Liz Wiley Appointed Executive Director of the Marion Institute

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The Marion Institute (MI) Board of Directors and staff welcome their new Executive Director, Liz Wiley, to the organization. Wiley will lead MI, which celebrated its 25th year in 2018, as it evolves its mission to focus primarily on holistic healthcare and fostering healthy, engaged individuals and communities.

“We’re so pleased to welcome Liz back to the Marion Institute,” said Michael Baldwin, Co-Founder and President of the Board of Directors. “She was with us 5 years ago and left an indelible mark on the organization. Her skills, accomplishments, and core values mirror the mission of the Marion Institute and we are looking forward to her shepherding MI into a new era.”

Most recently, Wiley was the Climate Resilience and Food Security Lead at Spherical Analytics (S|A), a Context Labs Company based in Cambridge, MA.

“It is with great excitement that I return to the Marion Institute as Executive Director. The MI’s mission has always been close to my heart and aligns with my personal and professional philosophy,” said Wiley. “Our goal of promoting healthy living and vibrant communities through food access, resilient environments, and holistic healthcare is a fundamental part of my world view. I can’t wait to work with the incredible MI team to implement and expand this pioneering vision.”

Originally trained as a biologist, Wiley has a diverse background focused on environmental and social issues for more than 20 years. In 2007, she began working for Bristol Community College (BCC) where she developed the highly successful WISE Women program, implemented multiple grant initiatives focused on workforce development, and helped launch eHealth, an innovative private/public partnership that brought online health-oriented programs to the college.

Later, as the Director of the college’s Green Center, Wiley developed workforce training programs in support of the green economy. Under Wiley’s direction, the Center grew into a major force for developing the green economy in the Southcoast region. She has taught courses at Boston University and BCC and is a certified yoga teacher. Wiley and her family reside in Wareham.

The Marion Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the organizational hub for programs focused on innovative approaches to healthcare, community-building, and sustainability: the BioMed Programs (BioMed Network and the Bioregulatory Medicine Institute) and Grow Education. The Marion Institute also acts as a fiscal sponsor for a range of smaller organizations which are working toward their charitable certification and are in need of administrative support and guidance.

Felix P. Gomes

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Felix P. Gomes, 84, of Marion, entered into eternal glory on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River.

Born in Bourne, he was the son of the late Julio P. and Antonia O. (Gonsalves) Gomes. He graduated from Bourne High School, Class of 1952. Mr. Gomes was a residential group home manager for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and previously worked at the former Paul A. Dever State School in Taunton.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1960 where he honed his love for photography. After his service, he worked at Stewart Color Lab from 1960 until he left New York, creating images and producing print work that hung in subways and mega size billboards throughout New York City. During his career, some of his personal photos were submitted to Time Magazine.

A championship powerlifter, Mr. Gomes started weightlifting and bodybuilding during his time in the Army. At the Flatbush branch YMCA in Brooklyn, New York, he developed a program for weightlifting and sponsored weightlifting and powerlifting meets. He was a competitive member of the Staten Island Weightlifting Club. From 1971 to 1974, he was a New York Metropolitan Powerlifting Chairman and helped organize powerlifting meets in New York and New Jersey. He was also a national powerlifting referee.

Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Gomes was the top-rated powerlifter in 1969 both nationally and worldwide. He was both junior and senior national record holder in the dead lift, the United States record holder in the dead lift from 1966 to 1968, 1969 “Outstanding Powerlifter” in the New York Metropolitan Association, “Powerlifter of the Month” by the Powerlifting National Magazine, represented the United States in the first national team competition against England, and also represented the United States in three world powerlifting championships.

