer expansion at this time.

            Renauld also updated the commission on the Eel Pond sewer project, saying that grant monies would soon be released to cover some of the initial outlay that the town was required to fund, and that some environmental engineering studies completed for Phase 1b of the bike path could be used to satisfy some of the studies required by Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Water and Sewer Department had not been scheduled at press time.

Mattapoisett Water and Sewer Commission

By Marilou Newell

            Now the rule, not the exception, Mattapoisett’s Board of Selectmen met remotely on April 1, 2020. Before getting started, however, Selectman Paul Silva shared his thoughts on the COVID-19 problem and Mattapoisett’s response.

            “I want to thank everyone for their hard work in this tough time,” said Silva, speaking from his home, where he confirmed he was in self-quarantine having just returned from Europe. “Mattapoisett is special like the bumper sticker says, but we can have a false sense of security. This virus has no boundaries.” He urged the residents to be vigilant in maintaining CDC guidelines.

            Regarding the postponement and or rescheduling of the spring town meeting, Silva said, “I’m not sure any date can be held in concrete.” The immediate impact on the town’s ability to conduct business was discussed as Silva noted that the state has granted latitude to cities and towns regarding budgetary matters.

            Selectman Jordan Collyer said, “It’s my opinion to vote to postpone both town meeting and the elections, to reconvene on May 11 and reassess where we are at then… The reality is they both need to be pushed out.”

            Former Town Administrator and now town consultant Mike Gagne said that Town Administrator Mike Lorenco had been researching new state provisions. Lorenco stated, “Selectmen can approve a one-twelfth budget until we have an approved 2021 budget.” He later explained that the town could use a one-twelfth formula on a month-to-month basis calculated from the approved 2020 budget number.

            Silva called for a motion to postpone the spring town meeting until further notice and to reconvene on this matter on May 11 for further consideration. The motion was moved and carried.

            Town Clerk Catherine Heuberger offered her opinion regarding the May 19 elections. She said she was in favor of keeping the election date and moving forward as planned. “I can make accommodations for COVID-19, put safety guards in place.” She said that more absentee ballots could be used, that she would hire fewer poll workers, expand early voting and, “…people can use their own pens.” She went on to say that voting booths could be wiped with disinfectant clothes between uses, she would station hand sanitizers for people to use, and that poll workers would be given gloves to wear. She asked the selectmen to let the date stand.

            Silva voiced his concerns, saying, “There are two components to this election. I’m concerned for those running for office.” He said that usually the League of Women Voters gives candidates a forum to reach voters. Secondly, he said, “Candidates go out door-to-door as part of the campaign process.” With that option now unavailable, Silva thought they might not have the opportunity to run a campaign at all.

            Collyer said, “We can wait further down the road, maybe May 4.” He said he agreed in principle with Silva that candidates should be asked their opinion in this matter. “It wouldn’t hurt to ask if they can run a satisfactory campaign when you can’t talk to people face-to-face.”

            The only contested race is the vacant seat on the Board of Selectmen, Heuberger confirmed.

The selectmen agreed they would follow state guidelines for the time being while watching to see what the state might mandate. The candidates vying for the selectman seat are John DeCosta and Tyler Macallister.

            Heuberger said she would proceed with printing the ballot, checking the availability of poll workers, as the selectmen voted to take no action on this matter at this time.

            In other business, Gagne said that the Board of Health had received a $5,000 grant that was used to produce signs instructing residents to observe social distance and hand washing recommendations and discouraging groups of more than 10 people. “We’ll place those at Ned’s Point, Shipyard Park and around the community.” He said that the sand-lot play area next to Center School was taped off from public use as well as the equipment at the town beach on Water Street. The tennis and Pickleball courts would remain open for now, he said.

            Gagne said that the Mattapoisett Land Trust is keeping its properties open to the public for the present time, but that it, too, was placing notices reminding all of the importance of social distancing and moreover, keeping dogs leashed at all times. “It’s important that all dogs be leashed at all times,” he said.

            Gagne said that Amanda Stone, the public health nurse, and Kayla Davis, the Board of Health director, were working extra hours, “…to ensure that Mattapoisett is safe.” He discussed the proper handling of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as groceries and said a link would be placed on the town’s website with further details.

            Payments due to the town can be dropped off in the exterior drop-off box, Gagne reminded the public. He said that businesses needing assistance should contact the town tax collector/treasurer Kristie Costa. “We want to work with people, we want to make sure our community sustains and survives.”

            Silva spoke to the issue of people returning to seasonal homes or from trips outside the Commonwealth. “We are a seasonal community. It’s important that people self-quarantine for 14 days. I’m doing it. It’s not so bad,” he said.

            Before the meeting adjourned, Heuberger said, “I want to get a plug in for the census.” She said the federal census is now in full swing and urged the public to complete the process.

            No firm date or time was discussed for the next Board of Selectmen meeting.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell