Buzzards Bay Coalition Golf Tournament

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Golfers of all abilities can enjoy a unique afternoon at a championship golf course while supporting clean water at the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s annual Golf Tournament on Friday, October 25at The Bay Club in Mattapoisett.

            All proceeds from the Tournament go into a dedicated fund to support the cleanup of nitrogen pollution – Buzzards Bay’s largest pollutant – in New Bedford Harbor. Bring business associates and friends out to enjoy a day of good cheer on the golf course for a great cause.

            For golfers, this event is a rare opportunity to enjoy the private Bay Club’s parkland-style 7,000-yard course, designed by PGA Tour professional Brad Faxon in conjunction with golf course architect Brad Booth. With 88 percent of its 625 forested acres preserved, The Bay Club is the only Certified Silver Audubon Signature Sanctuary in Massachusetts.

            Scott Zeien, owner of Kingman Yacht Center in Bourne, is returning to the Golf Tournament for the seventh time this year. “This is a wonderful opportunity to play a beautiful, private course of the highest caliber,” he said. “When you add that all the players are united in purpose to help preserve our Bay, it adds a level of camaraderie and community to the event.”

            The tournament is a scramble format with registration and practice at 10:00 am and a shotgun start at 12:00 pm. Registration is $250 for individuals or $1,000 for a foursome. Registration includes 18 holes of golf, greens fees, cart rental, tournament gift, boxed lunches, beer, and snacks on the course, and a lively after-party at the renowned Golf House Restaurant with cocktails, light fare, and awards and prizes, including an opportunity to putt for the chance to win $5,000.

            Not a golfer? You can still enjoy the festivities and support for clean water by purchasing a $35 ticket to the cocktail party reception, which begins at 5:00 pm.

            Register online to secure your spot in the Tournament via www.savebuzzardsbay.org/golf or at the Buzzards Bay Coalition office at 114 Front Street, New Bedford.

            Tournament and tee sponsorship opportunities are also available for companies who want to show their support for our local environment. For more information or to register by phone, contact events@savebuzzardsbay.org or 508-999-6363.

Rochester Historical Society 50th Celebration

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What were you doing 50 years ago? Seems just like yesterday that the Rochester Historical Society (RHS) was incorporated in 1969 with the help and guidance of a number of Rochester residents who wanted to preserve its history.

            Now 50 years later, we are celebrating this event with a fund raising 50th celebration on Saturday, September 14at the Rochester COA on 67 Dexter lane from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.         Agenda for the day: a walk down memory lane, a delicious lunch, display of historical items, a raffle with some great items, RHS items for sale, lots of stories, and more. Did you know that in the beginning, potential new members for the RHS were voted on before they could become members; there is a Time Capsule buried in town; or that there was a Craft Store on Rounsville Road? There are lots more great stories to be told.

            Admission is $20 (includes lunch) and all reservations must be received by August 19. Please send checks made out and mailed to RHS, P.O. Box 322, Rochester, MA, 02770. The event is open to the public. Get your friends, neighbors, classmates, and relatives together and make it special. Call 508-961-7401 with any questions.

FinCom Wraps Up FY 2019

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            The Finance Committee on July 25 came together to discuss and vote on inter-departmental money transfers to pay for budgetary overages that require balancing as the fiscal year draws to a close. Town Administrator Michael Gagne asked the FinCom to move $128,388 from the health insurance account to cover other municipal expenses.

            From the documented list, Gagne asked for $2,060 for clerical assistance to the Board of Selectmen, $14,253 to pay for additional staffing hired to cover the Building Department due to illness of staff member, an additional $7,179 was needed for electrical expenses incurred for street lighting when fees changed, and hydrant rentals from the Town of Fairhaven was an additional $1,715.

            The veterans benefits line item saw an overage of $17,603, but Gagne clarified that 75 percent of the total $117,603, of which only $100,000 had been budgeted, was reimbursed by the state, leaving the smaller sum pending.

