Children ages 4-7 are invited to join Boston Conservatory trained dance educator Kay Hanley Alden at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Friday,July 27at 10:30 am for a free 45-minute movement workshop to explore fun, safe ways to move & groove! Please register for this program by stopping by or calling the library at 508-758-4171.
Seth Pickering, the Southeast Region Green Communities Coordinator of Massachusetts, gave a presentation at the Rochester Planning Board meeting on July 10 to inform Chairman Arnold Johnson and the rest of the board on the criteria and benefits of becoming a Green Community.
In his presentation, Pickering highlighted five specifications to which Rochester would have to abide by in order to apply to become a Green Community: a zoning bylaw that would allow by-right siting of solar array fields in zoning-designated areas, and another “Stretch Building Code” bylaw with stricter energy efficiency requirements for new residential and commercial structures; performing an energy audit and establishing an energy baseline for Rochester that the town would have to reduce by 20 percent in five years; putting into place a fuel-efficient vehicle purchase policy; and the adoption of a stretch energy code that would have to be voted in as a bylaw at a town meeting.
Pickering went on to explain that it really is the Town’s choice to implement the Green Communities program.
“It’s your mandate,” Pickering said. “There’s no arm twisting from us.”
Pickering also highlighted the key points of the Green Communities program, explaining that there are 210 existing Green Communities, including Middleboro, Duxbury, Lakeville, and Acushnet, and that towns submit an application by October and hear back by December of the applying year to see if their application was successful. Marion is currently undergoing the process towards Green Community status, and Rochester would first be eligible to apply in October of 2019.
Once a town is designated as a Green Community, that town will receive a grant determined by its size and population. Pickering estimated Rochester’s initial grant as around $145,000, which would pay for lighting, installation, ventilation, air conditioning, and more.
Pickering explained the downside, which is that every new house construction cost would, on average, increase $1,500 to $3,500, but on the flip side, the Green Community plan would reduce future energy usage from 11 percent to 25 percent, a cost-savings in the end.
Pickering also went on to explain the details of the criteria Rochester would have to abide by. The biggest criteria point, the one having to do with the energy baseline, looks at all of the Town-owned buildings and facilities in Rochester, including the schools, traffic lights, and more. If Rochester didn’t hit the 20 percent mark in the allotted five years, there would be no cost penalty or anything of the sort, as the Green Communities Program would continue to help Rochester become more energy efficient, regardless.
In other matters, the Planning Board discussed the paving of Flag Swamp Road from High Street to the end of the road where seven housing lots have already been sectioned off. They estimated that it would be a year or two more before the binding is ready on the road and that the paving would also depend on the housing market and how fast the housing lots are sold. The decision on the paving is still pending.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for July 24 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
Rochester Planning Board
By Caleb Jagoda
The Marion Natural History Museum will be hosting a talk on the North Atlantic Right Whales with Dr. Michael Moore from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute on Friday, July 20from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The Marion Natural History Museum is located at 8 Spring Street in Marion. The North Atlantic Right Whale species is in peril. Dr. Moore will discuss the status and trends of the North Atlantic Right Whale: describing how vessel collisions and fishing gear entanglements risk extinction of the species. He will mention recent and proposed changes that could enable the species to recover and how consumers can enable that change. Suggested donation: $10.00 for members, $12.00 for nonmembers. To pre-register for the program please email the Museum Director by visiting the museum website: www.marionmuseum.org.
In these times we could all use a refresher course in how to have meaningful discussions and really listen to others, especially those with differing viewpoints. In order to help foster meaningful discussion, the tri-town community is invited to join a 3 week discussion/Bible study, “Reclaiming Faith: a Path to Moral Discourse in a Troubled Time”, at Mattapoisett Congregational Church in Reynard Hall. Please enter through the Mechanic Street door. Sessions will be from 7-8:30 pm on July 16, 23, and August 6. For questions please call the church office at 508-758-2671 or email Susan Grosart at ggrosart@aol.com.
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing in regard to the Planning Board Hearing story that was published on June 21st wherein FALSE statements were made about me at this meeting, then published in The Wandereras being factual and, moreover, damaging to me and my reputation.
For the record, I wish to confirm that I am not under investigation by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission for any matter involving my performance as the Chair of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission; moreover, I did not receive so much as a phone call from the Ethics Commission in regard to any matters concerning my duties as Chair.
I did receive a “threat” from the Town Administrator to report me to the Ethics Commission and my response to him was that I have done nothing wrong and that I have nothing to hide, and to go ahead with his complaint if he had evidence to back up his claim, which, by the way, dates back to October 12th of 2017.
