Mattapoisett FinCom Member Not Impressed

on

As the members of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee gathered on January 31 to begin the fiscal year 2019 budget process with various department heads, the bad taste left behind from the January 24 Old Rochester Regional School Committee meeting lingered.

During that meeting, Massachusetts Department of Education Program Manager of Governance and Facilities Program Christine Lynch and Associate Commissioner of the Center for School Finance and District Support Jay Sullivan had been invited as guest speakers to the ORR School Committee as it began the FY19 budget process.

Colby Rottler, a Mattapoisett FinCom member, said of the state presenters, “I wasn’t impressed … there wasn’t a lot of substance.” He thought that at times Lynch and Sullivan neared a state of being “argumentative” saying, “They didn’t understand and didn’t provide relevant data that might have been helpful. They were ill prepared … it was rather embarrassing.… The selectmen were rolling their eyes.… It’s unfortunate, I didn’t get a lot out of it,” he stated.

Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael Gagne said that after speaking with other town administrators and finance managers he believed, “We need to drill down … [and] get some additional information for the school committee on various funds.” He said that budget and statistical analysis for a deeper dive was critical and that he would continue to push for that.

FinCom member Gary Johnson said, “We did learn to review the Tri-Town [regional school district] agreement.” It was disclosed during the school committee meeting that that defining document had not been reviewed since the early 1980s. Both Lynch and Sullivan urged the three towns to take a look at it since the state’s rules and regulations had changed significantly over the years.

Gagne agreed, saying, “It’s time to dive into it.… It’s an exercise we should do.”

In other matters, Mattapoisett Library Director Susan Pizzolato gave a state of the library presentation that included a forward look at the library’s FY19 budget needs. Pizzolato began her presentation by saying, “We provide more services and fewer things over the counter and the state is starting to let us count those as checked out items.” She added, “A dynamic library adapts to the needs of the community.”

From the strategic plan she developed in concert with the Board of Trustees – a plan that is geared towards guiding the library through 2023 – Pizzolato reported that floor space review and modification planning was underway to ensure the interior spaces of the library were adequate and appropriate for side-by-side learning experience and 21st century library users.

Included in that study is storage space and needs, children’s department condition, functionality and comfort, facility maintenance, and prioritization of items for capital planning consideration.

Pizzolato said that the speakers series was very successful and that she would continue to promote the library as a civic space for community and regional meetings.

Of the nearly 100,000 items circulated by the library, Pizzolato reported the importance of keeping materials vital and current to user needs.

In her presentation materials, she included a ‘year in review’ page that included the following details based on FY17 statistics: 75,000 visitors; 67,000 items in the collection; 425 programs offered; 89,000 items circulated; 5,000 e-books; and 20,000 website visitors.

For FY19, Pizzolato is projecting an increase in salaries and wages of $12,391 and library materials of $5,000 with an overall projected budget of $468,716 – roughly a 3.8 percent increase over FY17.

Of the library, Gagne said, “It’s a high focal point in town and a gem in this community.”

Also coming before the FincCom on this night was Administrator of Assessing Kathleen Costello. She said that 2018 was a recertification year by the state making FY19 a year for full measurement of personal property.

Costello also reported that since 2009 abatement applications have plummeted from over 400 in 2009 to just 18 so far this fiscal year. Further, she reported that in FY12 there were over 40 pending cases at the Boston Appellate Tax Board. Today there are none. She attributes part of that reduction to more accurate collection of property owner contact information.

In her report she wrote, “This ensures clean accurate data, the cornerstone of accurate and equitable assessments.” She told the committee members, “An educated tax base is a quiet tax base.”

Costello continued to extol the benefits of having ‘chapter lands’ put into productive use via the construction of solar farms that allows cities and towns to establish P.I.L.O.T (payment in lieu of taxes) programs that produce positive tax flow over a 20-year period.

“The money is great for the town and it doesn’t pull any services,” she said. “Great revenue producer.”

On this theme she said that two additional sites – one on Tinkham Hill Road and the other on Crystal Spring Road – would most likely be the last the town will see as tariffs have been imposed on imported solar panels.

Costello also reported that the average home sale in Mattapoisett stands at $440,000 per unit, with 600 residences in the second home category. Second homes fall into a personal property category she said, allowing an additional 3% surcharge over real estate tax bases. She said she is currently conducting a study for the Department of Revenue on second homes in Mattapoisett.

