It was unanimous – the Marion Board of Selectmen thinks Karen Gregory, interim director at the Marion Council on Aging, is the perfect candidate for the permanent position of COA director and hired her for the position on January 8 during a special meeting.

“I want to personally thank you on behalf of the town for doing a great job stepping up,” said Selectmen Chairman Jody Dickerson. “You haven’t missed a beat, and you’ve done a great job.”

Gregory accepted the temporary position of interim COA director upon the resignation of former COA Director Heather Sylvia back in October after nearly two years as director.

Gregory had already been employed by the Marion Council on Aging for three years assisting with program development, after having had experience as assistant of programming in a senior assisted living facility, and then later as the COA director in the Town of Carver for five years.

“I’ve been with Marion going on three years, and I have enjoyed my time here,” said Gregory. She assisted in developing the senior programming at the Marion Music Hall before the opening of the senior/community center last summer. Some of the programs she helped establish include the Memory Café, “…Which has been very successful and has meant a lot to us,” said Gregory, who is pleased that the programs she helped create have led to participants forming new friendships outside the center and in the community.

Gregory’s background was in marketing, but she lost interest in her corporate career and found fulfillment working with seniors, bringing with her relevant experience in management and also budgeting, which Gregory just tackled for the first time as interim COA director heading into fiscal year 2019.

Selectman Steve Gonsalves said he has heard nothing but praise for Gregory from the community.

“It’s obvious that you have a love and passion for this,” said Gonsalves.

Gregory said her vision for the Marion COA and the senior/community center is further expansion into evening and weekend programming, and to also reach out to younger seniors in the community to join in COA events.

Gregory says seniors should feel comfortable approaching her for assistance.

“I don’t judge,” she said. “I’m just there to listen. They know that they can get the answers that they need, and if I don’t have them, then I will go get them for them.”

The new COA director also envisions uniting the young and old in activities that will facilitate intergenerational interaction, such as seniors reading to students at schools among other special events.

Communication being a vital aspect to the job, Selectman Norm Hills asked Gregory, in this day and age of technology, what has she found to be the most effective way to maintain communication with seniors who may be unfamiliar with email and the Internet.

“They still love to get the newsletter mailed to them,” said Gregory, and there is nothing like the traditional phone call to contact her clients.

The Facebook page for the Marion COA is still vital, said Gregory, although most of the seniors do not engage in social media. It serves to keep family members of seniors at the center, both near and far, aware of what is happening at the COA.

Some of the challenges Gregory will face on behalf of the COA, she said, include minimal staffing and a tight budget, which require a creative approach to funding and facilitating new programs. And some of the seniors in town aren’t as advantaged as one might think in a town like Marion, Gregory said, and face financial challenges and need resources.

Expanding transportation is essential, said Gregory, but currently senior transportation is running smoothly, with two full-time drivers and one part-time driver and employee of the Recreation Department. However, in order to expand programming into evenings and weekends, more hours for drivers are needed.

The majority of seniors served by the COA are female, said Gregory, and she hopes to reach out to the male seniors in the community by offering programs such as “Coffee with the Chief” and Ping-Pong lessons, and informing them of other amenities offered at the center like the pool table. Another idea was a regularly scheduled dinner for veterans.

“Very impressive,” Gonsalves said to Gregory as the interview concluded.

But if we could just do something about the food…

Gregory acknowledged that the current food provider has not been as palatable to people as one would hope, but as the contract nears its end, the COA will explore its options and switch food service providers if necessary.

Gregory was singled out as one of two final candidates for the position. The other finalist withdrew her application only just recently, however, so Gregory was the only candidate interviewed on Monday.

After the interview, Dickerson turned to the two other selectmen and asked, “Do we want to look for other candidates?”

“No,” Gonsalves promptly stated.

“I personally think Karen would be a great candidate,” said Town Administrator Paul Dawson. “She’s done an outstanding job … [The seniors] love her.”

Well, that settles it, said Dickerson, lest the seniors march into Town Hall wielding canes.

Gregory will be officially hired pending contract negotiations.

The next regular meeting of the Marion Board is scheduled for January 16 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

The Marion Planning Board meeting on Monday, January 8, proved consequential in clarifying Town policy on the question of mandatory municipal water hook-up.

