On 04/27/2018, Mattapoisett Police arrested Cory Furtado, 18 years old of Acushnet. Mr. Furtado was arrested at his residence with the assistance of the Acushnet Police Department. Furtado is charged with Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon and attempted murder for the stabbing that occurred on Tuesday, April 24, at the Ned’s Point lighthouse. Furtado and the victim were known to each other and had prearranged meet for a drug transaction. An altercation between the two led Furtado to stab the victim with a knife. The victim sustained a stab wound to his neck and hand. The Victim was transported to Rhode Island hospital by Marion EMS where he was treated and later released.

Furtado is being held at the Plymouth County House of Correction on $10,000 bail and will be arraigned at the Wareham District Court on Monday, 04/30/18.

Mattapoisett Police Department Press Release

On April 24, Mattapoisett’s Board of Selectmen – Chairman Paul Silva, Tyler Macallister, and Jordan Collyer – along with Town Administrator Michael Gagne, covered a variety of topics in an agenda that included such diverse items as utility poles, fiscal budgets, new eateries, shellfish, and trees.

Regarding trees, Mattapoisett will be marking Arbor Day on Friday, April 27, at the Town Hall at 10:00 am, Tree Committee Chairman Sandy Hering said.

This is the eleventh year Mattapoisett has been recognized as a Tree City by the National Arbor Day Foundation for its work in ensuring the care of municipal trees and the planting of new trees. Working with Tree Warden Roland Cote, Hering said her committee has been able to maintain the town’s commitment to municipal tree management.

Gagne wished to take a few moments to recognize the efforts Cote has mounted, especially in light of the devastating winter storms that had blown through.

Gagne also wanted to get the message out to the public that trees abutting private property may belong to the Town and not the property owner.

“One big problem is when someone takes down a tree ten feet or so from the road.” He said the Planning Board oversees municipal tree removal and that before a homeowner takes a tree down located near a public roadway, a call to the selectmen’s office is necessary.

“We’ll contact Roland, then we’ll check to see if that tree is subject to the shade tree bylaw,” Gagne said.

Hering pointed out that it isn’t just the removal of trees but also the pruning of trees that needs careful consideration before work is done. Pruning of municipal trees is not allowed by property owners.

Silva read a proclamation declaring April 27 as Arbor Day in Mattapoisett and also thanked Cote for his hard work in the wake of massive storms.

The selectmen met with Steve Geary, a scheduler for Eversource, who faced a frustrated governing body. Gagne and Silva both pointed to the issue of duplicate poles and the subsequent poor management for removing them and repairing the holes left behind.

Gagne expressed even greater problems as he described a situation where coiled wires had been left behind on private property causing a hazard to the occupants. He said numerous calls to Eversource went unanswered. Gagne eventually had the offending cables removed by the town’s Highway Department only to have the same action repeat itself a few weeks later.

Geary was unable to respond to the lack of coordination between various departments within Eversource. He said the utility’s engineering division was responsible for filling in holes, but Silva said the poor quality of the repairs was problematic with the possibility of cave in which presented a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists.

Macallister said, “We had Verizon in twice… They said the problem was Eversource. The poles weren’t listed in the database.”

Eversource maintains a database for poles that they are responsible for updating when changes are made such as abandonment and subsequent need for pole removal.

Collyer asked, “How often do you audit the database … for accuracy?” Geary wasn’t sure it was audited. Geary said that mistakes probably took place in the office, but assured the selectmen that he would now be available to address their concerns moving forward.

“The system is ripe for improvement,” Gagne said.

The upcoming Annual Town Meeting scheduled for May 14 at 6:30 pm in Old Rochester Regional High School auditorium and the warrant articles were discussed.

Gagne said that Articles 1 and 2 on the warrant would be new zoning bylaw amendments that would completely ban the commercial sale of recreational marijuana in Mattapoisett. He said legal counsel assisted in drafting the two articles and that each required a two-thirds vote to pass. He urged the public to attend Town Meeting.

The balance of what will be addressed at Town Meeting, Gagne said, included the FY19 budget along with water and sewer articles and articles being presented and supported by the Community Preservation Committee.

Gagne also said there would be a bylaw governing the installation and removal of utility poles and another that would prohibit putting snow in public ways. He said that when snow is pushed into public roadways, it becomes a travel hazard. The bylaw will carry a fine of $100 and will be enforced by the Police Department.

There will be three Community Preservation Act articles in the warrant, Gagne said. Nominated as top priority of the three grants received was a grant in the amount of $144,900 sought by the Town of Mattapoisett for repairs to a building located on the former Holy Ghost grounds. CPC Chairman John DeCosta said the committee believed it was necessary to provide funding for a new roof, doors, and windows to ensure the building’s integrity.

Silva was a little put off by that sum, wondering in light of other pressing matters if that amount was too great. Gagne was in favor of the sum, saying it was important so that use of the building could begin, saying, “Your investment is small, but the value is high.”

The second place grant was for a Dog Park proposed on the Police Department grounds in the amount of $75,000. Gagne said the grantee, Freemin Bauer, had received cost estimates and is in the process of drafting a construction plan.

And last but not least, the CPC supports a grant in the amount of $10,000 for a study of the American Legion Hall. Previously, the organization had asked for a handicap ramp and ADA-compliant bathrooms. But DeCosta explained that the committee was concerned with the overall structural competency of the building and thus would support only a study at this time.

Two action items on the agenda were all about food.