            Parks, which Gagne said included property known as the Holy Ghost Grounds on Park Street and now owned by the town, required repairs and improvements. These repairs mean that the main building may now be used by groups wanting to hold events or by the town itself such as the Recreation Department. The amounted needed to balance and close out the books was $7,400.

            Additional and unplanned expenses associated with employment benefits were $20,200, which Gagne described as sick time and vacation buy-outs.

            Vehicle lease obligations amounted to $3,168 for the Animal Control Department and the Council on Aging. And, the last sum being transferred from the health insurance account was $54,062 needed to cover health insurance deductible fees outside of health insurance coverage.

            The committee moved to transfer the monies.

            Requested transfers from the Reserve Fund in the amount of $81,537 covered such line items as $18,830 for legal costs, $20,870 for computer system upgrades, and $37,702 for sufficient repairs to keep the current town hall “livable”.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee will be scheduled soon.

Mattapoisett Finance Committee

By Marilou Newell

Rochester Grange Fair

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August 17is coming fast. Rochester Grange invites all gardeners to come and enter your fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Get your friends and neighbors to enter for some friendly competition and bragging rights. Entries can be brought in Friday, August 16from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Judging will begin as soon as all entries are in place. Anyone may enter from the age of 5 years and up from not just Rochester, but surrounding towns as well. Fair books with all rules and information are out and can be found throughout the Tri-Town area. For information on the fair, contact Sue or Herb at 508-295-8908 or at sash48@comcast.net.

Harbormaster Reinforces Responsibility for Boat Wakes

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            In the boating world, understanding navigational rules and regulations is paramount to safe enjoyment on the water. Boaters should fully understand best practices and – this is where it gets tricky –common courtesy. It seems that one issue that is currently troubling boats moored in Mattapoisett’s harbor: dangerous wakes thrown out by boats exceeding the speed limit.

            When the Marine Advisory Board met on July 25, Harbormaster Jill Simmons acknowledged that it is well known that boaters are responsible for their wakes. “But you won’t find any rule,” she said. She added that because the harbor channel is so wide, some boaters plow through the water creating wakes that can cause people on their moored boats to be thrown around or even injured. Furthermore, she said that an area near Shining Tides Beach, which the town had designated as a recreational area, was actually an area that the United States Coast Guard claims as anchorage.

            There is case law on the matter of boaters who don’t take responsibility for their wakes, but Simmons said proving a case in court can be difficult to impossible.

            Simmons said that she is currently in the process of narrowing the channel with the placement of new PTONS to replace the U.S.C.G. ATONS that were decommissioned. She expressed hope that by narrowing the opening, boaters would slow down.

            In other matters, Simmons reported that a new rule would be implemented for pump-out services. She said that a recent mishap had caused the spewing of black water onto the pump-out boat operators and a discharge into the harbor. This could have been prevented, she explained, if the boat owners had removed the cap on the black water tank, eliminating the chance for the suction hose to become over pressurized. She characterized it as a hazardous situation.

            Chairman Carlos DeSousa asked if boaters were calling for pump-out services including those at the Brandt Cove Marina, the site of the former Leisure Shores Marina. She said there had been about 35 calls over the two weeks the service had begun being offered by the town. 

            Simmons said she was also building a website so that in the future boaters can schedule pump-outs electronically. DeSousa asked about the condition of the pump-out equipment located at the end of Long Wharf. She replied she was awaiting new parts but with some coaxing the older equipment was operable, but extremely inefficient.