He is survived by his children, Felicia Gomes-Gregory of Brooklyn, NY, Kelcey Robertson of New Bedford, Kendra Gomes of Marion, and Keeland Gomes of Marion; his siblings, Robert Gomes of Falmouth, Joseph Gomes of New Bedford, Cipriana Gomes and Pedro Gomes both of Waterbury, CT, and Maria Santos of Quincy.  Also surviving are his grandchildren, Danielle Gregory, Gabrielle Gregory and Kelcey Robertson, Jr., and many loved nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, the late Julio Gomes, David Gomes, Christina Gomes, and Margaret Gomes.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Hwy. (Rt. 28), Wareham on Thurs., Jan. 17, 2019 from 9 to 10:30 am. A funeral Mass will follow at St. Mary’s Church, Onset Ave., Onset at 11 am. Interment will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Wareham.

Marion Designated as Green Community

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Town Administrator Paul Dawson and the Marion Board of Selectmen are pleased to announce that the Town of Marion was designated as a Green Community by the state late last month.

“With so much conversation being made lately about the environment and our impact on it, this designation as a Green Community comes at just the right time,” Town Administrator Dawson said. “I think it all starts at home with everyone being mindful of the ways we can do a better job of protecting our environment and I am proud that the town has been recognized by the state for taking its own steps in doing just that.”

In a letter sent by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), Selectman Chair Norman Hills was notified of the new designation for the town on Thursday, December 27.

The DOER Green Communities Division provides technical assistance and financial support for municipal initiatives to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in public buildings, facilities, and schools.

There are five criteria to be a Green Community. Meeting those criteria qualifies communities for state funding to increase their efforts. The criteria are:

-Provide as-of-right siting in designated locations for renewable/alternative energy generation, research and development, or manufacturing facilities.

-Adopt an expedited application and permit process for as-of-right energy facilities.

-Establish an energy use baseline for municipal buildings and facilities, and develop a plan to reduce energy use by twenty percent after five years

-Purchase fuel-efficient vehicles when available and practicable

-Minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction homes and buildings; one way to meet these requirements is to adopt the new Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) Stretch Code

“Meeting these criteria is proof of Marion’s position as an energy leader in Massachusetts, poised to reduce its energy costs, improve the local environment and implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with funding through the Green Communities Designation and Grant Program,” Nicholas Connors Director of the Green Communities Division wrote in his letter to Selectman Hills.

Marion’s Energy Management Committee (EMC) has led the town’s effort to gain Green Community status since 2013 and 2014 when it promoted the Solar Bylaw and began to investigate the Stretch Code. More than 100 solar projects have been installed in town since that time.

With the help of the EMC, the town has also executed a power purchase agreement with Future Generation Wind to net meter electric power to town buildings and facilities at savings in excess of $90,000 per year.

In addition, the town was able to lease four electric vehicles for the use of town departments with help from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

Currently EMC has proposed and overseen the replacement of all of the town’s cobra-head streetlights with more efficient LED fixtures for additional energy savings.

With the new Green Community designation, the town has been awarded a grant of $132,672 to cover the cost of additional energy-saving projects. A list of the proposed projects is presently being developed for submission to the Green Communities Division.

 

 

Selectmen Ready to Talk T.U.R.F.

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Marion Town Administrator Paul Dawson advised the Board of Selectmen on January 8 to plan on attending the upcoming Old Rochester Regional School Committee meeting next week when the committee will discuss the ORR High School athletic complex renovation project proposal it will support advancing into the new year.

“I think it’s important that we be well represented … to at least present the municipal side of this and what that all means and how that might play out,” said Dawson.

Dawson encouraged all three selectmen to join him for the meeting, saying that selectmen, the town administrators, and some Finance Committee members from Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester will all be attending to discuss the implications of the proposal, “… Whatever their proposal may be,” Dawson.

“I think there is a movement to move it to the spring Town Meeting,” suggested Dawson.

The ORR School Committee meeting is scheduled for January 16 at 6:30 pm in the ORR Junior High School media room.