The issue of whether the applicants, Tad Wallenhaupt and Alexander Urquhart, at 111 Wareham Street were required to hook up to town water, despite there being a well on their property, had been raised at a previous Planning Board meeting by David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider and Associates, the applicants’ representative.

Board member Norman Hills, who is also a selectman and therefore a water commissioner, researched the question and presented his findings at the meeting.

After consulting with a number of town officials, Hills discovered that while it was “common practice” for all businesses and residents to hook up to town water, it was not documented as written policy.

In the special conditions listed in the draft permit for the Wareham Street application, the Planning Board was requiring the applicant to provide adequate potable water to the site, describing the water pipe size and flow volume. Board member Chris Collings took issue with these details, suggesting that it was the board’s responsibility to require the applicant to abide by all town policies and regulations, but that it was redundant to specify how the applicant must fulfill the requirement of water supply.

“We want him to have adequate potable water … but it is the decision of the water commissioners and the building commissioner to determine what an adequate water supply is,” said Collings.

Hills was adamant that the applicant must hook up to town water, noting that only in extreme cases – “…which this is not one,” Hills stated – an exception should be made for the requirement.

Hills’ research exposed a hole in Town policy, which prompted Planning Board Chairman Eileen Marum to suggest the issue go before the By-Law Codification Committee in order to close this loophole.

In the meantime, the board voted to approve the current application for 111 Wareham Street with two special conditions: the applicant must provide a “Trucks Entering” warning sign to face westbound traffic on Route 6, the location of which must be approved by town police, DPW, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; and the applicant shall provide an adequate supply of potable water in accordance with the policies of the Town of Marion and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Hills was the only dissenting vote.

Also during the meeting, the board held a public hearing on the Complete Streets Policy presented by board member Jennifer Francis.

The policy was drafted by the Transportation and Circulation Task Force, a subcommittee of the Planning Board, in collaboration with Town Planner Gil Hilario.

While the policy does not require the Town to do anything, it signals to the State that the Town will adhere to MassDOT guidelines when planning any road projects and allows the Town to apply for grant funding through the program.

Francis was quick to point out that the policy only applies to local roads, not to any projects pertaining to Route 6, which is a state road.

Hilario noted that there are currently 179 municipalities participating in the program, which requires towns to promote pedestrian-friendly design in their roadway planning.

Marum congratulated Francis on the policy, saying, “This shows that Marion is serious about having the roads available to everyone.”

While the Planning Board is not required to approve the policy, Francis felt it was important that the board weigh in on it and indicate its support. At the suggestion of Vice Chairman Stephen Kokkins, the board voted to recommend that the Board of Selectmen approve this policy.

There will be a public hearing on January 22 regarding the possible moratorium on marijuana sales proposed by the Planning Board for a special town meeting in February. Marum indicated that, with the state Cannabis Control Board issuing its guidelines in mid-March and accepting applications for licenses on April 1, she felt the Town did not have adequate time to develop its own bylaws for regulating recreational marijuana, also known as adult use of marijuana.

By implementing a moratorium until December 31, 2018, the Town would have time to develop a bylaw and bring it to Town Meeting in the fall.

Hilario stated that currently, if a town does not pass a moratorium and does not have a bylaw in place, the Cannabis Control Commission, in reviewing applications, would consider the application as a Similar Use proposal.

In Marion’s case, an application would be considered as a General Business proposal.

Collings expressed concern that completing a bylaw this year adds considerable work for the board and wondered aloud if the Medical Marijuana bylaw would suffice in the short term.

Board member Will Saltonstall thought Collings’ concept was interesting, but held inherent risk, and Saltonstall made the case that there was little harm in putting the moratorium in place.

In other matters, Hilario reported that another multi-board meeting would be scheduled to discuss the proposed zoning change for Spring Street. Kokkins noted that the discussion at the previous meeting was quite animated surrounding the question of whether the proposed development at Spring Street would follow town Bylaw 8.12 with regard to mandatory inclusion of affordable housing units.

Hilario indicated that the intent was to follow the existing bylaw, but did not rule out the possibility of modifying it in the future, adding that “Only recently was there any discussion or interest in modifying [Bylaw 8.12]. Change must be very measured.”