Regarding her projections for the FY19 budget, Costello is currently in negotiations for a salary of $6,000 under a category titled “IT Coordinator.” She said that she and several of her staff perform this function for all town departments rather than outsourcing a more expensive service.

Her budget worksheet also shows several decreases in line items for software and hardware categories.

The next two meetings of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee are scheduled for February 7 and 8 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Finance Committee

By Marilou Newell

National Expert Teaches Kids Online Safety

on

When 99 percent of a group of sixth graders under age 13 admits to having either a Snapchat or Instagram social media account, which by law requires an app user to be at least 13 years of age, you quickly understand why Katie Greer does what she does.

Greer, a nationally recognized digital safety expert and member of the Advisory Board for the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe), has been featured in a number of national newspapers, magazines, and TV news stations.

On Friday, Greer spent the day at Old Rochester Regional High School talking to Tri-Town students in Grades 6-12, and her message was important: Internet technology sure is awesome, but kids must be aware that, much like a fly in a spider web, the worldwide web is a dangerous place for children.

Greer, a former intelligence analyst for the Massachusetts State Police, shifted the focus of her career towards online crime against children after she worked for the Attorney General’s Office in the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. She said she began by wondering, “What crimes happen online?”

“I was kind of shocked to hear that there was a whole unit devoted to online crime,” said Greer.

As she discovered the darker side of the Internet through her exposure in the unit, she eventually took up the cause, established a speaking program, and has traveled around the country speaking to children and parents about online threats to children.

The title of that talk on Friday was “Tech: Making It Work for You.”

The sixth grade was the youngest of Greer’s audiences that day, around the national average age children are issued their first mobile device of their own. She told them that during her presentations with that age group she often learns just as much from them as they do from her.

The first thing she did was marvel as the positive impact social media has had in the life of the individual and society at large. Just look at Houston Texans football player J.J. Watt who managed to raise over $37 million via a social media campaign to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.

“We all have this ability in this amazing time to do incredible things,” Greer said. “It’s our responsibility every day to think about how we can use technology to make this world a little bit better than it was when we woke up this morning.”

But Greer acknowledged that the rules of technology and social media use are different from household to household; some parents allow their kids to use social media and mobile devices, others don’t allow any unfettered access to the Internet, while others don’t let their kids have any screen time whatsoever at home.

Greer polled her young audience on device and social media use, and the overwhelming majority of them had hands raised during questions such as how many of you have a smartphone, how many of you use social media, and how many of you are under age 13 (all but one).

“Because you have to be at least thirteen to have an Instagram account. This is actually a government regulation and they say, if you’re not at least thirteen years old, you’re not allowed [to have an account].”

And it’s not right for a brain at this stage in its development according to experts, she added.

“No one in middle school at all should have social media,” Greer said.

Given the fact that she travels all over the country regularly teaching kids about using technology safely, Greer said she sees a lot of that – kids under 13 with social media accounts. No, she assured them, they won’t be arrested for having one. And, in fact, she said she loves social media and is glad that in their lifetime these kids will have access to such a powerful tool.

“However,” she said, “Sometimes stuff happens on social media, and not good stuff.” And although she said she knew they would all shake their heads when she says it, she said it anyway – “It is my strong recommendation that no one be on these apps or sites until they’re thirteen years old.”

Are the kids going to go home and delete their accounts? Probably not, she said. But they will all be fully aware of the risks they are taking while using these apps before they go home and sign on again.

Greer was playful in her approach to Internet safety, setting the tone with a fun game she called “Strangers Online: Good vs. evil” or “The Good Red Sox vs. the Evil Yankees” for fun.

“You all know the rules,” she said. But now was the time for a refresher on stranger danger for a generation that plays interactive games online and spends time on social media.

“Just by being online you have way more access to strangers, and they have access to you.”

Greer presented two photos of two women: woman A and woman B. “Who you think the bad guy is?”

A couple kids said woman A, the non-descript average blonde-haired woman was the good lady. The majority guessed woman B – who was Paris Hilton, of all blondes, and the wrong answer.

Woman A created over 250 fake Internet profiles to trick kids into revealing enough personal profiles to steal their identities to open credit card accounts and take out loans.

“It’s pretty easy to pretend to be somebody else online,” said Greer.

But threats like woman A are sneaky, Greer said. They aren’t mean or scary. They appear to be just another kid, and they don’t outwardly threaten you. And, if you’re ever in doubt, how do you verify if someone actually is who they say they are? It’s the old-fashioned approach – you call them and ask.