In other matters, Dawson gave the selectmen an update on the building of the Town’s fiscal year 2019 budget, saying the process is well underway after a meeting last week with department heads to discuss operating budgets and capital requests. There are a number of subsequent meetings for this and next week scheduled already to prepare a balanced budget to present to the Finance Committee.

“We hope to be able to have a budget ready to send off to the Finance Committee as soon as possible,” said Dawson. “I hope that we’ll be able to have some recommendations for the board at its next meeting … unless we run into anything unpredictable at this point.”

The board tabled the discussion of the citizen petition to ban adult-use recreational cannabis in Marion. According to Dawson, he still needs to review the article language with the petitioner in order to get the article into the proper format.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for January 22 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

Academic Achievements

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Dean’s List statusatLehigh Universityin the Fall 2018 semester, which is awarded to students who earned a scholastic average of 3.6 or better while carrying at least 12 hours of regularly graded courses, has been granted to Rachel McCoog of Marion in the Fall 2018 semester.

Curry Collegeis proud to announce that Victoria Caton of Mattapoisett has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2018 semester. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must earn a 3.30 GPA, have no incompletes, and have no grade lower than a “C” for the semester.

The University of Rhode Island is pleased to announce that these Tri-Town students have qualified for the fall 2018 dean’s list:

-Liz Jerome of Rochester

-Maddy Kistler of Marion

-Tyler Menard of Mattapoisett

-David Nadeau of Mattapoisett

-Christina Sebastiao of Mattapoisett

-Ally Sylvia of Rochester

Experience a Total Lunar Eclipse

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On the evening of January 20into the morning of January 21, the shadow of earth will pass in front of the full moon, creating a total lunar eclipse. Come join the Buzzards Bay Coalition at The Bogs (138 Acushnet Rd., Mattapoisett) to watch this incredible celestial event!

Located far from city lights, within the Mattapoisett River Reserve, The Bogs offer a dark, expansive sky perfect for views of the eclipsed moon. This eclipse will reach its peak at 12:12 am on January 21. Stop by any time between 11:30 pm and 12:30 am to view the moon up-close and personal, and learn a bit more about this astronomical event. This event is perfect for those with a school or work holiday on January 21 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Sky viewing will be weather-dependent. Please check the event page/Facebook the morning of the program for cancellations.

Dress warmly; we recommend bringing a chair and blankets if you plan to stay and watch the event. Binoculars and telescopes are welcome, and some extra binoculars will be available for use. Hot chocolate will be provided!

To learn more and register, visit www.savebuzzardsbay.org/events/total-lunar-eclipse-the-bogs-jan-20-2019/ or contact the Buzzards Bay Coalition at 508-999-6363 ext. 219 or bayadventures@savebuzzardsbay.org.

This event is part of Discover Buzzards Bay, an initiative to help people across the Buzzards Bay region find unique and exciting ways to explore the outdoors, get some exercise and connect with nature. Local residents can use Discover Buzzards Bay to get outside and discover woods, wetlands, and waterways from Fall River to Falmouth. To learn more, visit savebuzzardsbay.org/discover.

Assistant Superintendent to Retire in June

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Old Rochester Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment Dr. Elise Frangos will retire come the end of this school year, and the Rochester School Committee on January 3 had a brief discussion about the future of the position in the four school districts of Old Rochester.

School Committee Chairman Sharon Hartley said there are a number of ideas being considered and discussed by the budget subcommittee on how to fill the impending vacancy.

“We wanted to be sure we serve all of our schools well and in particular, being the Rochester School Committee, we want to be sure that we have a curriculum director, assistant superintendent – a leader who is going to continue the great work that we’ve had, and continue great curriculum instruction,” Hartley said.

One possibility is to split the position into two assistant superintendents, one with expertise in math and science, and one specializing in English language arts to support the districts.

“We will be coming back to that and having future discussions about that position and how we will restructure – if we will restructure,” said Hartley.

