Mattapoisett has become a favored location for road races, according to the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen. There is the now well-established and very popular Fourth of July race, the Lions Club Triathlon, as well as a Mother’s Day Tiara 5k, Veterans Day race, and the most recent Santa Run. Add to that the festivals, car shows, and an assortment of other events, the village streets of Mattapoisett see a lot of action.

            “As we close out the event season we need to look at the number of events taking place in the center of town,” said Selectman Jordan Collyer.

            Faced with neighborhood concerns over parking, pedestrian and motor vehicle congestion, and post-event clean-up, along with expenses they say are shouldered by taxpayers for police and fire services, the selectmen believed it was time to take a hard look at how the town permits such activities.

            “In the summer, people are trying to get to their boats, the beach or just around town,” Collyer said. “When is enough, enough? We need a written policy.”

            Selectman Paul Silva echoed those sentiments: “I felt it was time to bring the concerns of the neighborhood forward,” Silva told Collyer. “You are right on.”

            Silva said that if he lived in the village he’d be upset by the number of events – events that make getting around the village streets difficult.

“We need feedback from the community,” Silva suggested.

            The selectmen discussed ways to solicit community input to help them craft guidelines for the future. And while they believed the number of events should be reviewed, they also believed that charity events were worthwhile.; however, the cost to taxpayers was also a factor.

            “Whatever we do,” Silva said, “there’s money involved.” As for charity runs, Silva said he wants to make sure non-profit events would get the lion’s share of any monies generated. “Are they getting a good percentage?”

            Collyer said he didn’t want policy to be exclusionary.

            “I struggle with this,” said Collyer.

            Silva noted that the cooler seasons are not so much of an issue, but he returned his attention to the people living in the village neighborhood, saying, “People pay good taxes to live here.”

            They discussed how efforts to keep for-profit events out of Shipyard Park had worked, and that the ice cream trailer located in Shipyard Park – a permitted for-profit venue – contractually has to request permission via a Request for Proposal every three years.

            The selectmen agreed to do their due diligence, consolidate their thoughts, and, as Collyer said with a chuckle, “Go on a fact-finding safari.”

            Board of Selectmen Administrative Assistant Melody Pacheco said that recently a group of Old Rochester Regional High School students had approached her office with a request to consider a Memorial Day run. The students were invited to attend the selectmen’s meeting to discuss their ideas, but on this night the students were not present. Collyer said he would not be so concerned over high school students putting on an event to support their activities. He asked Pacheco to pull together a list of all activities taking place in public spaces, saying, “We’ve got to get this on the table.”

            The selectmen proposed having event organizers and residents meet in a workshop environment to help flesh out policy.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for January 7 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

            Marion Town Planner Gil Hilario offered an “early Christmas present” to the Planning Board on December 16, when he notified board members that Marion had been awarded a $27,750 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

            “We’ve been awarded a Hazard Mitigation grant from FEMA,” Hilario said, noting that he had applied for the grant in 2018 and only just received word of the award. “It’s extremely important. It’s recommended that towns create or update a Hazard Mitigation Plan every five years or so. Marion’s is 15 to 20 years old.”

            A Hazard Mitigation Plan is a town-wide risk assessment that identifies buildings and resources at risk of storm or disaster damage and puts forward a plan to mitigate those risks.

            “It also opens up three grant opportunities,” Hilario mentioned. “With a Hazard Mitigation Plan, we can apply for pre-disaster mitigation for stormwater surges and culvert repair. We can also apply for floodwater mitigations.

            “If a resident was having substantial flooding issues, we could apply on their behalf,” he continued. “We would also be eligible for funding in the event that Marion was hit by a presidentially-declared ‘federal disaster.’”

            None of the funding, Hilario noted, is available without a current Hazard Mitigation Plan in place.

            The last declared federal disaster in Massachusetts occurred between March 2-3, 2018. Plymouth County, among other counties, was pummeled by severe winter storms and flooding. A total of $12.7 million dollars in FEMA aid was made available to the affected counties.

            “The award was excellent. We’ll be able to hire a good consultant to create a good Hazard Mitigation Plan,” Hilario told board members. “I think the Department of Public Works could also really benefit from this for areas of flooding or culverts that need repairing and maintaining.”

            Planning Board member Eileen Marum praised Hilario for his efforts.

            “You’ve got everything. I thank you for all your efforts and time in this; this is so important for Marion. Thank you, this is excellent,” she said.

            Also during the meeting, Marion resident Sherman Briggs came to the open comment section of the meeting armed with concerns; he suggested that Planning Board members reconsider its current affordable housing bylaw.

            Briggs pointed out that affordable housing units are taxed at a lower rate than market-rate units. The state mandates that 10 percent of all housing in any Massachusetts town be affordable housing. As new market-rate units spring up in Marion, the town will need to construct more affordable housing in order to keep the 10 percent requirement.

            Briggs pointed out that Marion, with little land left to develop, will in the future be unable to collect a large portion of market-rate taxes if further affordable housing construction is required.

            Planning Board member Andrew Daniel said he could see Briggs’ point.

            “Once we get to 10 percent, why are we putting more regulation on something we didn’t have to?” he asked. “If we have a project that could have more market-rate houses, but we’re required to include affordable housing, we’re hurting ourselves by not adding in units taxed at a higher value.”

            Planning Board Chairman Will Saltonstall considered Briggs’ comments, saying, “If [Briggs’ proposed condominium complex on Spring Street] goes ahead and pushes us over 10 percent affordable housing in town,” he mused, “should the bylaw then be revisited and looked at differently?”

            “I would love the flexibility,” said Daniel. “I feel like we might be over-regulating ourselves and therefore hurting positive growth in town.”