This is especially relevant when gaming online, she added, getting a little bit into the privacy and family settings one can apply so that outsiders other than friends and acquaintances could interact in the game.

“One rule when it comes to games,” she said, “Do not play with strangers.” It goes against everything we’ve ever been taught, she said. “You wouldn’t go to playground and play with a stranger– it’s not safe, you’ve know this since you were little.”

All the popular online games have settings to block out strangers, she said, or to only allow outside players by invitation.

Greer then walked the kids down the path of the “digital footprint” and its fundamental permanence on the worldwide web. She said 40 percent of employers now comb through the social media profiles of prospective employees, as well as search for results on Google.

“What you put there stays there,” she said, which is also a useful reminder to adults. From downloading apps, searching keywords on Google, signing into an account – everything you do creates a digital footprint. It’s permanent. It cannot be wiped away.

Take Snapchat, for example. Although the app is designed to share images that will disappear from the screen of the recipient, it only takes a second for someone to take a screenshot of it and send it off to someone else. Statistics say that for every photo that someone shares via Snapchat or text, roughly 25 percent of recipients forward it to an average of four other people not meant to see it. And once an image or a statement is made, it is out there and it cannot be swept away by a magical online broom.

“Once you put this stuff out there it’s a digital foot,” said Greer. “You can’t take it back.

It’s about thinking about these things before you put it out there.”

Greer then stepped briefly into the realm of the digital footprint and child pornography.

“More than 20,000 images of child pornography are posted online every week according to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,” she said.

And its not just adults who can get in trouble for viewing these images, she added. Underage kids can also be prosecuted, as well as the person, underage or not, who took the photo – including a pornographic selfie. Child pornography is a federal offense and carries with it strict legal consequences.

This is an important topic for discussion with kids this age, she said, because underage kids have been tried and sentenced as adults in this matter.

“These pictures live on forever,” Greer said, cautioning the kids one last time.

If we use technology the right way, said Greer, we can be unstoppable in the things we do. We can do great things, kind things.

“I challenge you every day to think about ways we can use this technology to make this place a little bit better than it was this morning when we woke up,” said Greer. “That’s my challenge.”

By Jean Perry

 

Shouting Match Leads to DPW Interim Supt.

on

Selectman Steve Gonsalves stormed out of the meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen on February 6 after a shouting match that escalated after Gonsalves interrupted Town Administrator Paul Dawson’s update on the town’s search for an interim Department of Public Works superintendent after Rob Zora’s December retirement.

When Dawson mentioned that current Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Frank Cooper and former selectman Jonathan Henry had expressed interest in the interim position, Gonsalves confronted Dawson and accused him and the two other selectmen of keeping Gonsalves out of the loop.

When the selectmen first held a special meeting on December 14 to discuss Zora’s seemingly sudden retirement, Dawson told Gonsalves he had to recuse himself from voting on the DPW position because Gonsalves has a son who works for the DPW and that would be a conflict of interest.

Although at the December 14 meeting Gonsalves abided by Dawson’s advice, Gonsalves disclosed the night of February 6 that he had contacted the State Ethics Commission on his own, which issued him a “favorable response,” Gonsalves said, saying he could take part in the superintendent discussion because there is a supervisor between Gonsalves and his son at the DPW; therefore, there is no direct conflict of interest.

Gonsalves lamented how he was first contacted before that December special meeting when Dawson’s assistant told him of the meeting but said that he could not participate in the vote.

“I got a little upset about it,” Gonsalves said. ”My frustration was, how can I not be a part of this decision that’s so important to the town?”

Gonsalves retold how the events unfolded, including how he had initially disagreed with Dawson’s opinion on the conflict of interest.

“I feel you’re there to guide me,” Gonsalves told Dawson. “I was a little taken aback that the decision was made for me that I was in violation.” Gonsalves added that Dawson should have taken the initiative and contacted State Ethics himself before rendering his opinion on the matter.

Before long, Gonsalves said, he had begun hearing about the matter, not from the selectmen but from the public, until he became “sick and tired” of it.

“I heard so many things on the street and so much stuff that my head’s gonna pop,” said Gonsalves. According to Gonsalves, he had proved to Dawson some time ago that he would not be in violation if he were to participate in the DPW interim position vote, so he should have been informed immediately about any information the selectmen had acquired thus far; however, he was not, he said.