Kokkins added, “Voters are not going to be asked to change a zoning bylaw, to my knowledge.”

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

Marion Planning Board

By Sarah French Storer

If you love the Rochester Country Fair, then it’s time to answer the call to volunteer to ensure there actually is a Country Fair this year.

During a discussion with the Rochester Board of Selectmen on January 8, Country Fair Board of Directors and Country Fair Committee member Kelly Morgado said, in light of a slew of committee resignations and a lack of volunteers, the future of the Country Fair is uncertain.

Not good for annual fairgoers.

Morgado said the Country Fair Committee desperately needs new members and volunteers, especially to help coordinate and facilitate children’s events this year.

“We need a lot of help,” Morgado said. “The outlook for the fair right now is very dismal. I’m not sure what, if anything, we’ll be able to do this year.”

Morgado said a social media campaign calling for volunteers turned up one person interested in helping out – many more are still needed.

As for the minor changes to the fairgrounds the selectmen approved, some fence maintenance will be performed, as well as the replacement of some rotten posts. Some vandalism from the fall will be fixed, and the food booth will receive some much-needed electrical upgrades. Furthermore, a structure known as the “cat house” near the Pine Street entrance will be moved to Gate C near the field, and the current small building at Gate C will be placed in the rear of the fairgrounds for storage.

“No additions, just rearrangement? Sounds good,” said Selectman Greenwood Hartley.

The motion to approve the work passed.

On the light side of the news, Rochester’s oldest resident, Marion (Henrique) Thomas, turned 101 on December 21. Thomas is the current holder of the Boston Post Cane.

In other matters, Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar acknowledged the Rochester emergency response employees and the Highway Department employees who worked throughout the recent storm, and she thanked them for a job well done.

“Having gone through other towns, they did a fabulous job,” said Chairman Brad Morse.

Nomination papers are now available to residents who wish to run for office for the 2018 Annual Election. The deadline to pull papers and return them to the Town Clerk’s Office is February 21. The last day to register to vote in time for the April 11 election is March 22.

As per the request of Selectman Hartley, the board will seek to reactivate a Capital Planning Committee and actively solicit members. Selectman Naida Parker said Town Meeting had adopted a bylaw to allow for such a committee, but it resulted in no interest by the public to serve on the committee.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen will be January 22 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

Noise complaints brought to the attention of the Rochester Planning Board were addressed on January 9, with the board content to allow Wellspring Farm owners Holly and James Vogel to “self-police” by monitoring cars that enter the property for long-term idling, the basis for part of the complaints lodged by an abutter about noise emitted from the hippotherapy center.

Attorney for the Vogels, George Boerger, disputed the allegations that the idling of cars, which is prohibited in the Order of Conditions, would exceed a Massachusetts regulation on maximum noise levels, as abutter Cathy Mendoza alleges.

Citing a letter from an experienced sound specialist, Boerger stated that in the 30 years this specialist had been in the field, he never once heard of a noise complaint surrounding idling cars exceeding the noise limit. Even with seven cars idling at the same time, Boerger said, “That wouldn’t be a violation of the state regulation.”

Referring to another allegation of noise violations, that of therapists and clients conversing loudly, “Conservations between individuals is not a violation,” Boerger said.

“It’s people riding horses and people talking,” said Boerger.

Having acknowledged the complaints, however, Boerger said the Vogels have been trying hard to comply with the state’s noise regulation, as stipulated in the Order of Conditions issued by the Planning Board, by handing out letters to clients about idling vehicles and by providing a heated building for drivers and parents to utilize while they wait for clients’ 45-minutes sessions to finish, to mitigate the need to idle.

Two more “No Idling” signs have also been ordered, Boerger said, despite the state’s regulation permitting idling for the use of a heater, according to Boerger.

But Planning Board member Ben Bailey contested Boerger’s assertion that cars could idle in order to utilize the heater. He said he had the regulation in front of him on his iPad and that the regulation specifically stated that idling for heater use was not an exception.*

“Given the sensitivity to the area,” said Planning Board Chairman Arnie Johnson, “no matter what the regulations are, a little bit of self policing,” he continued, goes a long way. “You know when the people generally come in to pick up their kids,” said Johnson, adding that employees should approach anyone in the lot appearing to idle, “Because this is impacting you.”