Superintendent Dr. Doug White said all school committees – Rochester, Mattapoisett, Marion, and Old Rochester Regional – would have to adopt the same position type and description when the time comes, but beforehand, he added, the financial structure to change the one position into two will have to be explored.

Frangos has been a part of the Old Rochester Schools Administration since 2010.

The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for February 7 at 6:30 pm, location to be determined.

Rochester School Committee

By Jean Perry

Sippican Woman’s Club

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To the Editor:

The members of the Sippican Woman’s Club would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the visitors who came to our Holiday House Tour that took place on December 8, 2018.

We had a beautiful day and the weather cooperated. Our lovely town was showcased as the welcome mat was out to all our visitors from both near and far. We would also like to thank the homeowners who so graciously opened their lovely houses to be toured. We would like to express our gratitude to the florists for their beautiful arrangements and to the students as well as members who participated as hostesses. A thank you to members who helped to transfer Handy’s Tavern into an “Elegant Christmas” and to those who participated at the Tea. We would be remiss if we did not express our appreciation to the husbands, friends, and a daughter of a member who “filled in” as hosts/hostesses. Many members worked very hard to help make this year’s tour a success. So far the feedback has been positive and will enable us to award scholarships to deserving students as has been our object for more than 30 years. Without a team effort, this would not be possible.

Happy Holidays

Mary L. Verni, President

Sippican Woman’s Club

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great 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 Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Tabor Academy Offers Tech Help

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A free, open-to-the-public tech help session will be held at Tabor Academy’s Charles Hayden Library on Wednesday, January 16, from 9:30 am – 11: 30 am. Students and faculty will be available to assist anyone who needs technological guidance. Some examples of ways students have assisted people in the past include:

-Managing privacy settings on Facebook

-Learning to use Skype

-Uploading photos

-Solving problems related to using a new cell phone

Whatever your issue, please feel free to stop by. The Hayden Library is located at 71 Spring Street in Marion. Look for the “Event Parking Here” sign and enter the library through the door on the parking lot side of the building.

The event is part of the school’s annual day of service where students engage in community projects across the Southcoast.

Questions regarding this event should be sent via email to Lauren Boucher at lboucher@taboracademy.org.

Rochester Council on Aging

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Inclement Weather/Senior Center Closings: The Senior Center closes for all activities when Rochester schools are cancelled.

Upcoming closings in January: January 21 (Martin Luther King Holiday).

Special Luncheons: Reservations are required for these events and a donation of $5.00 would be appreciated! Meals will be served at 12:00 pm. Please join us.

-Pampered Chef Luncheon:  Monday, January 14

-Mike & Anne’s Special Lunch: Monday, January 28

Podiatrist Visit: Dr. Sarah Desrosiers is available by appointment on Thursday, February 28. If you have not seen her before, please call her office at 508-946-1444 to schedule an appointment. If you are a returning patient, the doctor’s office will contact you to confirm your appointment.

Cheers to a healthy 2019:

-Blood Pressure Clinics – Wednesday from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (except 1/30).

-Fitness Room – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 am -12:00 pm and Tuesday from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

-Chair Yoga – Monday from 1:15 pm – 2:15 pm and Friday 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.

-Stepping & Stretching – Monday & Thursday from 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm.

-Zumba – Wednesday from 7:00 am – 8:00 am.

-Cardio Dance Fit – Thursday from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm.

-Line Dancing – Tuesday from 2:15 pm – 4:00 pm and Friday from 9:30 am – 11:00 am.

-Ballroom Dancing – Wednesday from 10:00 am – 11:00 am.

Movies are shown every Friday at 1:30! All are welcome and there is no charge.

Please contact us at the Senior Center at 508-763-8723 for more information or to make a reservation! Also, you can read the full monthly newsletter on our website www.rochestermaseniorcenter.com and follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/rochestercoa.

Rides: We can provide transportation for Rochester residents. Please call to schedule a ride with one of our friendly drivers at least 24 hours in advance.