“Since I’ve been allowed to participate in this process, I have not been brought up to full speed on this,” Gonsalves asserted. “When you knew I could [participate in discussions],” Gonsalves said to Dawson, “You weren’t there to let me know … so I don’t know where we are at this point.”

Gonsalves said, as an elected official, he shouldn’t have to get his information passing through the post office.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Jody Dickerson stopped Gonsalves, but Gonsalves wasn’t done yet. He had more frustration to vent.

“Now, I hear that Jon Henry is part of this,” said Gonsalves.

Gonsalves inquired about the timing of Henry’s expression of interest in the position, saying he had even approached Henry himself, and Gonsalves said Henry told him, “I can’t talk right now.”

“I want to know, what is going on?” said Gonsalves.

Dickerson shut Gonsalves down, but Gonsalves continued, even as Dickerson loudly hammered his gavel on the desk repeatedly.

“I want this discussion tabled immediately until I am brought into the loop on this,” Gonsalves shouted. “I want to be brought into this loop right now! I want it!”

Gonsalves made a motion to table the discussion.

“Do I have a second?” Gonsalves asked. “No,” said Hills. “No,” said Dickerson.

“All right, why?” asked Gonsalves. “Now you’re telling me I don’t have the right to table this?”

“That’s how this works,” said Dickerson.

Then Gonsalves asked Dickerson why he had to hear it from residents that Dickerson himself applied for the DPW interim superintendent position.

“I was showing interest in this and I have decided I did not,” said Dickerson.

The contention continued as Gonsalves pressed for information surrounding both Dickerson’s and Henry’s interest in the position, asking intensely, “Why didn’t I know this?”

“You weren’t involved at the point,” said Hills. According to Hills, this information was known to the board for “three or four weeks.”

“Nobody has approached me on this,” Gonsalves said, as Dickerson demanded the board move on from the conversation. “Moving on, really?” said Gonsalves. “Transparency, anyone? Does anyone know how to spell it?”

Gonsalves told Dawson, “I’m insulted and I’m disgusted.”

“At me? What have I done?” asked Dawson.

It soon came to the point when Gonsalves said it was only just yesterday that he had discovered Dickerson and Henry were both in the ring for the interim position. Dickerson shot back that he had simply just changed his mind.

“This was yesterday, gentlemen,” said Gonsalves. “Things change awful quick.”

The shouting continued between Gonsalves and Dawson, until Dawson told Gonsalves that town counsel also shared his opinion on the conflict of interest, and Gonsalves erupted in anger.

“You didn’t tell me that!” said Gonsalves.

After all that, Gonsalves abruptly announced that he no longer had any interest in participating in the DPW interim position discussion.

“I’m not voting on this,” Gonsalves said. “I’m gonna leave the room. I’m not voting on this. I don’t want any part of this.”

After he left, Hills disclosed that he was the one who approached Henry with the opportunity to apply for the temporary position, and Henry liked the idea, Hills said – but only as a temporary position.

Just as Hills made the motion to hire Henry, followed by Dickerson’s second, Marion resident T.J. Walker asked how long the interim position would last. Dawson told him roughly six months or until the DPW study results are ready for review.

The two selectmen in the room then appointed Henry, and Gonsalves returned shortly after.

In other matters, Alan Minard and Rob Lane on behalf of the Subcommittee of the Town House Building Committee asked for guidance on how to proceed now that the committee’s study on a Mill Street administrative building is wrapping up.

Dickerson said he would prefer to see the numbers from the study, but Minard asked him why that would be necessary when it would be up to the public to decide on which option it would prefer to pursue and ultimately fund.

With tension still in the air from the outburst, the selectmen agreed to hold a public meeting to present the subcommittee’s findings, along with the option the original Town House Building Committee came up with last year.

Lane said once the subcommittee holds its next meeting next week and reviews all the final data, he would contact the Board of Selectmen to schedule a public meeting.

After a second brief discussion with Planning Board Chairman Eileen Marum and Town Planner Gil Hilario that preceded the board’s quarrel, the board voted to adopt the Complete Streets Policy with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Planning Board had discussed and been working towards this point for some time now.

Gonsalves at first was hesitant, saying, “I don’t know, I’m kind of a little bit on the fence about it.” He wondered if it was worth it for the Town to engage in an agreement such as this, but Marum, Hilario, and Dickerson convinced him it was fine.

“It’s not a mandatory thing,” Dickerson said. “It’s a guidance. I do not personally see any downfall to it.”