            Regarding the selection of the new full-time harbormaster, Jamie McIntosh, DeSousa said, “The selection went back and forth,” but that ultimately McIntosh had been chosen. He said the next step was an employment agreement, which the selectmen will negotiate. “The future looks bright,” he said.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board is scheduled for August 29 at 7:00 pm in the town hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board

By Marilou Newell

Marion Art Center

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Auditions – The Women of Lockerbie by Deborah Brevoort – The Marion Art Center (MAC) has announced open auditions for all roles in the upcoming production of The Women of Lockerbie by Deborah Brevoort. Auditions will be held on Monday, August 5, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm and Wednesday, August 7, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the Marion Art Center, 80 Pleasant St. (the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets), in Marion. Performances will be October 18 – 20 and October 24 – 27, 2019.

            The Story: The Year is 1995. A mother from New Jersey roams the hills of Lockerbie Scotland, looking for her son’s remains that were lost in the crash of Pan Am 103. She meets the women of Lockerbie who are fighting the U.S. government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the plane’s wreckage. The women, determined to convert an act of hatred into an act of love, want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victim’s families. The Women of Lockerbie is a poetic drama about the triumph of love over hate.

            Director Jennifer Palmer will be casting five females and two males. Actors’ ages should appear the ages represented in the following characters: Madeline Livingston, victim’s mother from New Jersey, age 45-55; Bill Livingston, Madeline’s husband, 45-55; Olive Allison, woman from Lockerbie, 50+; Woman #1, woman from Lockerbie, 25+; Woman #2, woman from Lockerbie, 25+; George Jones, American Government representative, 40+; Hattie, Woman from Lockerbie, works for George Jones, 30-50. Auditions will consist of a cold reading from the script, callbacks TBD. Rehearsal schedule to be determined once the show is cast.

            About the director: After relocating to Southeastern, MA, Jennifer Palmer has directed over a dozen shows at theatres on the Cape and in New Bedford where she was hired as the first Executive Director of Your Theatre. Prior to her relocation, Palmer was The Founder of Yardley Players Theatre Company in Bucks County, PA where she produced its first three seasons and directed Steel Magnolias, the Bucks County area premiere of Love Letters, The Fantasticks, Annie, and The Wizard of Oz (Washington Crossing Open Air Theatre). She also was owner and teacher at Drama*Works School of Performing Arts both in Bucks County and on the Cape, encouraging young people to express themselves through the magic of theatre. For more information, contact Jennifer Palmer at jengpalmer@msn.com.

            Music at the MAC – Shaun England & Jim Robitaille – Friday, August 9, 8:00 pm

The Marion Art Center announces an evening of music on Friday, August 9 beginning at 8:00 pm, featuring Shaun England & Jim Robitaille. Band members include Shaun England on guitar/vocals, Jim Robitaille on guitar, Chris Poudrier on drums, Pedro Verdugo on bass, and Bill Duffy on keyboard. 

            Shaun England and his band are joined by special guest Jim Robitaille in a unique collaboration through the blues, rock, and jazz. Join these artists who have traveled very different paths to create and explore – experience the “musical crossroads” as their paths are combined. 

            Tickets, available now, are $18 for MAC members and $20 for non-members. A limited number of cabaret tables are available (seating for 4). Reservations are strongly recommended. While beverages are not provided, attendees may bring their own refreshments to enjoy with the music. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased by phone, at the MAC, or online at www.marionartcenter.org/musicatthemac/.

            Death by Design opens at the MAC on Friday, August 23.The Marion Art Center is pleased to present Death by Design by Rob Urbinati, directed by Kate Fishman. The cast includes Camerin Bennett, Gavin Bressler, Scott Fishman, Sabrina Guilbeault, Cynthia Latham, Tristan McCann, Susan Sullivan, and Harvey Ussach.

            Performances will be held Friday, August 23 – Sunday, August 25 and Thursday, August 29 – Sunday, September 1. All Thurs, Fri, Sat productions will begin at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees will start at 2:00 pm. Tickets go on sale to MAC members ($18) on Friday, August 2 by phone and at the MAC and will be available online and to non-members ($20) beginning Friday, August 9. 