Bailey repeatedly referred to a “bag of apples” analogy he used to suggest the Vogels “open up the bag” and “count the apples,” symbolizing how they should fund their own noise study to prove their innocence, while attorneys would prefer to argue over “how many apples are in the bag.”

Boerger argued that funding a noise study simply to prove the allegations are false was “unreasonable.”

“We’ve done everything that you’ve asked us to do and we’ve exceeded that,” said James Vogel. “We will not guarantee that it’s going to be excellent and perfect. We guarantee that we will do the best that we can … that we will follow what you’re saying.”

Town Planner Steve Starrett said he located the Town’s sound meter and went to the Hiller Road facility to take some sound samples.

“I’m not an expert, I’ve just done some random tests,” said Starrett, adding that he consulted with the DEP over how to take samples and other pertinent details. What he found, he said, was that sound levels at Wellspring were in general no different than any residence.

The sound of the wind through the pine trees, he said, was enough to raise decibel levels 25 dB above ambient sound.

Over at Rochester Crossroads, Starrett said, he took sound samples of seven cars idling in a parking lot and recorded 52 dBs. “That’s only ten or twelve above ambient. You’re not talking huge numbers there.”

Vogel asked the board to finally close the matter, and Johnson seemed satisfied enough to allow the Vogels to go about their business while being vigilant of idling cars in the parking lot.

“We’ll continue to monitor, but for now it seems we’ll be satisfied with that,” said Johnson.

Also during the meeting, the board threw some shade at solar developer Clean Energy Collective, developers of a community solar energy facility approved and under construction off Mattapoisett Road.

In an attempt to not be like “one of those” solar farms in town that have violated Planning Board conditions, Clean Energy Collective representatives wanted the board to know that some elevation numbers were inaccurate, and the developer wanted permission to either build a screening berm higher to screen the panels of one section more effectively, or to allow for more intense blasting in order to bring the elevations into compliance with the plan of record.

Not okay, the board agreed. It’s not that simple.

During grading operations, workers discovered that an area of rock ledge was too hard and dense to continue to drill and would require blasting above and beyond what the Planning Board had approved.

The Historical Commission’s concern now is that the historical landmark “Devil’s Footprint” rock located at the site would be damaged with further blasting. The Order of Conditions mandated that best practices be followed to avoid damaging the rock.

However, if the incorrectly noted elevations were allowed to stand, and a berm height increase allowed, stormwater management systems would be affected.

Clean Energy Collective representatives believed both options to be minor changes to the plan, but the board disagreed.

After about an hour-long discussion, Planning Board member Chris Silveira’s suggestion that the developer explore another option of drilling deeper into the rock to see if it can then be hammered down looked like an attractive alternative to Clean Energy reps, given the strict deadlines for solar applications in Massachusetts.

A Cease and Desist Order that was issued to the developer will stand, but will allow for the continuation of drilling and hammering of the ledge rock; meanwhile, the developer will submit a parallel request to the Planning Board to re-open the public hearing, a more lengthy process, just in case the drilling and hammering does not pan out.

And as for the Devil’s Footprint rock, Johnson cautioned the developer, “It’s like the ‘Old Man in the Mountain.’ Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

The matter was continued.

In other matters, the Special Permit public hearing for a large-scale solar farm at 453 Rounseville Road was continued for one more meeting to allow for some final details to be addressed. The board issued its totals for a number of bonds and allowed abutters to ask questions about concerns on wells.

The Special Permit for a Back Lot filed by Madeleine Monteiro for 0 Walnut Plain Road was continued until January 23 at the applicant’s request. The proposed back lot would be located in Rochester, but accessed via an entrance located in Middleboro. The applicant may withdraw its application without prejudice should the Rochester building commissioner decide to issue a building permit based on review of Middleboro’s approved plan.

The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for January 23 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

*A review of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Title XIV Chapter 90 Section 16A does not reveal any direct reference to the use of words involving “heat” or “heater”, nor does it authorize idling for the use of heat; Section 16B does reference “heating” pertaining to school vehicles on school property, allowing for some prolonged idling of school vehicles to operate heating “to ensure the health or safety of a driver or passengers…” on public or private accredited schools.

Rochester Planning Board

By Jean Perry