The Complete Streets Policy would make the town eligible for up to $400,000 annually in state grant funding for street, sidewalk, and bike path projects.

“It opens the door to more grant money, and the government and the lieutenant governor are behind this agreement and the community compact,” said Marum. “I think that lends credence and support and credibility to the program because you have the top manager in the state – the governor – who is behind this program.”

With that, the vote was unanimous.

Also during the meeting, the board approved a $2,400 contract to hire Land Stewardship, Inc. to provide the town with a management plan for Sprague’s Cove.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen will be February 20 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

 

Marion Natural History Museum

on

Not travelling during February vacation? No problem. The Marion Natural History Museum will take you to climb Mt. Everest … or to the bottom of the ocean to visit a whale … or how about a spacewalk or trip to visit Mars. Come visit the museum during our extended open hours (11:00 am – 4:00 pm Wednesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Friday) during vacation week and experience our new virtual reality set. Five free visits for museum members or $5/15 minute visit for nonmembers. Please sign up to reserve your time by visiting the sign up sheet at the museum. There will also be a sign up sheet on the museum’s door for those who cannot make it in to register during our open hours.

ZBA Closes Rochester Farms Appeal

on

Craig Canning’s farmer’s market he had hoped to establish on Marion Road was officially erased from the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeal’s slate on January 25.

Canning, developer of the proposed Rochester Farms, LLC, received his Special Permit from the ZBA last year to proceed with his project, but was halted by two lawsuits filed by Maryann and Kenneth Cutler of 223 Marion Road, abutters who opposed the agricultural/commercial establishment being built across the road from their house.

In his attorney’s December 13 letter to the ZBA, Canning stated he was withdrawing his application for the Special Permit with regard to the project.

“Unfortunately, projected litigation costs make the project economically unfeasible at this time given the two lawsuits filed … coupled with the administrative appeal to the Zoning Board,” states the letter.

Town Counsel Blair Bailey guided the board through the two motions it needed to make that night: the first being the acceptance of Canning’s withdrawal as well as the rescinding of the ZBA’s prior approval, and the second being the remanding of the Cutlers’ appeal of the Planning Board’s Site Plan review approval over to the Planning Board to take action.

The Planning Board received a similar letter from Canning on December 13 also requesting a withdrawal of his application for Site Plan Review.

“Mr. Canning is no longer going to move forward with what he wants to do,” said Bailey, explaining the board’s task to accept the withdrawal and vacate its prior decision, while also remanding the appeal to the Planning Board. “And that would end the matter as it relates to this board.”

Acting Chairman David Arancio asked Bailey if this withdrawal would act as one “without prejudice,” meaning Canning could reapply for another project in the future without having to wait the mandatory two years. The Cutlers’ attorney who was present that night stated that having to wait two years before returning with an application for another project was not stipulated within the court-filed agreement between Canning and the Cutlers.

“So he could,” said Bailey.

The public hearing for Catherine Mendoza’s appeal of the Planning Board’s Site Plan Approval for Wellspring Farm, LLC was continued until the next meeting at the request of both parties.

The next meeting of the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals will be February 8 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals

By Jean Perry

Marion Republican Town Committee

on

The Marion Republican Town Committee will conduct its next monthly meeting on Monday, February 12 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front Street, Marion. At this February 12 meeting, the Committee will elect five (5) delegates to attend and participate at the Massachusetts Republican Convention in Worcester on April 28. All Marion Republicans are invited and encouraged to attend. Any Marion Republican (registered as of December 31, 2017) may seek to be elected by the Committee to serve as a delegate at the Convention. The public is invited to attend this event as well.

Local Student to Lend a Hand in South Africa

on

Maybe it’s because they are nursing students. Maybe it’s because when these young women see an unmet need in the community, they meet it. Whatever it is that drives them, it is apparent that volunteering comes naturally for four students in the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth nursing program.

Madeleine Lee of Mattapoisett is one among a group of young women set to take their passion and experience in serving others to South Africa this spring as part of the Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA) program. Established in 2009, VESA’s program brings together groups of young people from around the United States to work with local villagers in regions of the world where traditional charities and aid do not operate. Volunteers perform valuable hands-on work to improve infrastructure and sanitation in local communities, and work on conservation activities to help provide sustainable solutions to environmental issues.