            Death by Design is a farcical look at the British Murder Mystery. What happens when you mix the brilliant wit of Noel Coward with the intricate plotting of Agatha Christie? Set during a weekend in an English country manor in 1932, Death by Design is a delightful and mysterious “mash-up” of two of the greatest English writers of all time. Edward Bennett, a playwright, and his wife Sorel Bennett, an actress, flee London and head to Cookham after a disastrous opening night. But various guests arrive unexpectedly – a conservative politician, a fiery socialist, a nearsighted ingenue, a zany modern dancer – each with a long-held secret. When one of the guests is murdered, it’s left to Bridgit, the feisty Irish maid with a macabre interest in homicide, to solve the crime.

National Night Out

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            Please join the Mattapoisett Police Department and other Public Safety Agencies from the Tri-Town area on Tuesday, August 6from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Old Rochester Regional High School front field. National Night Out is a nationwide event to bring communities together and provide an opportunity for the community to meet the members of the public safety who keep us safe. On display will be police cars, police motorcycles, ambulances, fire trucks, and boats, all for children and adults to explore. 

            There will be an ice-cream truck on scene along with pizza and refreshments provided by local businesses at no cost. 

ZBA Wants Police OK for Shooting Range Permit

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            Although the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals wasn’t opposed to a tactical training and shooting range at Steven Morrell’s 0 County Road property, there would be no special permit for the operation until at least getting a written OK from the Rochester police chief.

            Morrell has an extensive background in the field, having served as a U.S. Marine sniper in the ‘90s, served 29 years in military law enforcement and counter terrorism, and has 15 years of experience as an instructor in firearms and tactical shooting among other certifications.

            Morrell said opening a shooting instruction and tactical instruction range to train local, state, and federal law enforcement, as well as the general public, especially on this property, has been his long-time dream. He grew up on County Road and was familiar with the former property owner. Morrell said he has been shooting at the site since he was 15 years old.

            The land is vacant with an existing relatively small-scale shooting range. Morrell wished to add a storage structure and construct an 8-foot backstop at the end of the range, where the overall grade at the spot is about 20 feet high.

            There are no abutting residences, with SEMASS and some area cranberry bogs along the property. Morrell said the nearest resident is over 3,000 feet away from the proposed range that is situated in a relatively remote area. Access will be documented via an easement granted by abutting cranberry bog owner, Brad Morse, who is also a Rochester selectman.

            Morrell’s operation will be no “soda can target” practice. What Morrell plans for is a more realistic approach with real targets and instruction in the dynamics of shooting, and plans to offer some diminished light tactical instructions during the winter month evenings. He proposed hours of operation from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

            Morrell said he had at one time spoken to the retired former Rochester police chief, and said the current police chief is aware of the proposed operation but Morrell hadn’t heard any response with comments from him.

            “I think I’d like to hear from the chief,” said ZBA member Richard Cutler. It’s one thing to go out there and do a little (target practice) … but this is going to be a business.” Cutler said he wanted endorsement from the police chief.

            Morrell stated that his hours would be part-time at the range as his regular work schedule is often “erratic.” Also, activities at the site during classes would be mostly instruction rather than a constant firing of weapons.

            “There’s quite a bit of down time built in to what we’re doing,” said Morrell.

            Morse commented on the lack of noise emitted from the site, saying, “You actually don’t hear it outside of it due to the shape of the property.”

            Letters of support for Morrell and his shooting range expressed an enthusiasm for the new business, including one from Sargent Daniel Henderson of the Wareham Police Department who has trained under Morrell before. Henderson called him “a dedicated professional and an asset to the community and a valuable resource.”

            Conceptually, Cutler found no problem with the proposal, “but it would be nice to get something from Rochester Police.”

            ZBA Chairman David Arancio agreed with Cutler, but insisted that Morrell also seek a range permit from the Board of Selectmen. ZBA member Davis Sullivan concurred.

            Although the site is secluded, Arancio said, it has a history of people using the property to ride ATVs. “It’s private, but – unfortunately, you know how that goes.” He suggested some “Live Fire” signs to accompany Morrell’s suggested “No Trespassing” signs.