This was simply an intimidation tactic on behalf of the abutters to the “Snowfields project”.
I publicly replied then and do so again now with a quote from the esteemed George Bernard Shaw, “Never wrestle with pigs, you both get dirty but the pig likes it.” Something I understand and uniquely appreciate as an actual Pig Farmer. Like the pigs, I too have thick skin; however, I will not tolerate false statements about me in public forum, especially when the source, according to Brad Hathaway was another Public Official.
It is important to be cognizant of fact versus fiction, and that just because something gets repeated in a public forum does not mean it is the truth. Brad Hathaway, as a former newspaper journalist, should be aware of this and his actions constitute no less than slander.
I am happy to report the fact that I am not under investigation by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission and that I expect the work of our Commission to be upheld on this project.
Respectfully,
Michael D. King
The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff, or advertisers. The Wandererwill gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the greater Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address, and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned, or unconfirmed submissions. The Wandererreserves the right to edit, condense, and/or otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderermay choose to not run letters that thank businesses and The Wandererhas the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wandereralso reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.
Marion residents with concerns about Route 6 are strongly urged to attend an upcoming Marion Transportation and Circulation Task Force meeting in August to share their thoughts before the public comment period ends.
During the July 19 meeting of the Marion Planning Board, Town Planner Gil Hilario reported on the recent meeting of the Transportation and Circulation Task Force, a subcommittee of the Planning Board, during which SRPEDD (Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District) provided a map of Route 6 and asked for input on improving the road.
Hilario encouraged the board and the concerned public to attend the next Task Force meeting, which will be scheduled for some time in August, as again SRPEDD will be seeking suggestions for the improvement of the major thoroughfare.
Planning Board Chairman Will Saltonstall noted that this was an opportunity for residents to talk about “hot spots the public may have concerns about”.
Hilario warned the board and the public that once the public engagement period is over, it would be hard to have any further input in the improvement project.
Hilario has also submitted a grant application for funding the estimates of the cost of the projects suggested for the town’s Complete Streets Program.
In other business, the FEMA flood zone maps will be available soon through the town website, which may be printed on a home computer. A couple of board members had expressed concern that the small scale aerial photos will be hard to read if a homeowner is looking for their individual property, but Hilario said that the town is broken down into “tiles” of photos that are at a larger scale and will provide the images a property owner would need to see their parcel. He will post the links to the maps once FEMA releases the final draft of the maps, and intends to provide the old maps as well as the new for comparison purposes.
The Town may soon be digitizing its historic town records as Hilario, along with the Sippican Historical Society, is applying for a grant called a “request for service” that would fund an archivist from the Boston Public Library to collect and digitize historical town documents and other historic objects such as paintings and coins. The project would begin with the old Town Reports. The digitized documents would be made available to the public online on a customized website.
Also during the meeting, William Madden of G.A.F. Engineering presented an Approval Not Required plan on behalf of Michael Rose, Lydia Freemen, and Claire Tucker, the owners of the property located at 16 Marvel Street.
The plan contemplates combining six individual lots into one conforming lot of approximately 60,000 square feet.
The lots are in the Residence A district, with a small portion in General Business. There is an existing residence in the center of the lots, and an old foundation in the rear of the lots that will be removed.
The question was raised as to what the zoning bylaws state regarding a lot spanning two zoning districts. Madden replied there is no plan to build on the new lot, therefore he had not investigated this question in any detail, but that the new lot conformed to the zoning in each zoning district. This seemed to satisfy the board; the board approved the ANR unanimously.
Board member Eileen Marum has been named to the SRPEDD executive committee that oversees the governance of the organization. In response to another board member’s congratulatory remark, Marum reflected on the appointment, stating, “Yes, it’s leadership. I’m thrilled.”
The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, July 23 at 7:00 pm in the Marion Police Station conference room.
Marion Planning Board
By Sarah French Storer
By the time I was 13 years old, earning money was a big driver in my life. If I wanted cool-looking school clothes other than the standard issuance my mother was willing to order from Sears, Roebuck, and Company, I had to earn my own cash. I became the neighborhood errand girl, hairstylist, and later, when I was old enough for an employment card, I worked at venues throughout our summer community.
The example set by my hardworking parents aided in setting the gold standard for a life of productivity. Dad was a self-employed TV repairman, up everyday at 6:00 am, in his shop by 7:00, and often on a customer’s roof by 7:30 installing a TV antenna before the heat of the day made being on a roof dangerous. He worked hard everyday of his life.
Ma ran the home. Her schedule was a round robin of domestic duties she handled like a machine: dishes, laundry, dusting, furniture polishing, window and floor washing, sweeping, cooking meals, and managing the finances. Dad would call her “a one-armed paper hanger” at times.