“We chose South Africa for our service project because of the need in the communities of St. Lucia and Swaziland,” Lee explained. “In St. Lucia, we will build school buildings for children, a public kitchen and bathrooms, and teach basic hygiene to the children.”

One project they will be working on will have life changing results for the women and children of St. Lucia.

“The project I am most excited about is planting sustainable gardens so that women will be able to feed their families and create a renewable source of income for themselves.” Lee continued, “It’s exciting to know that we will be helping women create a produce business that will both feed their families and help them make some money, too.”

In Swaziland, the students will be working on wildlife conservation activities that will help protect crocodiles and cheetahs.

Madeleine and her group are funding their volunteer trip solely through donations. They have already raised a portion of the money needed through bake sales at local supermarkets and intend to raise the rest through a variety of different activities. First among them is providing the lunch and refreshments at the Super Saturday – Mattapoisett Antiques, Vendor, and Craft Fair on February 3 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

“We’ll have baked goods, lunch, and snacks available, as well as coffee,” said Lee. “We hope a lot of people will stop by to enjoy the fair, and pick up some goodies and lunch from us, too.”

For more information about the VESA trip, please contact Madeleine at mlee7@umassd.edu.

Raised Deck in Wetlands Gets Informal Nod

on

It isn’t as though the deck would be plopped directly onto the ground just 31 feet from the wetlands, which is why the Marion Conservation Commission on January 24 gave a tentative and unofficial OK for a proposed raised deck during an informal discussion with engineer David Davignon.

Davignon is representing Jean and Steve McCarthy for the rebuilding of a raised single-family home at 43 Dexter Road that sits within a velocity zone and is space limited to fit in a deck.

The deck itself would be elevated 16 feet from the ground, along with the house, but the row of five columns beneath the raised deck would be within a 30-foot ‘No Touch’ zone.

The deck is designed to be 12 feet wide in the back of the house, just large enough for a table and chairs.

Davignon said he refrained from applying for a Notice of Intent and submitting full plans before holding an informal discussion on the likelihood of the commission accepting the proposed deck.

Instead, Davignon introduced a preliminary house layout and footprint.

“The footprint is not a very big house,” said Davignon. “It’s not going to be a monster or anything for the neighborhood.”

The only way to have a deck, he said, would be to place it just within that 30-foot no-touch zone, otherwise a 6-foot by 8-foot deck would not allow for much use of the space.

Davignon promised there would be no shading impacts to the wetlands, since this was only the buffer zone, “But we didn’t want to proceed without getting your blessing.”

“For what it’s worth,” said Conservation Commission member Shaun Walsh, “I have no objection to what Mr. Davignon is describing here – again, understanding that once we get a formal filing and opening the public hearing, all bets are off so to speak…”

But, he continued, “It’s not like he’s building a house twenty feet from the wetlands line.… It’s an elevated house. It’s not a structure on the ground, so I’m okay with it.”

“I’m okay with it,” Chairman Cynthia Callow concurred, “but I’d like to see plans.”

Fair enough, replied Davignon, adding that he would be back within a month or so with a formal filing.

Also during the meeting, the commission approved the repair of a 30-foot riprap seawall at 98 Moorings Road.

Matthew Messina plans to repair the wall, fill in sinkholes in the lawn area adjacent to the top of the seawall, and repair a 2-foot by 30-foot strip of cement on top of the wall that is also adjacent to the lawn.

“I think what Dr. Messina is proposing is fine; it definitely needs repair,” said Callow, noting what she and fellow ConCom member Jeffrey Doubrava observed the prior Saturday during a site visit.

At first that night, Walsh said he was nervous about granting approval for some of the work without a detailed plan, notably the concrete repair to the top of the wall.

“…Because if you do not leave some voids in that area, during some storms you’re going to get a deflection of wave energy – without a plan showing exactly what he’s going to do and where, I’m a little concerned about approving something that just says repair of a seawall,” Walsh said.

It was explained that a concrete strip of the proposed size already exists at the site and would be kept the same in scope.

The project received a Negative Determination 2, which means that the proposed work is within an area subject to protection but material would not removed, and the area would not be filled, dredged, or altered.

In other matters, the commission granted a full Certificate of Compliance for Laurie and George Host, 456 Point Road, for landscaping with associated invasive species control, which included wetlands markers in the form of boulders – the preferred “Fred Flintstone” size boulders as opposed to the “Barbie dream house” size, as Callow put it.