            “We shouldn’t lose any more of the little land we have to 40B tax rates,” said Briggs. “We should be bringing in new growth and higher taxes on the little land we have.”

            “We’ve reached the state target and that’s a good thing,” Hilario said. “We’re one of the first to do it, and now we have the opportunity to revisit what direction we want to go next.”

            Ultimately, Planning Board members decided to pursue a joint meeting with the Marion Affordable Housing Trust in order to discuss Briggs’ concerns in further detail.

            The next Planning Board meeting will be on January 6 at 5:00 pm at the Marion Town House. The meeting will be held early to accommodate the Route 6 Planning Meeting that will be held by SRPEDD on the same night.

Marion Planning Board

By Andrea Ray

            The Marion Board of Health held an emergency meeting on December 12 to vote to condemn a Front Street house where police on Monday found animals suffering from neglect and unsanitary conditions in and around the home.

            In a memorandum written by Marion Health Director Karen Walega and read into the record, Walega said she was asked to accompany Marion Police and Marion Building Commissioner Scott Shippey on a site visit on December 11 after police obtained a search warrant to enter 464 Front Street.

            Walega said she observed at least one dead animal on the property, trash throughout the house, animal feces in beds and on the floors, rodent droppings in the basement, a pervasive odor throughout the house, inadequate egress in rooms, and the house was infested with insects.

            Walega also submitted some photos she took with her phone to the Board of Health, photos offered to The Wanderer, which we declined to publish.

            “Based upon the above-noted observations and as the Health Agent… I concluded and remain of the opinion that the dwelling unit at 464 Front Street… is unfit for human habitation, is unsafe, and is a threat to the health and safety of the occupants…” said Walega. “It is further my opinion that the level of risk posed by the condition of said dwelling unit requires me to order the condemnation of said dwelling unit, effective immediately…”

            The property owner will be allowed to enter the property between certain specified hours for the purpose of remedying the public health threats Walega described.

            “These pictures are very self-explanatory,” said Board of Health member Dot Brown, before motioning to condemn the house.

            The Town reserves the authority to demolish the home if after one year the property owner has not brought the home into compliance with the minimum standards of the Sanitary Code of Marion.

            Police have charged property owner Lauren Fisher with two counts of animal cruelty, and was also charged with interfering with a police officer and resisting arrest.

            During her arraignment at Wareham District Court of December 13, Fisher pleaded not guilty and was freed on bail and told she is not allowed to possess any animals at this time.

            The search warrant resulted from an investigation that began with a December 9 report that multiple animals were being neglected and dead animals had recently been removed from the property, according to a press release the town issued on December 11.

            Dozens of animals were found inside the house and on the property, including several miniature horses, potbelly pigs, ducks, rabbits, turkeys, chickens, dogs, cats, and exotic birds.

            According to police, at least five people were living in the home on December 11 when police arrived, including children who have since been relocated and placed with relatives.

            The children were not present during the time of the investigation of the property.

            In 2000, Fisher was charged with 48 counts of animal cruelty after police raided her home and took custody of over 80 animals and six children.

            Her next court date is scheduled for January 24, 2020.

            The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Marion Board of Health will be January 7 at 3:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Health

By Jean Perry

            A West Coast cannabis dispensary company is considering opening a recreational adult-use marijuana dispensary in Marion, the town’s Board of Selectmen heard on December 17.

            Marion Town Administrator Jay McGrail made it clear before the appointment that the meeting with Lighthouse Dispensary was simply informational and an exchange of ideas rather than anything solid.

            To put forward a formal application, he noted, interested parties would need to file an application with the Marion Planning Board.

            Ericca Kennedy of the Cannabis Control Commission’s Economic Empowerment Program is seeking to install an adult-use recreational marijuana dispensary at the site of the former Christie’s on Route 6. The lot would maintain its current curb cuts and have entrances on Wells Street and Spring Street, as well as Route 6, and would offer valet parking on a 50-car parking lot. To manage the parking overflow in the busy location, Kennedy assured the selectmen that a full-time parking coordinator would be hired.

            Kennedy is seeking to partner with Lighthouse Dispensary in the project. Lighthouse currently operates two dispensaries in Coachella and Palm Springs, California, and is looking to expand into additional states. Alongside Kennedy was Brad Davis, Lighthouse Dispensary’s chief operating officer.

            The current Lighthouse Dispensary locations showcase art from the local community, Davis said, something that Kennedy wants to continue in a possible Marion location.

            “I want this store to have an immediate and meaningful impact,” Kennedy said. “We would dedicate 100 hours per year to positive impact, including educational workshops and addiction services, including veterans, the elderly, and the disabled.” 

            Kennedy also noted that the store would maintain a boutique feel, and would respect Marion’s established aesthetic by using soft tones.

            Davis noted that Lighthouse uses a different approach to customer service than many other dispensaries.

            “We focus on education by informing our consumers so they can make the most appropriate buying decisions, and also by training and creating professional consultants,” said Davis. “When we have a customer leave a store, they should be educated on their product, excited about their purchase, and comfortable enough to enjoy their experience.”

            Davis also pointed out that Lighthouse only sources the highest quality national and local cannabis. Highly selective in its quality process, the company will only accept product that exceeds Cannabis Control Commission regulations, as well as any additional local regulations.

            Kennedy estimated that the dispensary would fill a minimum of 20 employment positions at a minimum of $18 per hour, as well as being clean, safe, and inclusive for all.

            McGrail planned to put Lighthouse on a future Board of Selectmen agenda for discussion amongst the board, while Kennedy noted that she intends to follow up with the Planning Board, as well.

            The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen will be on January 7 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Andrea Ray