They were busy people doing important jobs that secured a roof over our heads, food on the table, and a clean environment scented as heaven must surely smell – fresh.
Because of them, I went from being a lazy little kid to a teenager hell-bent on buying my own clothing to a woman whose every waking thought was how to be productive and earn a living.
It reached a fever pitch for me by the time my son was in school. While the jobs I held didn’t move us up the economic ladder, at least it kept the lions from the door. By the time he was in college I had achieved what I believed was the pinnacle of success – a management position in corporate America with stock options and a bonus plan.
For more than twenty-five years, I ran hard keeping pace with the pack as we expanded our market share. I learned the art of the deal from the ground up. I forged relationships with people who I otherwise might not have wished to associate. You never knew when someone might become a much needed and trusted ally, as companies were being gobbled up by investors, consolidated, and then sold. It was a marathon and I had become an elite runner.
It all fell apart during the last corporate merger. By then my brain was experiencing some over-use injuries. I was finding it more and more difficult to face each day and the harsh reality of watching the company I loved become a bit player on an acquisition assessment spreadsheet. The VP, who we appreciated and truly liked, had been beheaded and sent home with a retirement package. His departure, while long in the making, was like watching a boxer take a career-ending punch to the head. It was over.
I retired shortly thereafter. Full stop.
Well, not quite full stop. I became a consultant as my previous responsibilities were spread around to other departments in the company. It was short lived. I was a ghost haunting the corridors where once we marched in lock step scaling the quarterly goals. I didn’t have the stamina or desire to help strangers line their pockets with revenue earnings I felt others deserved. Stockholder value had lost its charm.
But sitting at home wasn’t the charm, either. I found myself looking out the window watching the cars fly by my door every day, wondering by 10 o’clock in the morning, “Is that all there is?” The novel in my lap made me feel anxious. I wasn’t able to unplug, disengage, relax. So I didn’t and I haven’t, not completely.
When asked if I am retired I say, “yes and no”. Most often it is a much younger person asking the question. There seems to be a great deal of them around me these days. With their youthful faces they give me a sweet smile before saying, “Good for you.” Good for me? It’s like a bloody pat on the head. Aren’t I supposed to be busy? Aren’t I supposed to be using my skills and experiences in productive pursuits? I think, “Oh, sweetheart, one day you’ll get it.”
The urge to be productive from morning till night is so strong in my soul that when I’m physically unable to do things, I feel guilty, or worse – non-productive. Still young enough to feel the need to contribute, but old enough to know some pursuits are out of the question.
Whether you call it relevance or usefulness, we humans must be fulfilled, productive, don’t we? I work; therefore, I am. And while I understand that what I do isn’t who I am, it is a hard mindset to manage. But, I’m working on it. In the meantime, there is the writing.
This Mattapoisett Life
By Marilou Newell
The Mattapoisett Women’s Club will hold its annual Taste of the Town party under the big tent near the Mattapoisett Town Wharf, Tuesday,July 17from 5 pm to 7 pm. Come enjoy delectable creations prepared by local chefs, stroll through the quaint village, and historic Shipyard Park, a well-known whale ship building area during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Taste of the Town features Mattapoisett’s finest restaurants offering delectable dishes of: shrimp, tasty lobster rolls, chowders, crab rangoon, sliders, and more.
Come sit down and relax, see old friends, make new friends and enjoy a beautiful evening with the Showstoppers.
Cost: $10 for 20 tickets at the tent, rain or shine. All proceeds benefit the Mattapoisett Women’s Club Scholarship Fund.
Transportation: A van will transport patrons from St. Anthony Church and Town Beach parking lots free of charge.
For more information, contact: Eileen Marum, 508-748-1282.
Everyone is welcome to participate in activities and services at the Mattapoisett Council on Aging, 17 Barstow St. Most activities are “drop in”. For any questions and/or to register for trips and special events, call 508-758-4110 or email coadirector@mattapoisett.net.