The hearing for the Notice of Intent for Great Hill was continued again without further discussion until the next meeting at the request of the applicant’s engineer.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for February 14 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

 

Tri-Town Profile: Pete Smith

on

Name: Pete Smith

Age: 82 (But he made us guess)

Lives in: Marion

How he got here: Born and raised…

Favorite Tri-Town place: “I kinda like this place,” he says gesturing with his hands inside the Sippican Historical Society Museum office at 139 Front Street. “I must. I’ve volunteered here for over twenty years.”

What he’d change if he were the president of Tri-Town: Marion specifically, Pete supposes he would like to see fewer historical homes being demolished and replaced – the most significant one, to him, being the Town House.

Ever seen a celebrity locally? Perhaps, but he can’t recall anyone specific. “I guess I wasn’t that impressed.”

Marion Treasure

By Jean Perry

Pete Smith is one of those people you might compare to, of all things, an onion – not because he makes you cry, but because no matter how many layers you peel back another layer is revealed, and then another interesting layer and then another layer that’s even more interesting than the last one you peeled back.

Take his name, for instance. Most people who see him say, “Hi, Pete!” and assume that Pete was his real name.

“Your name’s not Pete?” interjects a museum employee nearby within earshot of us sitting at the large conference table inside the cozy office of the Sippican Historical Society.

It’s actually not Pete, as most people who are familiar with the man associated with all things history in Marion think it is. It’s Charles. Charles “Pete” Smith, longtime member of the Sippican Historical Society, volunteer at the museum, and guy responsible for supplying a significant bulk of the historic Marion merchandise on display inside said museum.

Smith is synonymous with history in Marion. In fact, he was even recently referred to as “Mr. Marion” during a recent meeting of the selectmen, which was a surprise to Smith who claims he has never heard anyone call him ‘Mr. Marion.’

But the other question still remains in this name game – why ‘Pete,’ Pete?

“I don’t even know!” he says, although it’s hard to tell sometimes whether he’s telling the truth or joking. Charles “Pete” Smith can be rather cheeky – but in a pleasing way.

“I don’t really know why,” he repeats himself. “My middle name is Robert.”

Pete’s mother couldn’t even tell him why he was always called Pete or Peter, he says. “Or maybe there was a good reason and they didn’t want to tell me.”

“I asked my grandmother,” Pete says, “and I guess she’s the one that put down ‘Peter,’ and my mother liked the name Peter.” But, Pete says, according to his mother, his great-grandmother didn’t even like the name, which (off the record) says Pete, must have reminded her of some old slang from the time.

Anyway, Mr. Marion – ahem, Pete – knows more about the history of Marion than your average Marionite (or historian). He’s been a member of the historical society for well over 20 years now and was named curator roughly 11 years ago, although Pete himself didn’t seem to notice when that happened. He’s listed as the curator in the 2007 book he edited titled A Picture Postcard History of Marion Massachusetts, but couldn’t recall the official appointment.

“I surprise all of them with the things I know,” he says without a hint of arrogance, for it’s true – the guy is a treasure trove of Marion history.

But how does the man some people refer to as Mr. Marion come to know so much about the seaside town he and roughly 5,000 others call home?

“Because I’ve lived it,” says Smith. “Plus, if I didn’t experience it myself, I’m here (in the museum). You can’t keep filing papers on everything without learning something about it.”

We’ve already established that Smith has lived in Marion his whole life – from attending Sippican School and then Tabor Academy, while leaving Marion for four years to join the Navy. He got his degree in business from Nichols College in Dudley, MA, and returned to Marion and worked for the Babbit Steam Specialty Company in New Bedford. He was also a special officer for the Marion Police Department for 20 years.

In addition, he’s stood in practically every social arena in town – the Council on Aging, the Lions Club (when there still was one in Marion), the Masons, the historical society, of course, and is also part of the Charles R. Washburn Memorial Trust board, serving as the treasurer.

“I’m treasurer of every darn thing I get into,” said Smith strangely enough. “Maybe they think I’m honest?” He shakes his head in wonder, oblivious of any significance.

You see, Smith might always be the ‘treasurer,’ but Smith is also a collector of ‘treasures’ – old postcards, antiques – especially antiques that originate from Marion or are associated with Marion. He goes out, a treasurer in search of treasure, often to flea markets where he’s found many a unique gem or to auctions where he’s encountered some pretty cool stuff, usually with a heavier price tag.