            Arancio said he found no problem with the proposal, but he wanted to dot all his ‘i’s and ‘t’s. He and the board made some suggestions on conditions of approval, including that the police department make an annual visit to the range for an inspection.

            “Especially in this day and age where [there are] a lot of nuts out there with guns,” Cutler said.

            The hearing was continued until August 8 to allow time for the police chief to weigh in on the application.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for August 8 at 7:15 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals

By Jean Perry

Rochester Council on Aging

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A Retirement Reception for the Rochester Senior Center Director, Sharon Lally will take place on August 29from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm. All are welcome to attend this event. It is open to the public. Refreshments will be served. 

            Lally has been the Director of the Rochester Senior Center for over 13 years, and has been employed in the COA network for over 25 years. She was previously the COA Director in Needham, Duxbury, and Andover. Lally has a Master’s Degree in Gerontology. She is an MCOA Certified Senior Center Director, and a prior Massachusetts Delegate-at-large to the National Institute, Senior Centers Delegate Council, a constituent of the National COA. 

            Lally has dedicated her professional life to our local seniors. She has been hardworking, loyal, dependable, and knowledgeable. She goes above and beyond what is required by her position, and always greets everyone with a warm and welcoming smile. She will be missed. Please stop by the Rochester Senior Center on August 29th to give her a well-deserved send-off. 

            The full monthly newsletter and calendar are available on our website www.rochestermaseniorcenter.com. Event information is also available on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/rochestercoa.

            The COA’s annual Summer Picnic will take place on Monday, August 12from 11:30 am -1:30 pm. Entertainment will be provided by “Voices in Time”, Sharon Jensen’s young choral group. The Highway Department staff will be working the grill. The menu is BBQ with various traditional sides, baked beans, corn on the cob, and dessert. This event is open to all seniors. Advance sign-up is required in order to have the right amount of food. Transportation is available. Anonymous donations will be accepted on the day of the event. Please call 508-763-8723 to make a reservation.

            Hanna Milhench and her team are hosting a special luncheon on Monday, August 19at 12:00 pm. She always prepares something delicious. All are welcome to attend. Please make a reservation in advance so the right amount of food is prepared. Anonymous donations of $5.00 are suggested. Please call the Senior Center at 508-763-5421 to sign-up.

            The SHINE program is back in action at the Rochester Senior Center. The SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Everyone), provides free counseling to all Massachusetts residents with Medicare and their caregivers. Counselors will be available on Mondays from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, and Tuesdays from 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Please make an appointment in advance by calling the Senior Center at 508-763-8723.

            The COA is heading to Block Island for the day on Monday, August 5. The van will be leaving the Senior Center at 7:30 am to catch a 9:30 an ferry. The van will return to Rochester at approximately 5:30 pm. The cost for this day trip is $22.75 and includes your ferry ticket. Advance sign-up is required for this trip. Please call 508-763-8723 to make your reservation.

Elizabeth Taber Library

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Elizabeth Taber Library’s Bridge Tournament will take place on Friday, August 2.Doors open at 1:15 pm, play begins at 2:00 pm. Join us for our summer Bridge Tournament to benefit the library. Duplicate and Social Bridge, fabulous raffle items, prizes, and refreshments! $35 per person entry fee. Register at the library on online, find instructions for paying via paypal on the Library Website: www.elizabethtaberlibrary.org. Raffle tickets are available for purchase at the library, and you don’t need to be present at the tournament to win raffle drawings.

            On Tuesday, August 6at 6:30 pm, the Elizabeth Taber Library with the Sippican Land’s Trust and the New England Costal Wildlife present “STRAWS”. View the award-winning documentary and help start a conversation about single use plastics in our community. Learn how other communities are responding to the growing issue of single use plastics and learn about practical alternatives with a reusable materials demonstration.