Coming before the selectmen were Robert Field and Susan Wilbur to renew their aquaculture license for another 10-year period. Doing business as Copper Beach Farm, the duo said that production was ramping and going well. Silva said that if ownership of the license changed fifty percent or more, they would be required to advise the selectmen.

Gagne said, “I did a field inspection several months ago… They are very conscientious of their equipment and care of the stock.” He said the team is very sensitive that their operation fits the environment saying, “We are very fortunate … their stock has even enhanced the native shell fish.” The renewal was granted.

And then there is pizza! A public hearing was held for a request by Albert Meninno, Jr. for an on premise all alcohol license for his new restaurant, New Rustico, in the former How On Earth building, 62 Marion Road. The restaurant will feature brick oven pizza, pasta, and other family favorites, Meninno said. He said the license would add to the experience of eating out, but that it would be a family restaurant with hours no later then 10:00 pm on weekends. The license was approved, and Meninno planned to be fully operational by June.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for May 8 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

With a fiscal year 2019 school budget increasing by a mere 1.1 percent, the Mattapoisett School Committee chose to more broadly share the benefits of the quality education they provide by expanding the School Choice program. After hearing from a few supportive residents, and one Finance Committee chair opposed to the notion, the committee voted unanimously to expand the program at the public hearing on April 23.

The Massachusetts Department of Education asks that every town hold a public hearing on School Choice each spring. School Superintendent Doug White outlined how the School Choice process works, indicating that if a school district decides to provide School Choice, it then must determine how many slots to provide and in what grades.

Mattapoisett currently has three slots available, with two of them filled. The student in the third slot left the school system last year. The Mattapoisett School Choice program is a lottery-based system and applies to Kindergarten through Grade 6.

School Committee Chairman Rachel Westgate opened the public hearing by reading a letter sent by town residents Jerry and Cindy Johnson that spoke strongly in favor of School Choice. The Johnsons’ letter stated that School Choice enriches the experience of the school community and provides opportunity to increase the diversity in the classroom by bringing in students outside of Mattapoisett.

Pat Donoghue, the Mattapoisett Finance Committee chair, rose to speak against School Choice, saying that the tuition provided by the state of $5,000 per student doesn’t come close to covering the actual cost of $15,000 to educate a student. Donoghue also cautioned the committee that while the student population continues to decline, with the attendant reduction in class sections “… [We are] on the cusp to keep students at twenty or less, so adding School Choice can throw that off.”

Later in the meeting, committee member James Muse clarified that each additional student does not cost the town the full $15,000 as costs are built into what’s already budgeted, and the $5,000 tuition reimbursement from the state is a big help.

David Anderson of Pine Island Road spoke vociferously in favor of providing School Choice to “[Those who] have close ties to the town but live elsewhere.” Anderson, who pointed out that his family has been paying taxes in town since 1838, takes great pride in Mattapoisett schools, saying, “Each student has something unique to add to the class.… [The committee] should welcome it, not fight it … and take a broader view…” of School Choice.

“I have some skin in the game,” said Anderson, whose father Hayden Anderson was principal at Center School 90 years ago, when he said it was the diversity of population in the schools that made the schools excellent, adding, “If it means increasing my taxes again, go for it!”

Resident Kimberly Ward refuted Donoghue’s contention that the finances of School Choice don’t work, indicating that at ORR Junior High School, where there are 30 School Choice slots, there was a balanced budget.

After closing the public hearing, the committee discussed further the merits of School Choice. With the student population declining from a high of 487 in FY12 down to 438 this past October, and the subsequent reduction of a kindergarten and 4^th grade section, the committee had to weigh the benefit of increasing School Choice slots with the fine balance of keeping the class size down below 20 students per section.

White observed that research shows that it is beneficial to start a School Choice student as early as possible so that there is a continuity of curriculum as they move through the district. Based on Mattapoisett’s School Choice policy, siblings of current School Choice students would be given priority for open slots.

School Principal Rosemary Bowman said the greatest concern of parents who inquired about School Choice was that their child would need to enter the lottery transitioning from 6^th grade to junior high school. The committee agreed that providing slots in the earliest grade possible was best for the student, and Bowman recommended kindergarten and second grade for the slots.

Patrick Spencer, the school business administrator, reminded the committee that the School Choice program is a lottery-based program, saying, “I’m not trying to persuade or dissuade. The student [filling the slot] could need services … and it takes time to get the funding for that student above and beyond the tuition.”

Muse suggested that the committee continue the School Choice program and increase the available slots from three to four. Committee member Patrick LeClair proposed a slot in kindergarten and a slot in second grade, where there is the smallest cohort of students. White clarified that there could be two kindergarten school choice slots filled, or one second grade slot and one kindergarten slot filled, but in any case, not more than one second grade slot would be filled.

The vote to continue School Choice and to expand the program was unanimous.

In other important business, the committee held a FY 2019 budget public hearing. White and other staff went through the budget, $6,994,224, which is an increase of 1.1 percent. Highlights of the budget were the reduction of two teaching positions due to reduced student enrollment, the out-sourcing of the custodial services, and the shifting of the school nursing staff to provide a full-time nurse at each school. The committee voted unanimously to approve the budget as presented.

Westgate reported that she met with members of the School Department to discuss school safety and said, “I feel confident the [school district] is doing what’s needed to keep our kids safe.” New security vestibules and new technology have been installed at both Center and Old Hammondtown schools for added school security.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for May 21 at 6:30 pm at Center School.

Mattapoisett School Committee

By Sarah French Storer