There is a colorful collection of souvenir china from places like the Sippican Hotel and Casino that Smith collected and donated to the museum. He’s also donated post cards like the ones featured in the aforementioned book.

“I’ve got tons of them!” said Smith, admitting that he’s got even more at home, and most of the Marion-centric antiques he’s collected he still keeps at home, too. “When I’m out and about if I see anything from Marion that I don’t have, it’s mine.”

There is a gold-leaf mirror featuring a painting of Eastover Farm on the office wall, purchased for $99 (a steal) and donated by Smith, as well as some local ship passports signed by various presidents – including President Martin Van Buren (“When have you ever seen something signed by Van Buren,” Smith asks in after-the-fact astonishment) that he helped acquire.

“Most people don’t realize it, but I collect anything, really – that looks good – about Marion’s history,” Smith said. Some items he has donated to the museum, some he has out on loan, “And there’s some of it they’re not going to get until I’m gone,” he adds, citing job security.

Smith knows everything there is to know about Marion history that’s knowable, of course. For instance, all of the information surrounding the Mary Celeste aka “The Ghost Ship” that is available – aside from the actual fate of the people who disappeared from the boat without a trace – Smith knows. It’s even possible that he knows what happened to them and he’s holding out on us. But you get the picture. He’s a living, walking, breathing history book on Marion.

It’s no wonder Selectman Jody Dickerson recently brought up the idea of officially appointing Smith as the Town of Marion’s appointed historian. (Speaking of selectmen, having been a lifelong resident, Smith says he’s known many of them since they were kids – but we will save that for another story…)

Smith knows history. “Marion history,” he says specifically. The rest of history he doesn’t reserve much of his time for. His passion lies in the Marion of the Golden Era, “when all the celebrities came to Marion,” he said.

“I’d like to have lived during that era, really,” he said.

Smith’s dedication to preserving Marion’s history is self-evident. He spends a lot of time seeking out relics from Marion’s past, chasing the ghosts of Marion’s hallways of history. And Smith knows about ghosts, just ask him about his table-tipping incident and the fact that if he ever has to come into the historical house that is home to the museum alone at night, “Let’s just say I’m in and out real quick.”

As much as Smith knits together the threads of Marion’s history to dress up our curiosity, Smith himself (or at least his ancestors) really did make up the fabric of the town’s history. Remember that little two-part history number The Wanderer published in the June 25, 2015 edition called “The Tar and Feather Incident” written by Kyle DeCicco-Carey? (If not, you can view Part One at www.wanderer.com/features/the-tar-and-feather-incident-2/).

Well, says Smith, Clara Mendel Potter was his great-grandmother.

And if you’re still wondering what’s so fascinating about the guy Pete Smith, check out his identification card for the Council of Seven Royal House Pokanoket Tribe. You don’t get to carry this card unless you’re one of seven chosen few who are descendants of royalty – Native American royalty – a descendant of Chief Quadequinah, brother of Chief Massasoit, the two kings that met Captain Thomas Dermer at Pokanoket in May 1619.

Ancestral roots in these parts don’t run that much deeper.

Smith says his memory isn’t what it used to be and he actually warned about that just a few days before his interview, prophesying that he would likely forget all about it on Tuesday morning. Which he did, of course, not to his surprise. The trouble with losing your memory, he said, is that there’s no one besides him willing to remember Marion’s past.

“Problem is, I have an interest in the town and its history, and more than most people do today,” said Smith.

And he’s still got so much left to discover, he says. For instance, why was one section of land at Tabor Academy documented on a 1903 map of Marion as being named “Red Rock”? And where on Earth can he find photographs of the artillery that was once out at Kittansett?

How can you find out, I ask him?

“Keep asking,” said Smith. “You just keep asking.”

And you keep peeling, I think to myself. Keep pulling back those layers and another facet is revealed of the gem we call Pete Smith: Marion’s ubiquitous treasurer … Marion’s treasure hunter … Marion’s treasure.

This Spud’s For You

on

The Tri-Town community is warmly invited to join us at the First Congregational Church of Rochester for our Second Service Supper on Sunday, February 18 in the Fellowship Hall at 11 Constitution Way. Attend our afternoon service at 5:00 pm and stay for dinner at 6:00 pm. There will be salad and a baked potato bar with lots of toppings. Have a favorite dessert? Bring it to share. This is a great opportunity to meet others during our relaxed, family-friendly service. Fill up on fellowship while loading up your potato. Please contact the church office at 508-763-4314 with any questions.