Mondays: 8:45 am – Tai Chi at Ned’s Point or at COA in inclement weather (free); 10:00 am – Qi Gong meditative healing (free); 10:00 am – Knitting; 12:00 pm – Strength & Balance (free); 1:00 pm – Scrabble; Foot Care, once a month by appt.; 4:00 pm – Memoir Brainstorming (free) – resumes after Labor Day
Tuesdays: 8:45 am – Yoga at the Congregational Church – ($5); 10:00 am – Legal Consulting (free 15 min, by appt.); 12:00 pm – Movie & Pizza (last Tuesday of the month); 12:30 pm – Art History (once every other month, free); 1:00 pm – Watercolor Painting (free); 4:00 pm – chess (free)
Wednesdays: 9:30 am – Dance Fit (free); 10:45 am – Meditation; 11:00 am – Book Club (3rd Wednesday of the month); 12:00 pm – Strength & Balance (free); 1:00 pm – Bingo; 1:15 pm – Mah Jongg
Thursdays: 9:30 am – Pottery, every other week, ($20); Various Trips (call for details); 1:00 pm Bridge
Fridays: 8:45 am – Yo-lates (free); 9:00 am – Computer Tutor (free, by appointment); 10:00 am – Rx Qi Gong ($10); 11:15 am – Chair Yoga ($4); 1:00 pm – Line Dancing (donation)
Upcoming – (registration required unless otherwise noted): August 2at 4:00 pm – Speaker on Alzheimer’s & Dementia from the Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment at Brigham & Women’s Hospital (about improving early diagnosis, assessing new treatments, education); August 9– Newport Cruise ($32 – payment due 7/20); August 23at 11:00 am – Demonstration of Japanese Flower Arranging with Ellen Flynn; September 10at 6:00 pm – CPR/First Aid ($45); September 11at 12:30 pm – Art History; September 20from 9:45 am – 3 pm – Driver Safety Education (may reduce your auto insurance premium) – $20
On July 3, the Rochester Conservation Commission heard from Attorney Peter Paul representing his client, Gibbs V. Bray, regarding plans to convert some 13.5 acres of prime farmlands located at 453 Rounseville Road into a solar array field. Paul said the meadows would be reclassified from agricultural lands to commercial and taxable as such when Bray’s lease arrangement with Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. was consummated. He also said that a special permit had been secured.
Paul told the commission that he had been to all other boards in town and that each in turn had suggested to the Board of Selectmen to decline the Town’s right of first refusal to purchase the land at “fair market value”.
While there are other solar arrays in town, Paul indicated that this one was a bit unique for Rochester in that the commercial entity was not purchasing the land from the owner, but instead, engaging in a decades-long lease arrangement to use the land for electricity production.
Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon told the commission that all the acreage in question was outside jurisdictional oversight by the Wetlands Protection Act and that it would be her suggestion that the commission recommends the town not to purchase the property under its right of first refusal as other boards in town had done thus far.
The concept of turning agricultural lands into commercial property didn’t sit well with commissioner Laurene Gerrior who said she believed the acreage in question had at some point “back in the day” been deemed an “ancient open field”.
While this proposed project was not a public hearing on this night, but an item for discussion under ‘new business’ on the agenda, the commission elected to take a vote on whether or not to recommend a town purchase of the property. Gerrior was the dissenting vote as the other commissioners agreed to advise the Board of Selectmen to pass on the purchase option.
Another solar project was continued until July 17. A Notice of Intent hearing continued from June 19 for Solar MA Project Management, LLC for property located at 0 Walnut Plain Road will be heard later in the month after the 9,950 linear feet of bordering vegetated wetlands are delineated. The property is owned by Diane Murphy, Trustee, Midchester Realty Trust, Lakeville.
Also continued was the Notice of Intent filing by Chance Avery and Taylor Jesse, 422 High Street, for an after-the-fact hearing for unauthorized demolition of a shed, earthwork, and clearing of vegetation within a 25-foot no-touch-zone. Farinon said that she was pleased with the mitigation efforts being made by the applicants. “Things are progressing nicely,” she said. Farinon has met with a wetlands scientist at the site and the applicants are awaiting issuance of a Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection file number.
A Request for Determination of Applicability filed by William Watling, 360 Cushman Road, was also heard for the construction of a 30 x 40-foot accessory building and driveway within the 200-foot outer riparian zone of the Mattapoisett River. Watling received a negative determination after Farinon said, “[Watling] would have to work hard to damage the riverfront area.”
In other business, forestry cutting permits approved for lands within Rochester were discussed as Farinon pointed out that oftentimes cutting permits are not received in her office until months after issuance from the state forestry agent, Joe Perry. Conservation Commission Chairman Mike Conway expressed concern with regard to late notifications and asked Farinon to follow up with Perry to ascertain what can be done for more timely notifications.
The commission also decided to reorganize the commission annually each April. Not having done so last April, they did so during this meeting re-electing Conway as chairman, Daniel Gagne as vice-chairman, and the creation of a new position, treasurer, went to commissioner Chris Gerrior.
The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for July 17 at 7:00 pm in the Rochester Town Hall meeting room.
Rochester Conservation Commission
By Marilou Newell